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Community Funds Help Kids Breathe Easier

Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance recently received a $15,000 grant from the Fund for Omaha through the Omaha Community Foundation.

Kara Eastman, President and CEO of Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance, says the grant will fund Project AIR, which stands for Asthma In-Home Response. 

Eastman says Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance started this project to try to meet the rising demand of the number of kids diagnosed with asthma in our area. 

She says they are trying to find a way to reduce asthma symptoms and triggers inside the home.  So, some of the money from the grant will be used for healthy homes assessments.

"So we have trained healthy home specialists and master home environmentalists on staff who go into the homes of the patients diagnosed and do a full environmental assessment.  So we look at allergens, potential dust triggers, the built environment to see if there are things like moisture, mold or pests, anything that can exacerbate asthma.”

She says funding will also be used for air supply kits, which include items such as furnace filters, pillow protectors and mattress covers.

Eastman says the goal of Project AIR is to mitigate indoor environmental hazards that might cause someone to have asthma or trigger an asthma attack.

She says Project AIR is a partnership with healthcare and medical providers in Omaha. Eastman says Aetna Better Health of Nebraska and Omaha Children’s Hospital currently refer kids who have been diagnosed with asthma to participate in Project AIR.