Lead Safe Mama, LLC 2023 Semi-Annual Report: Impact & Income (Including Social Media Stats)

For those new to this website:

Tamara Rubin is a multiple-Federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead-poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable. Items are tested multiple times to confirm the test results for each component tested. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023 (March 2023 print edition).

July 17, 2023 — Monday

Periodically, I like to share status reports for Lead Safe Mama, LLC with our friends and readers; these reports help show others the impact that YOU are helping us make in the world! This is also information I like to share in the interest of transparency (something many other businesses with web-related income do not share).

First and foremost, I want to state (especially for those who are new here) that Lead Safe Mama, LLC is not “a website.” We are not a “blogger,” or “a sales organization,” nor are we “an ad-revenue scheme,” or similar enterprise. Lead Safe Mama, LLC is a truly unique woman-owned small advocacy business (for Lead Poisoning Prevention and Consumer Goods Safety) with a unique community-collaborative business model. We have a website as part of our business — but the website alone is not the business.

Section #1: What we do (and HOW & WHY we have created this unique business model)
Section #2: Programmatic Impact & Influence This Year — Including Social Media Stats Update
Section #3: Financial Update — Lead Safe Mama, LLC
Section #4: Legal Update — Civil Rights Case
Section #5: Financial Update — Rubin Family
Section #6: Short-Term Needs & Goals for Lead Safe Mama, LLC

Section #1)
Some of what we do here at Lead Safe Mama, LLC (& why!)

For context, I think it is important to share that the work we do here at Lead Safe Mama, LLC is fundamentally historically what might be considered to fall under the realm of nonprofit work. We tried the nonprofit model (from 2011 to 2016) and found that to be incredibly vulnerable to false accusations, smear campaigns with false allegations, and unwarranted attacks. It is these unwarranted attacks (back in 2016 and 2017) that are the basis for our current ongoing Federal Civil Rights legal case. If you want to read a comprehensive summary of that legal case, please click this link.

In response to these vulnerabilities, we regrouped (doing the same programs and activities for Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Consumer Goods Safety that we did before and that we have been doing since 2007, actually!) and formed an LLC. So now we are doing “nonprofit work” without the structure and support (and without the “benefits”) of the nonprofit paradigm. What this means is that while people can (and do) make contributions in support of this work, those contributions are not tax-deductible as Lead Safe Mama, LLC is not a 501(c)3 charity but is — instead — structured as an LLC in spite of the work we do and the context for which we do it being exactly the same as it was before this restructuring.

It is for this reason that I (as the founder of Lead Safe Mama, LLC) feel it is critical we have full transparency related to this small business (formed for the public good and an effort that is fundamentally a collaboration with the public) even though we are not a 501(c)3 nonprofit. As a nonprofit organization would share its income and other metrics to demonstrate success, so do we.

While it may be fundamentally uncomfortable for me (as an individual/ as a person) to share that this little business has earned about $90,000 in income from various sources this year so far (along with another $12,500 in event income pledged and received and another $90,000 in designated support of our PSA campaign in the New York City Subways) — especially in light of the fact that we owe about $272,000 in debts related to the Civil Rights case (uncomfortable, because I am anxiously anticipating that at least one person may be wondering “why haven’t you paid back your loan from me yet?”) — I am confident that fundamentally most people understand that for a business to both make a difference through a comprehensive series of programs and initiatives and cover the costs of these programs and initiatives, that business needs to earn (and spend) money.

The money earned to date would not have been possible without equal expenditures. These expenditures have covered the costs for the continuation and growth of the business, which is on the cusp of being fully self-sufficient.

In spite of our growing success, our coffers are empty at the moment (the business does not have any kind of savings, and this month has an operating deficit of about $5,000 given summer months are generally slow income-wise). The funds earned to date this year have not quite covered our costs (especially given that we had to cover about $25,000 in legal fees related to the Federal Civil Rights lawsuit already this year). Said another way, funds earned have not (yet) been available for debt reduction or other expenses beyond the basic expenses of the programs we have created and grown.

Funds to support my family and cover our personal expenses have primarily come from consulting income not detailed on this page — you can read more about how we are doing personally (financially) if you scroll down and check out section #5.

