Grassroots is a non-profit organization founded in 2000 by Patti and Doug Wood. Patti is an educator, author and environmental advocate, and serves as a Visiting Scholar at Adelphi University where she lectures on environmental health at the School of Nursing. Doug is a composer, author and documentary filmmaker, and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

The mission of Grassroots is to educate the public about the links between common environmental exposures and human health, and to empower individuals to act as catalysts for change within their own communities.

We believe that the cultivation of broad-based public support through education is the key to bringing about positive and lasting change. Our programs are based on science, and our network of environmental experts includes leaders in the field from Yale, Columbia and Tufts Universities, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and other similar institutions. Using cutting-edge communication techniques, we strive to shape public opinion on environmental health issues in communities across the country by developing materials and programs that bridge the gap between scientific research and public understanding.

The programs of Grassroots are funded primarily through private donations. Additional support comes from the Westchester Community Foundation, the Long Island Community Foundation, and the Rauch Foundation.

"Real change in environmental health will come from the bottom up, not the top down," says Doug. "This is a case where the leaders will follow if the people will lead. Our mission is to help the people lead."