Adapting to Bring Outreach and Education to Communities in Need: Cumberland soilSHOP

In September 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 1 office and the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District (CCSWCD) organized a soilSHOP event in Portland, Maine. Over 70 residents, including families with children, attended. This event demonstrated how soilSHOPs can safely provide outreach and education during a pandemic. EPA’s Region 1 office and CCSWCD provided health education on lead prevention while social distancing, wearing masks, and limiting on-site staff. Forty-three soil samples were collected for screening. Typically, after samples are screened, health educators meet face to face with each participant and go over results and best prevention practices. However, to ensure participant and staff safety, local partners contacted the participants by phone to explain their soil results, answer questions about best practices for gardening and outdoor play and provide additional resources.