The intention from here is that we have built (over the past seven years) a sustainable business model that — in the future — will not only cover the costs of the business but will also cover full repayment of any debt as well as a full living wage for myself and others who work to bring this information to you. If our Federal Civil Rights case also results in financial restitution to cover the related costs (when it eventually resolves, which we understand could still be a year or two into the future), that will be wonderful but is not something we are going to continue waiting for.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of the activities Lead Safe Mama, LLC engages in:

We use replicable (and reputable!) scientific methods for testing consumer goods for toxicants and report those test results on this website.
We work directly with families of Lead-poisoned children every day of the week, offering guidance and support rooted in nearly two decades of experience — both personal and professional — as well as up-to-date findings and advice from the world’s leading experts in several fields.
We also work directly with families around the globe (again, every day of the week), educating parents in an effort to help them protect their children/ help prevent them from becoming Lead-poisoned.
We coordinate and participate in outreach events for childhood Lead-poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety locally (in Oregon and elsewhere in the United States) and around the world.
We do consumer goods testing (using XRF technology) around the world — in person (whenever we are invited by others to collaborate on local outreach activities in their communities).
We publish and freely share the test results for the thousands of the items we test.
We interface with the press and provide support and background information on news stories related to childhood Lead-poisoning (often connecting reporters with families to feature in their stories, so news stories have a human impact perspective — a feature which gives the stories greater weight).
We collaborate with “bloggers” and “influencers” (upon request, regardless of the size of their readership and impact) on live and pre-recorded social media interviews and other similar types of video presentations and conferences — with the goal of childhood Lead-poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety awareness.
We often present (as an invited guest speaker, or in a teaching and/or training role) at U.S. and International conferences (frequently as part of a training or teaching curriculum in which attendees receive continuing education credits or professional training credits for participating).
With the support and participation of Lead Safe Mama community members, we report toxicant violations to the appropriate public agencies (CPSC, OSHA, EPA, local Health Departments, etc.).
We coordinate IRL (in-real-life vs. online) high-impact PSA campaigns for Lead-poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety awareness (including our most recent 2023 PSA campaign in the New York City Subway System).
We report on relevant issues as they come up (including, but not limited to, new U.S. Federal and European regulatory toxicant limits and standards).
With the support and involvement of our corporate partners, we create fun ways to engage the public in helping to spread the word to protect children everywhere
We consult with — and on occasion collaborate with — responsible corporations to help them create better (and safer) products for children and families.
We advise and collaborate with public agencies and legal firms working on using legal channels (the U.S. courts system) to hold corporations accountable for manufacturing and selling toxic products.

We couldn’t do ANY of what we do without the engagement and support of the Lead Safe Mama community (which is currently comprised of millions of readers of this website — a subset of which is tens of thousands of regular and actively engaged Lead Safe Mama community members around the world). Our social media readership, related income, and programmatic statistics (shown below) are just some metrics we use to measure the success of the work we do; but they offer a good glimpse into the growth and impact of this message (and work) over the years.

Continue reading below the image.

Section #2) Programmatic Impact & Influence This Year
June 16, 2023 — Sunday

2. a. Social Media Semi-Annual Update

Below are some bullets highlighting points shown in the graphic above (and the additional graphs and charts at the bottom of the page).

19,500,000 — we passed 19,500,000 unique ALL-TIME page views on the website (this is the number of page views since we first published the website).
3,358,974 — is the number of unique page views LeadSafeMama.com has had this calendar year alone. What this means is that (with the anticipated/ historical bump in traffic over the end-of-year holiday season) we are easily on track to see at least 7,000,000 unique page views for the year, hands down making this the best year ever for LeadSafeMama.com’s reach and impact.
57,000 — we passed 57,000 Facebook “followers” so far this year. Our updated end-of-year goal is to reach 75,000 Facebook followers.
47,000 — we passed 47,000 Facebook “likes” so far this year. Our updated end-of-year goal is to reach 65,000 Facebook likes.
35,000 — we passed 35,000 Instagram followers so far this year. Our updated end-of-year goal is to reach 50,000 Instagram followers.
3! — Three of the six months so far this year have landed in the “Top Ten Months Of All Time” here at Lead Safe Mama, LLC (January, February, and March). Plus, we are on track for seeing that continue with more months in 2023 anticipated to land in the “Top Ten” this year! (The maximum possible is that SEVEN months of 2023 will land in the top ten months overall — and that’s what we are shooting for as a goal!)

