Yesterday, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman joined Isles, Inc. and community partners to spotlight the devastating impact of recent federal funding cuts to vital public health programs, particularly those addressing childhood lead poisoning and asthma. The press conference was held at the home of Ms. Grant, where Isles is currently remediating lead paint on windows, doors, and other surfaces to protect her four children from lead exposure.

“These cuts are intentional — these cuts are strategic, these cuts are affecting those who have the least voice among us, and we need all advocates and elected officials to stand up, push back, and speak up on behalf of healthy families, healthy children, healthy communities, safe communities, and justice for all levels,” said Rep. Watson Coleman.

Earlier this month, President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) laid off the entire staff of the CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and the National Asthma Control Program, a move that advocates say will have severe consequences for public health nationwide.

“The EPA willingly came in and tested our parks and tested our schools, and tested our homes, and now that they’ve cleaned up the parks and the schools, now they want to work on houses. And now, for the Trump Administration to pull the rug out from us was devastating — this is a call to action by all of us,” said Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora.

“Eliminating the Childhood Lead Program won’t save America money. It won’t make government more efficient,” said Sean Jackson, CEO of Isles, Inc. “The health and behavioral costs of lead to our children’s health, to our hospitals treating lead-impacted victims for their lifetimes, to the schools helping students overcome learning disabilities, to pregnancy complications and even death — these impacts will cost more than the federal government will ever save.”

Bert Cooper, VP of Green & Health Homes Initiative, stated, “We know that holistic approaches to health, especially lead poisoning, are needed. HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy acknowledges this when he states his priority to ‘end America’s epidemic of chronic illness by focusing on safe, wholesome food, clean water, and the elimination of environmental toxins.’”

During the event, Jackson highlighted the alarming statistics regarding lead exposure in New Jersey, where 250,000 housing units with high levels of lead paint or lead-tainted drinking water are home to children under six years old. In Mercer County alone, 10,000 housing units have un-remediated lead paint where children live.

Speakers emphasized the permanent and profound damage lead causes to children, including:

Children affected by lead exposure are 30% more likely to fail math and reading by third grade, seven times more likely to drop out of school, and six times more likely to end up in the juvenile justice system.

The press conference also highlighted the CDC’s crucial role during the lead-tainted applesauce crisis last year, when the agency helped remove dangerous products from store shelves and prevented contaminated products from being diverted to discount retailers.

Regarding asthma, speakers noted that one in 12 Americans suffers from the condition, including 600,000 New Jersey residents and 167,000 children. In Mercer County, Trenton represents only 23% of the population but accounts for 76% of asthma-related emergency department visits.

Trenton Council Vice President Jasi Edwards added, “To defund something that helps remediate our environment that affects our children – not to understand that our children are our future – is something that is very intentional by the Federal government.”

Shereyl Snyder of East Trenton Collaborative, Isles and Lead Free New Jersey (LFNJ) added, “We have to do better, and cutting funding is not the way to help our children lead healthy lives free of lead toxins.”

Kelvin Boddy, Director of Healthy Homes at NJ Housing Community & Development Network, stated, “We’re at a peak of scientific recognition and messaging with residents on the ground, and political will within the halls of Trenton, and are now having the Federal level basically pulled back from us, it seems very hypocritical that we spent the last four years acknowledging the issue, going to communities affected by it, and promising them on the ground, tangible solutions that we are now struggling to deliver without the aid promised by the previous administration. This is not a problem we can save money by ignoring.”

Advocates also voiced concerns about potential cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which funds lead remediation projects like the one at Ms. Grant’s home.

The event concluded with a call to action for citizens to contact President Trump, HHS Secretary Kennedy, and their representatives in Congress to “Don’t DOGE childhood lead and asthma programs.”

The press conference was attended by representatives from Lead Free New Jersey, NJ Housing Community & Development Network, and the Green & Health Homes Initiative.

Isles, Inc. is a community development and environmental organization based in Trenton, New Jersey. Founded in 1981, Isles fosters self-reliant families and healthy, sustainable communities.