The nonprofit organizations Dream Center Evansville and Circular collaborated with the Indiana University School of Medicine-Evansville in a recent proposal to the CenterPoint Energy Foundation.
The Foundation awarded $50,000 in funding to launch the Dream Lab, a hands-on, outdoor, environmentally-focused community program led by the Dream Center and their community partners.
The project will use advanced lead-detection technology to identify potential contamination in area homes and community spaces. The grant supports the purchase of an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device and the training involved in its proper use.
The initiative is part of a larger effort to reduce lead exposure and protect children and families throughout Evansville. For youth in particular, this is a chance to study the ground beneath their own neighborhood, understand what happened to it, and participate in the work of making it safer.
(From Left) Dr. Kara Garcia, IUSM-Evansville; Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry; Tom Moore, Dream Center Evansville; Logan Jenkins, Circular; Amanda Schmitt, CenterPoint Energy Foundation; Courtney Lander, CenterPoint Energy Foundation