2.b. 2023 Conference & Training Participation

May 25, 2023 — New Zealand Lead Poisoning Prevention Conference (link)
May 2023 — Transforming Toddlerhood Online Conference (link)

2.c. 2023 Social Media & Podcast Interviews

2.d. 2023 Press Coverage

March 2023 Press

March 23, 2023 — Today, (by Katya Weiss-Andersson)
March 22, 2023 — “Get the lead out” — Idaho State Journal, (by Kathryn Hickok)
March 10, 2023 — “Stay hydrated, but don’t use this water bottle” — 6News Click Orlando
March 1, 2023 — “Leads Concerns Prompt Voluntary Bindle Bottle Recall”— ASI Central, (by Christopher Ruvo)

In February of 2023 the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC was covered in almost every major news network in the United States, as well as many “alternative” or “smaller” news sources (in addition to news publications outside of the United States!). This included a total of three articles in Consumer Reports Magazine, both in print and online.

Some highlights below:

2.e. 2023 Product Recalls

Section #3)
Financial Update — Lead Safe Mama, LLC
June 16, 2023 — Sunday

The income detailed below comprises the funds that specifically help cover the cost of the work we do here; these are our primary income streams for Lead Safe Mama, LLC (with additional income streams including direct contributions for testing, group membership, or undesignated, and consulting income). We have goals to develop additional future income streams as well, including laboratory testing services (LeadSafeMamaLabs.com) and educational media like books, film, and television projects we are working on developing. The stated goals for each income-stream category are goals that — if reached — would mean the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC is fully self-sustaining (the cost of the work we do here would be fully covered by the income generated with the work we continue). At the current rate of growth for our business (including our social media/website reach, impact, and related income streams), we anticipate reaching our sustainability goals for monthly income by January 2024.

Once we reach these financial goals (the “stretch goals” noted in the graphics below) we will be in a position to quickly pay back all the loans from everyone who has helped Lead Safe Mama, LLC get to this point. Specifically, once we reach those goals we anticipate being able to pay back all outstanding loans within 12 months (out of earned income). (A BIG and enthusiastic “Thank You” goes out to everyone who has helped bring Lead Safe Mama, LLC to the point where we are now in terms of reach, impact and earning capacity!)

3.a. Amazon Affiliate Income — 2023 to Date
By month earned, not by month paid (read more about our Amazon Affiliate income at this link)

3. b. Other Affiliate Income (Naturepedic & Solidteknics) — 2023-to-Date
By month earned, not by month paid

3. c. Advertising Income — 2023 to Date
By month earned, not by month paid

3. d. Special Project Advertising Income & New Loans — 2023 to Date

$90,000 — Designated Advertising Income in support of the 2023 NYC Subway PSA Campaign
$15,000 — New Loan #1 in support of the 2023 NYC Subway PSA Campaign
$8,797 — New Loan #2 in support of the 2023 NYC Subway PSA Campaign
Total cost of the 2023 NYC Subway PSA Campaign: Approximately $114,000
Total new debt for Lead Safe Mama, LLC related to this campaign: $23,797

3. e. Outreach, Training Events & Related Income — 2023 to Date

Fresno Outreach Event (February 2023): $3,500 sponsorship (MK Fund for a Better World)
Austria Outreach Event (July 2023): not sponsored
- (costs covered by other earned income)
Northwest World Reggae Fest Outreach Booth (July 2023): not sponsored
- (costs covered by other earned income)
Pending: Columbus, Ohio (October 2023): $5,500 event & training fee
Pending: OMSI Outreach Event – October 2023: $3,500 sponsorship (MK Fund for a Better World)

Total 2023 Event Income (including pending): $12,500

Section #4)
Legal Update — Lead Safe Mama, LLC
June 16, 2023 — Sunday

Our Federal Civil Rights Case legal battle is still in progress … We currently have an appeal pending in the Federal 9th Circuit Court Of Appeals to exercise our right to a jury trial — in a hard-fought long battle to see justice served. Seeing justice served in this case would mean an overturning of the “qualified immunity” ruling — a relatively recent legal defense used to shield police and other federal, state, and local government employees from prosecution (and thus any accountability for corrupt, abusive, or malevolent behavior). Overturning this could benefit countless American citizens for generations into the future and is one reason we continue fighting for justice in this matter. We still have about $272,000 in debts (both business and personal) related to this case (and have paid off about $25,000 in legal costs related to this case so far this year).

