Skip to main content

Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning (CPLP) collection

 Collection
Identifier: D.458

Biographical/Historical note

The Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning (CPLP) is a non-profit advocacy organization in Rochester, N.Y. whose mission is to educate and empower the community to prevent childhood lead poisoning. The organization's membership includes leaders from across the community, working together to create policies, evaluate best practices, and educate Monroe County residents on preventing exposure to lead paint. The organization has also been known by the names Lead Free is Best for Me, Rochester Lead Free Coalition and the Lead Free Rochester Coalition.

In the Fall of 2000, representatives of the public relations firm, Hill and Knowlton, came to Rochester with funds from the paint industry. They were searching for organizations they could support in developing action against childhood lead poisoning. Around the same time, various members of urban communities were becoming more aware of the effects of childhood lead poisoning, such as Principal Ralph Spezio who had noticed the alarming number of elementary students suffering from learning disabilities and other related effects.

With the funds provided by the public relations firm, Dr. Andrew Doniger, Director of the Monroe County Health Department, reached out to the community to find an organization that might be encouraged to form a coalition of community leaders to raise public awareness of the problem of childhood lead poisoning. Dr. Doniger arranged a meeting with Arthur Collier, CEO of the Rochester Primary Care Network, and they attracted the attention and support of a recently retired pediatrician, Dr. David Broadbent, who was eager to meet with like-minded individuals in urban Rochester. Dr. Broadbent, Principal Spezio and several other community leaders were instrumental in communicating the message of the Coalition and educating community members about the dangers of lead poisoning.

In 2004, the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency became the fiduciary agent for CPLP and the employer of the organization's two staff members. All board members and organizational members are volunteers from the community.

Scope and Contents

The Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning collection is comprised of two main series. The first series, Organizational Files, contains correspondence, meeting minutes and other papers related to the administration of the organization and its subcommittees during the years 2000-2004. The second series, Outreach, holds content related to CPLP's work in the community, on projects, and applying for grants during the years 2000-2004. In addition to manuscripts, the Outreach series also includes a CD-ROM for which CPLP was a partner, as well as a t-shirt and posters. A 2013 accrual to the collection consists of minutes, initatives, correspondence, New York State Advisory Council on Lead Poisoning Prevention material, reports, data, articles and clippings, floppy discs, and CDs (1999-2013). The Websites series (2016-ongoing) contains archived websites created by or about the organization.

Creator

Dates

  • Creation: 1999-2013, 2016-

Language of Materials

English

Extent

19 box(es) (19 boxes, 3 posters)

Access

Box 3 of the Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning collection is closed for research and Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department with any questions. The remainder of the collection is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.

Use

In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was the gift of the Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning, 2012. Boxes 6-13 are part of an accrual from 2013.

Further accruals are expected.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning (CPLP) Collection, D.458, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Marcy Strong and Kristen Totleben in Spring 2013.

Title
Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning (CPLP) collection
Author
Marcy Strong and Kristen Totleben
Date
June 2013
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Library Details

Part of the Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation Library

Contact:
Rochester NY 14627-0055 USA