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Local foundation protects 3,500 WNY homes from carbon monoxide

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Tue, Oct 11th 2016 11:40 am

The Amanda Hansen Foundation seeks to protect area families and children, but needs community help

The first few weeks of autumn often bring to mind scarves, warm cider, colorful leaves and hearty soups. But they also mean something else. When the chill returns to the air, people turn on their furnaces for the first time, and with that comes an increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Amanda Hansen Foundation wants to remind Western New Yorkers about the dangers of the odorless gas, prompting them to install a CO detector. More than 20,000 people will visit the emergency room this year, because of carbon monoxide.

It is the mission of this organization to protect the Western New York region. The foundation has spent the past six years providing education and tools to the community, giving away about 3,000 detectors a year to those who cannot afford them.

The parents of Amanda Hansen founded the organization after her tragic death to carbon monoxide poisoning. The high-schooler was enjoying a sleepover at a friend's home, when carbon monoxide from a broken boiler took her life.

"We believe that no family should lose a child to this extremely preventable tragedy. One inexpensive tool keeps a family safe. The most vulnerable people are our children, and this is something simple we can do to protect them," Ken Hansen said.

This year, the foundation aims to double its impact, using the relationships it's formed in the community to protect more families than ever before. To reach this goal, the organization is seeking the support of the community for its crowdfunding campaign. The page can be reached here: https://www.givegab.com/nonprofits/amanda-hansen-foundation/campaigns/keep-families-safe-this-winter

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