A New Chapter in Healthy Housing: Meet Sammy, Our Youngest Safety Advocate

by Michelle Harvey

If you know the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), you know we’re all in on one big idea: Every family deserves a home that supports their health, safety, and well-being. For over 30 years, we’ve been turning that belief into action through research, advocacy, and practical tools to help people live better.

Sammy is our youngest healthy homes ambassador. Click the image to order a copy.

And now, we’re bringing that mission to life in a brand-new way. Say hello to our first-ever children’s book: Keep It Safe with Sammy!

Bright, fun, and filled with everyday superpowers, this story follows Sammy—a curious, caring kid who explores his home with a sharp eye and a big heart. Along the way, he teaches young readers how to spot potential hazards and take action to protect themselves and their families.

Whether it’s turning down the water temp, spotting a toy on the stairs, or checking for outlet covers, Sammy makes safety feel like something every kid can do.

Why a Children’s Book? Why Now?

For years, our resources have focused on communicating to adults: parents, caregivers, housing professionals, and decision-makers. But kids live in these homes, too. And when children understand the basics of a healthy home, they don’t just stay safe: They become powerful allies in creating safer spaces for everyone.

Keep It Safe with Sammy brings “Keep It Safe,” one of the 12 principle of a health home to life in a way that’s playful, easy to understand, and rooted in real action. It’s the perfect addition to story time, whether you’re reading at home, in classrooms, clinics, or community centers.

How Sammy’s Story Came to Life

Our team blended years of NCHH’s research and recommendations on the “Keep It Safe” principle with warm illustrations by artist Elijah Tan to create a fun, rhyming read for young kids. Every line is rooted in real safety guidance, adapted for little minds and big hearts in a way that feels playful, approachable, and real.

This book isn’t just a story. It’s an invitation to laugh, learn, and explore together, to teach safety without fear, to empower children as active participants in their own well-being, and to start conversations that ripple outward, strengthening families, communities, and future generations.

More Adventures Ahead

Keep an eye out for future titles in the Healthy Home Adventures series, each one exploring another principle of safe and healthy housing—like clean air, pest prevention, and moisture control. One story at a time, we’re helping families build homes that protect and empower every generation.

Join Sammy’s Mission!

Want to join Sammy’s mission? We’d love for you to…

• Read this book with the children in your life.
• Gift a copy or two to a school, library, clinic, or community group.
• Share it with your network to spread the word.

No one is too young to start learning how to stay safe at home. With Sammy leading the way, we’re advancing NCHH’s mission to transform lives by creating healthier housing for all.

Order your copy of Keep It Safe with Sammy here and be part of the movement to make every home a healthy one.