If you discover that your child has been affected by lead poisoning, these are some actions you can take.
Minimize your direct lead exposure at home and in the community
- Plant bushes next to and outside older homes
- Plant grass or ground cover in soil that is likely contaminated with lead
- During windy days, keep windows closed to keep contaminated dust from entering the house
- If working with lead, change clothes before coming home
- If children play outside or in a dusty area, thoroughly wash their hands afterward
- Recycle old electronic devices (e.g., phones) or batteries at electronic stores (e.g., Best Buy)
- Recycle old car batteries at auto stores (e.g., Auto Zone)
Calcium
- Spinach
- Kale
- Cheese
- Cereals fortified with calcium
- Tofu
- Milk, almond milk, soy milk
- Plain yogurt
Iron
- Cooked dried beans
- Nuts: Almonds, cashews, peanuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Oatmeal
- Potatoes
- Eggs
- Turkey
- Chicken
- Beef
Vitamin C
- Oranges
- Tomatoes
- Limes
- Tomatillos
- Bell peppers
- Purple cabbage
- Papaya
- Jicama
- Broccoli
Local Finds
The following farms and stores sell foods that are rich in calcium and iron and include some organic foods too!
| Grocery Stores | Farms & Community Gardens |
| Mother’s Market 151 E Memory Lane, Santa Ana, CA | La Granjita Farm First Congregational Church of Santa Ana 2555 Santiago Street, Santa Ana, CA |
| Northgate Market (Multiple locations) 770 S. Harbor Boulevard, Santa Ana, CA 230 N. Harbor Boulevard, Santa Ana, CA 1623 W. 17th Street, Santa Ana, CA 1120 S. Bristol, Santa Ana, CA 1010 S. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 409 E. 4th Street, Santa Ana, CA | Jerome Park Community Garden 726 S. Center Street, Santa Ana, CA |
| Trader Joe’s 3329 S Bristol Street, Santa Ana, CA | Heritage Park Museum 3101 W Harvard Street, Santa Ana, CA |
| Tanaka Farms 5380 ¾ University Drive, Irvine, CA |
Additional Resources
CAL-FRESH Nutrition Assistance Resources (Through Orange County Social Services)
CalFresh is a federally funded program that offers assistance to eligible, low-income families in buying groceries by providing households with an EBT card. Learn more: https://www.ssa.ocgov.com/cash-calfresh/calfresh
| Locations | 1928 S. Grand Ave, Santa Ana, CA (714) 435-5800 | 1505 E. Warner Ave, Santa Ana, CA (714) 825-3000 | 2020 W Walnut St, Santa Ana, CA (714) 834-8899 |
Addressing Concerns
| Orange County Health Care Agency Lead Poisoning Prevention | South Coast Air Quality Management District | Santa Ana Water Hotline |
| To learn about how our local public health department can address lead exposures, call: | To report your observations of concerning odors, smoke, dust, or other air contaminants, contact: | To report concerns about the quality of your water, call: |
| Phone: (714) 567-6220 | Phone: (800) 288-7664 | Phone: (714) 647-3500 |
Bioremediation
If you are concerned about lead being in your soil, one potential option is to try bioremediation, a solution brought to OCEJ’s attention by Danielle Stevenson. Bioremediation is the use of native plants and fungi to absorb lead out of the soil. It is a cheaper, safer, and less labor-intensive alternative to traditional remediation, which involves digging the soil up and dumping it elsewhere while it still contains lead. To learn more about bioremediation, visit the following sites:
The 2022 Santa Ana General Plan Update includes policies to remediate the lead-laden soil of Santa Ana, prioritizing bioremediation as opposed to traditional dig-and-dump methods of soil remediation. This collaboration is underway between the city government and various community groups.
OCEJ is collaborating with UCI to pilot bioremediation in multiple residences in the Delhi Neighborhood of Santa Ana. Thus far, there has been soil testing for lead at three sites and bioremediation at two of the sites. We have planted both California Buckwheat and California Telegraph Weed (AKA California Telegraph Flower) at both residential sites. If you’re interested in potentially doing bioremediation at your residence, please contact Maya Cheav, Land and Health Director with OCEJ at maya@ocej.org.
Seed Balls
To do bioremediation on a small scale, you can create seed balls! Seed balls are made up of soil, compost, sand, and seeds, designed to grow on their own. To learn more about making seed balls, read here.