Who We Are
Breathe DC is the first District of Columbia non-profit community health organization created to fight all forms of lung disease, especially in communities with health disparities. We are dedicated to making healthy breathing and clean air the norm for everyone who lives, works and raises their families in greater Washington, DC. Through evidence-based community health programs, health education, community partnerships and public policy advocacy, we engage local residents and leaders to form a united front against asthma, smoking, lung cancer, COPD and air pollution.
How We’re Making a Difference
Our belief in healthy breathing powers our work to promote clean air and prevent lung disease throughout the District of Columbia, especially in communities affected by health disparities. We are committed to innovative, collaborative initiatives that equip and empower all local residents in the fight for healthy breathing. We advocate for stronger laws and policies to safeguard healthy air and protect lungs from smoke, air pollution and allergens. Our community health programs empower youth and adults with lung diseases like asthma and COPD to lead fuller, more active lives.
Breathe DC programs have helped lower rates of cigarette smoking in DC wards where as many as 1 in 3 adults was a smoker. With our help, five local universities adopted tobacco-free campus policies and more than a dozen local housing communities have gone smokefree. We have educated more than 800 children with asthma to improve their asthma management and reduce asthma-related emergency medical care. We take pride in our successes, but our work is far from done. We are on a mission to make every breath healthy and clean for everyone who lives and works in greater Washington.
