Robin Hood helped create and fund the Harlem Children's Zone's Asthma Initiative. Having found that the rate of asthma in children in Harlem is five times the national average, the initiative worked with children, families, and teachers to supply personalized medical care and education about the disease. In addition, lawyers were brought in to help with housing issues that exasperate asthma, such as mold, rodents, dust, and smoke.
The initiative has reduced emergency room visits, nearly eliminated overnight hospital stays, and dramatically decreased the number of school days missed due to illness. The results "show that aggressive intervention can not only help control the disease, but can also prove less expensive in the long run."
Harlem Children's Zone is a community-building program that is designed to create opportunities for all children living in a 100-block area of Central Harlem through strong education, social service, and health delivery systems. Currently, about 45 percent of the residents living in a 24-block area of the zone earn less than $10,000 per year and the area's unemployment rate is at least twice the citywide average. Robin Hood has supported H.C.Z. and its numerous schools, programs and initiatives since 1991.
Lear more about the Harlem Children's Zone Asthma Initiative.