LEWISTON – The Twin Cities is offering homeowners and renters a free lead dust kit this week as a group of local organizations kick off National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.

The effort is being led by the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, Lewiston-Auburn, in collaboration with several local organizations.

Nearly half a million children living in the United States have elevated blood lead levels that may cause significant damage to their health, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Major sources of lead exposure include lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in deteriorating buildings.

“Healthy Androscoggin (a local GHHI L-A partner) is committed to helping parents protect their children from becoming poisoned, and we can do this together through in-home lead dust testing and by getting children screened for lead at their doctors’ offices,” said Katie Boss, health promotion manager at Healthy Androscoggin.

National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week runs from Oct. 23 to 29. If a child under 6 is living in the home, Healthy Androscoggin or Pine Tree Legal will offer the family a free in-home lead dust test.

To get a free kit, sign up at the following locations in the Lewiston-Auburn area Monday through Friday this week:

* CCS Dental Services, 60 Second St., Auburn.

* B Street Health Center, 57 Birch St., Lewiston.

* CCS Pediatrics, 330 Sabattus St., Lewiston.

* CCS Family Health Care, 100 Campus Ave., Lewiston.

* Community Concepts Inc., 240 Bates St., Lewiston.

* Auburn Housing Authority, 20 Great Falls Plaza, Auburn.

* Lewiston Housing Authority, 1 College St., Lewiston.

* WMCA WIC clinic, 79 Main St., Auburn (located on floor 2R).

* CMMC Pediatrics, 12 High St., Suite 301, on the CMMC campus, Lewiston.

* Androscoggin Head Start (all locations; must be a family of the program to sign up).

* St. Mary’s Nutrition Center, 208 Bates St., Lewiston.

Free lead dust test kits are also available online at www.maine.gov/healthyhomes anytime throughout the year.

For more information and for lead-reduction tips, contact the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention at 866-292-3474 (toll-free) or 207-287-4311.