EveryStep announced on Friday it has been awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which it will use to make hundreds of Central Iowa families’ homes safer. Through several partnerships and financial commitments, another $1.5 million will be added to the $2 million federal grant, for a total of $3.5 million available through EveryStep’s Healthy Homes Iowa program. With the funding, EveryStep will help identify and address health hazards or asthma triggers in the homes of low-income families with children, as well as safety risks for senior Iowans who are living at home. “This grant will truly enable a ‘boots on the ground’ effort,” said EveryStep president and CEO Tray Wade. “From mold remediation, and bathroom and dryer venting to remove childhood asthma triggers, to installing handrails and grab bars to improve safety for seniors, this funding will be used almost entirely to directly assist individuals and families in making their homes safer from health hazards.” Identified families and individuals are expected to begin receiving assistance by mid-year. Key partners in securing the federal grant include Polk County Housing Trust Fund, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, Polk County Health Department, Polk County Board of Supervisors, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Polk County Public Works, UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, Broadlawns Medical Center, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative and F&G. These and other partners will also help identify individuals and families in need of assistance. The Healthy Homes program initially focused on working with families to identify and reduce triggers related to pediatric asthma.