A new local campaign is trying to spread the word about the dangers of lead poisoning to as many people as possible.
The Central New York Community Foundation, with the LeadSafeCNY Coalition and Black Cub Productions, is releasing new public service announcements.
Darrell Buckingham, the senior program officer for strategic initiatives at the CNY Community Foundation, said the PSAs focus on reaching community members in the digital age.
"This doesn't call for you to turn your television on,” Buckingham said. “We have it such that these PSAs will just pop up on folks’ social media pages, whether it's Facebook or Instagram."
The PSAs, which will be distributed in English and Spanish and include the voices of local children, cover the dangers of lead, steps for testing homes, and resources for help.
The Onondaga County Health Department said 9.3 percent of Syracuse children tested in 2024 had elevated blood lead levels.
And Buckingham said even one child is too many for a condition that’s 100 percent preventable.
He said lead can affect the smallest children and cause challenges their entire lives.
"(Lead poisoning) is going to show up when they go on to graduate, if they graduate,” he said. “It's going to show up when they decide, ‘Can I go to college? Will I go to college? What neighborhood I live in? The quality of home I can now afford or pick.’ So, this can perpetuate a whole life cycle."
You can see some of the new PSAs here.
