Climate and Health Initiative for Caregivers & Kids (CHICKs)

“As a native Granite Stater, mom, geographer and scientist, I am incredibly proud to support the Climate and Health Initiative for Caregivers & Kids (CHICKs) grassroots program in their objective to increase awareness of the impact of climate change on our children’s health. Both Jason and I have been lifelong environmentalists and understand the profound impact that climate change has on our lives. We are grateful that CHICKs will help children and family members right here in our community both adapt to the health consequences of climate change and realize the benefits of mitigation. ”

“As a dad of three young kids and 12-generation Granite Stater, I would do anything in my power to protect their physical and emotional health. We’re already seeing how climate change is threatening the health and development of children, from spiking asthma and Lyme disease rates to increased anxiety and post-traumatic stress when climate disasters strike. This is especially true for children of color and those in low-income families who are hit first and worse by climate change.
To protect our kids and future generations, we need to build climate and health awareness and resiliency among parents and children alike. We also need to accelerate the just transition from climate-warming fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy so that all our kids can lead healthier and happier lives. I hope you will join our family in this vital work as part of CHICKs.”

“Each of us wants the best for every child in our lives. The actions we take as individuals and communities may seem small in the face of the climate crisis, but the best ideas to advance climate solutions all begin locally - in our homes, businesses, schools, places of worship, and local governments. With more communities engaged, the more hope we all can have for a healthier and more just world for our children. I look forward to following the progress of CHICKs and hope that many of you will as well.”

“When I moved back to New Hampshire in 2018, I was confronted by the reality of climate change. In the relatively short time I was away, our seasons had shifted, our winters had warmed, and our natural environment was struggling to adapt. It was alarming. As parents of a young child, this rapid change brought a new level of urgency to my husband and I as we no longer had just our own future to worry about, but also that of our son. We wondered: If warming continues at this current pace, what kind of world will he inherit? By ignoring the warning signs, as a society we are setting our most innocent members up for failure, and that is something that no parent wants. We need to come together as Granite Staters to address the climate crisis head on. This means not only making changes in our own lives, but speaking up and demanding a systematic refocus from our elected officials, and holding major corporations and industries accountable as well. Science is rapidly evolving to meet this challenge, and we should too, by embracing not only adaptation and mitigation, but legacy greenhouse gas removal as well. Thank you CHICKs, for bringing light to the impact climate change is having on our children, and inspiring us to fight for their future—and our own. ”

“My husband and I have had the good fortune to have been born and raised in New Hampshire, and I’m happy to say the same is true for our children. Over the years I’ve seen the impact of climate change on the health and wellness of our community, especially through the increased rates of asthma and allergies in the pediatric population. I am excited to support the grassroots efforts of the CHICKs program both as a mom and as one of our community school nurses. ”