Section #5)
Rubin Family Financial Update
June 16, 2023 — Sunday

The financial goals for Lead Safe Mama, LLC initiatives have always included:

#1) Fully covering the cost of the work we do here (as a first priority — so we can continue to do what we do!), including covering the cost of paying all Lead Safe Mama helpers (Katie, Carissa, Ainslie, Zack, and others!) living-wage-rates for their help supporting the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC.
#2) To earn enough to be able to finally pay back everyone who has helped support the business and our family through our federal civil rights legal battle — out of earned income (regardless of the outcome of our legal case).
#3) Generating enough to cover a living wage for my family — so our basic needs are covered and I can continue serving the key role I play in the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC.

While it may seem “too personal” to share a personal financial update here, as so many of you have helped our family and helped support the growth of Lead Safe Mama, LLC over the past seven years (and given that we have frequently shared our personal situation in light of the events of the past seven years), I believe a bit of a brief personal update is both relevant and important as part of this report. While we are not 100% in a “good” position financially as a family, we are on track toward full self-sufficiency and recovery from the persecution we have experienced since 2016 (on track thanks in large part to the support of the Lead Safe Mama community!).

Here are some key highlights for my family (in addition to the business’ relatively successful track record in covering the costs of the work we do here out of earned income). Consulting income I have earned through the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC has made the following things possible:

Mortgage: We have managed to pay the monthly payments for the mortgage for our home 5 out of the 7 months this year from earned income, which is relatively miraculous. We are currently two months behind, but hope to cover those payments out of pending income from consulting work I have lined up over the next couple of months. Our ability to pay the mortgage (or not) is a key marker indicating we aren’t quite covering our costs across the board, but we are headed in the right direction.
Groceries: We’ve been able to consistently feed our family over the past year (nothing short of miraculous especially with growing teenage boys with special needs/ special diets and all that entails).
Utilities: We’ve been able to keep up with our utilities this year, too! We’re still playing catch up (with payment plans) on utilities we were not able to pay during the pandemic — but we are keeping up with those as well.
Health Insurance: In April 2023 we were able to give up (“graduate from”) our OHP (Oregon Health Plan) Medicaid health insurance.
- AJ — my 21-year-old — has health insurance through his college plan.
- Avi (18 — who qualifies for this publicly funded health insurance) has had private health insurance for quite some time now as the publicly funded health insurance that he qualifies for as a disabled person was (illegally) not covering key critical medication he requires (that’s the subject of an upcoming article!).
- Len turned 65 and is now on Medicare so his health insurance is no longer a concern.
- I paid for private “traveling health insurance” for the year for me (53-years-old) and Charlie (15-years-old yesterday). By committing to travel for most of the year this year, instead of needing to pay $35,708 for health insurance for the year for me plus the boys (in monthly payments and co-pays), I paid just about $1,500 for travel health insurance for the entire year — saving us more than $34,000 in health insurance costs by committing to spend as little time at home as possible over a 12 month period (May 1, 2023 to May 1, 2023)! I will be writing more about this separately soon as well.

Given the growth trajectory of the business, I expect our personal expenses will (finally!) be fully covered out of monthly earned income no later than January 2024. To support this goal, (as noted above) I will be spending much of the coming year traveling abroad, which gives us the opportunity to have significantly reduced living costs (significantly cheaper health insurance and groceries, specifically compared to the cost of living in Portland, Oregon).

Section #6)
Short-Term Needs & Goals for Lead Safe Mama, LLC

We have a couple of specific key needs for running this business that I wanted to put out there in case someone is in a position to help us with these:

Primarily we have been working with older (purchased used) computers and could really benefit (improve our efficiency and thereby improve the reach and impact of this work) from acquiring some new hardware (specifically a new laptop or two). We are an Apple-based office. New Apple laptops with specs that would meet our needs (and that would last us for several years) are in the range of $3,000 to $4,000 each. I would prefer a super-light one (with the largest data storage capacity) that I could easily bring with me for the work I do when traveling.
Additionally, we could use a new XRF instrument — and would like to find the funds to purchase a new (fully loaded) Niton XL5, which costs about $50,000 with all of the appropriate software installed. In the absence of finding a magical source of funding for this new instrument in the short term, purchasing a new instrument will be our first priority once we have paid back all outstanding loans/debts.

Thank you for taking the time to read this “Semi-Annual Report.” Your support of this work (in all of the ways, but most important via your shares of our articles and information) is very much appreciated and — in fact — critical to the success of this movement.

More Stats Charts & Graphs Below

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For those new to this website:

Section #1) Some of what we do here at Lead Safe Mama, LLC (& why!)