Breathe California of the Bay Area Golden Gate and Central Coast

Environmental Health: Breathe California provides education on both indoor and outdoor air pollution, sponsors clean air campaigns, including those for secondhand smoke protection (most recently in outdoor dining and multi-unit housing), and staffs a Secondhand Smoke Helpline to assist people who are impacted by this toxic pollution. As the coordinator for the Silicon Valley Clean Cities coalition, it convenes and coordinates activities for 259 stakeholders such as corporate fleet managers, school and elected officials, consumers, transportation programs, truck drivers, etc., education on electric vehicles and alternative fuels. Its Ride and Drive provides an opportunity to try out electric vehicles. Its Youth for Cool Earth program provided 14 education/training sessions to 174 students and teachers on climate change and environmental stewardship, with trainees reaching an additional 2,500 people through their projects. The Secondhand Smoke Helpline assisted 131 families, and 100% of 2,505 people trained in 15 presentations on the issue increased their knowledge of the subject. The agency worked in 11 jurisdictions to get 6 ordinances passed to protect against secondhand smoke! The agency reached a total of 7,186 individuals directly through environmental programs, even during the pandemic, and it reached 315,899 through social media (Twitter, You Tube, Instagram, and Facebook) mass media, including through the Breathe California TV show on local community television channels that is focused on the environment and has a viewership of 50,000, and our website.

Lung health-education and services: Lung health programs serve those with lung disease or at high risk, such as children with asthma and seniors at risk for COPD. Programs included provision of sleep apnea (CPAP) and other respiratory therapy equipment for 453, tuberculosis education for 502, asthma services including Camp Superstuff summer camp for 12 children with asthma and asthma home visits for education and hazard assessment for 170 individuals, education for 284 clients and caregivers and 256 reports back to physicians, parent education for general public for 300, and senior services reaching 997 (health education, home assessments for respiratory and fall hazards, breathing exercises, and health screening including blood pressure, oximetry, and spirometry). Staff and volunteers quickly pivoted away from face-to-face services during the pandemic and embraced, Zoom webinars, telephone consultations, drive through health fairs, and other innovations in order to reach those who were most vulnerable. Virtual presentations and on-line video offerings became the norm, and the agency was busy creating educational offerings on its newest lung threat- -COVID. Seniors were offered Ask the Doctor sessions by Zoom and telephone. Its CPAP program had new protocols and was conducted entirely by mail. Despite the pandemic, the agency served 3,352 individuals directly and 89,452 with social and mass media.