Collaboration for Healthier Communities
Every year, AAFA’s Asthma Capitals® report ranks the cities where the asthma burden is heaviest. It also highlights the people and organizations working to make life easier for the families living there. We’re proud that so many of our Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified partners are recognized in the 2026 report for pairing tested, Certified products with real investment in the communities with the greatest asthma challenge.
Certified Partners Making a Difference
3M Filtrete™: Bringing Cleaner Air to Under-Resourced Classrooms
Filtrete™ Brand, developed by 3M, donated 5,600 Certified Filtrete™ Air Filters to the Kids in Need Foundation, giving teachers and students across Minnesota a practical way to reduce exposure to indoor allergens.
“For many under-resourced classrooms, creating a healthy learning environment can be challenging due to limited resources and the impact of allergens and air quality on students and educators,” said Colleen Gray, Vice President of Mission Impact at the Kids in Need Foundation. “Through the donation of Filtrete™ Air Filters, the Kids in Need Foundation was able to provide Minnesota classrooms with a simple but meaningful tool to support cleaner air, reduce allergens, and create healthy spaces where students can learn and teachers can thrive.”
3M is headquartered in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area, ranked 54th on this year’s Asthma Capitals list.
Alen: Certified Air Purifiers at Scale in America’s Classrooms
Alen® air purifiers are now in use in 90,000 classrooms across 3,000 schools nationwide, supporting cleaner indoor air at scale for students and educators.
“Improving indoor air quality is one of the most effective ways to support consistent school attendance,” said Warburg Lee, Founder and CEO of Alen. “Fewer sick days mean fewer disruptions to learning and better outcomes for students and families alike.” Paul Miller, Director of Product and Engineering at Alen, added: “We talk a lot about student performance, but it starts with presence. Cleaner air helps children stay healthier, which means more days in school and fewer missed lessons.”
Tarkett: Flooring That Lays the Foundation for Healthier Learning
When Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, the third-largest school district in Texas, renovated Roy J. Sprague Middle School, healthier indoor air was part of the plan. The project team chose Tarkett® Powerbond® RS hybrid carpet, the world’s first soft-surface flooring to earn Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification, for the school’s entry, corridors, classrooms, and library.
“Flooring is essentially a reservoir of everything in the air, so it needs to be something that can be cleaned easily and doesn’t hold onto contaminants,” said Sylvia Fitzwater, Interior Designer at Arcadis. “I have to consider indoor air quality when selecting flooring because it impacts the students’ health, it impacts everyone who walks into that building.”
Sprague is one of a growing number of schools and public spaces where designers have turned to Tarkett’s Certified flooring.
Knauf: Sponsoring Community Health Education in Chicago for a Second Year
For the second year running, Knauf North America sponsored the Chicago Asthma Consortium’s Community Health Worker Educational Forum, held in May 2026 at Sinai Chicago’s Glasser Auditorium. The forum brought community health workers and asthma educators together for training, networking, and collaborative outreach. Attendees packed 300 Asthma & Allergy Friendly® resource tote bags, filled with educational materials from AAFA and product contributions from Certified partners, for distribution to schools, clinics, churches, and community centers across Chicago.
“We are proud to support the Chicago Asthma Consortium and the important work they do,” said Tim Cofran, Director of Marketing & Brand at Knauf.
Continuing the partnership for a second year reflects how seriously Knauf takes its role in the community and in equipping health workers with practical resources. It is part of the company’s broader effort to reach the more than 106 million people in the U.S. living with asthma and allergies.
Rabbit Air: Delivering Clean Air Where It’s Needed Most in Los Angeles
In June 2026, Rabbit Air partnered with Watts Healthcare Corporation to support underserved families in South Los Angeles, donating 25 Rabbit Air Certified air purifiers to the organization’s Asthma Remediation Program. The donation builds on Rabbit Air’s long-standing commitment to AAFA’s Health Equity Advancement and Leadership (HEAL) program: most recently, the company fulfilled an order of 300 air purifiers for Breathe Southern California, providing an upgrade to its MinusA2 model for residents affected by the warehouse fire in Boyle Heights.
“Supporting communities affected by wildfires, warehouse fires, or simply a lack of access to clean air is central to who we are,” said Tamina O’Brien, senior team member at Rabbit Air. “Whether it’s through Watts Healthcare in South LA or our continued work with Breathe Southern California, we’re proud to keep showing up for the neighborhoods that need us most.”
Rabbit Air is headquartered in the Greater Los Angeles area, ranked 34th on this year’s Asthma Capitals list.
Kleenex® Air Filters: Bringing a Year of Clean Air to 200 Families
During National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, Kleenex® Air Filters donated a year’s supply of Certified Elite Allergen MERV-13 furnace filters to 200 families, delivered through partnerships with AAFA’s HEAL program, the Chicago Asthma Consortium, and Habitat for Humanity ReStores nationwide. The donations reached families in Chicago, Detroit, Allentown, Boise, Tulsa, Provo, and Auburn, communities recognized among AAFA’s most challenging places to live with asthma and allergies.
“Access to clean indoor air is important no matter where you live,” said Sharnell Weathersby, Senior Brand Manager, Kleenex® Air Filters. “We are honored to support the goals of Habitat for Humanity and HEAL by providing air filters that help promote clean indoor air for homes.” Rachelle Paul-Brutus, Executive Director of the Chicago Asthma Consortium, added: “Improving access to better indoor air quality is essential for protecting the health and well-being of local families with respiratory conditions like asthma, to create lasting positive change within the community.”
Pegasus Home Fashions and Renegade Brands: Everyday Essentials for HEAL Families
Alongside the larger spotlighted stories, two more Certified partners deepened their support for AAFA’s HEAL program this year. Pegasus Home Fashions donated more than 230 Certified pillow sets, helping HEAL families create healthier sleep environments. Renegade Brands donated more than 930 bottles of Certified detergent, supporting healthier routines in the households that need it most.
Celebrating Collective Impact
We thank AAFA for spotlighting these stories in the 2026 Asthma Capitals® report, and every Certified partner who donated Certified product this year, including through the AAAAI Annual Meeting in Philadelphia and the Chicago Asthma Consortium’s Community Health Worker Forum: 3M Filtrete™, Alen, Allied Home, Benjamin Moore, Blueair, Kleenex, Knauf North America, Lanco Paints, Live Comfortably, LG Electronics North America, Manson Insulation, Mohawk Industries, National Allergy, Purfect Palz, Rabbit Air, Renegade Brands, SIJO, Tarkett, Tarkett Home, Trane, and True Value Company. Together with our Certified partners, we’re showing what collaboration between science, advocacy, and community action can do for families nationwide.