Project Grant 00A01502

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO THE HITCHCOCK CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL EXPAND COMMUNITY-BASED AIR MONITORING IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDE TRAINING AND EDUCATION RELATED TO AIR QUALITY AND EXTREME HEAT. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, THE HITCHCOCK CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT WILL EXPAND ON THE EXISTING NETWORK OF AIR MONITORS IN THE REGION BY ADDING 10 NEW AIR SENSORS. THE HITCHCOCK CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT WILL WORK WITH THE YALE RESEARCH TEAM TO MAINTAIN THE AIR MONITOR NETWORK AND TO SHARE AIR QUALITY INFORMATION ON A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WEBSITE. THE HITCHCOCK CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT WILL ALSO WORK WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS (PHIWM) TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND CONVENE A TEAM OF 10 RESIDENT ADVISORS TO MONITOR AND MAINTAIN THE AIR SENSOR NETWORK. ADDITIONALLY, THE HITCHCOCK CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT WILL TRAIN AND EDUCATE YOUTH LEADERS, SHARE NUMEROUS MULTIMEDIA EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, AND EMPOWER RESIDENTS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY,ADDRESS EXTREME HEAT, AND IMPROVE CLIMATE RESILIENCE.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PROVIDING CAPACITY BUILDING BY RECRUITING, TRAINING, AND CONVENING RESIDENT ADVISORS AND YOUTH LEADERS IN TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP RELATED TO AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE ADVOCACY. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO MAINTAIN AND EXPAND AN EXISTING NETWORK OF LOCAL AIR SENSORS. THE NETWORK WILL BE EXPANDED THROUGH THE ADDITION OF 10 NEW AIR SENSORS AND THE INCORPORATION OF EXTREME HEAT DATA. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED ON A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WEBSITE WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE IN SPANISH. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO EDUCATE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, CITY DEPARTMENTS, LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO WORK WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT ACTION STEPS BASED IN AVOIDING AND/OR ADDRESSING POOR AIR QUALITY AND EXTREME HEAT. THE HITCHCOCK CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT WILL ALSO WORK WITH PARTNERS TO PARTICIPATE IN STATE AND REGIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES TO SHARE LESSONS LEARNED, MEASURABLE RESULTS, BEST PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES WITH OTHER STATEWIDE/ REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES.SUBRECIPIENT:THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENTS INCLUDES TWO SUBAWARD RECIPIENTS: YALE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS (PHIWM). THE YALE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH WILL MAINTAIN A DATABASE OF CALIBRATED AND CLEANED DATA FROM ALL LOW-COST AIR SENSORS INCLUDED IN THE HEALTHY AIR NETWORK OVER THE THREE-YEAR PROJECT AND MAINTAIN A PUBLIC WEBSITE TO SHARE AIR QUALITY AND EXTREME HEAT DATA. YALE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN MONTHLY MEETINGS (MARCH 2024 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2027) OF PROJECT PARTNERS AND PROVIDE SEMI-ANNUAL FINANCIAL AND PROGRESS REPORTS. THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS (PHIWM) WILL CONVENE MONTHLY MEETINGS (MARCH 2024 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2027) OF PROJECT PARTNERS AND THE RESIDENT ADVISORS AND RECRUIT, TRAIN AND MANAGE THE STIPENDS FOR THE 8 HEALTHY AIR NETWORK RESIDENT ADVISORS. PHIWM WILL ALSO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON AIR QUALITY DATA, HEALTH IMPACTS, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, AND/OR URBAN FORESTRY AND SUPPORT MAINTENANCE OF THE HEALTHY AIR NETWORK WEBSITE. ACTIVITIES WILL ALSO INCLUDE PROVIDING SEMI-ANNUAL FINANCIAL AND PROGRESS REPORTS, CONDUCTING OUTREACH TO OUR LIVE WELL SPRINGFIELD AND PIONEER VALLEY ASTHMA COALITION MEMBERS AND OTHER NETWORKS TO SUPPORT THE WORK TO INCREASE RESIDENT AND MUNICIPAL ENGAGEMENT. PHIWM WILL ALSO PUBLICIZE PROJECT ACTIVITIES THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS AND ORGANIZE OUTREACH TO RESIDENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE REGION. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE COORDINATING 10-12 MONTHLY PLANNING MEETINGS WITH THE CORE TEAM PARTNERS, RECRUIT AND TRAIN 8 RESIDENT ADVISORS ABD 4 YOUTH ADVISORS, AND PLACE AND MONITOR 10 ADDITIONAL AIR QUALITY MONITORS. THE PROJECT WILL A