CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION INC

EDUCATION:CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO SHINING A LIGHT ON THE HIDDEN EPIDEMIC OF POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY CAUSED BY MOLD, WATER DAMAGE, AND OTHER INDOOR POLLUTANTS. IN THE UNITED STATES, THE AVERAGE ADULT SPENDS MORE THAN 90% OF THEIR TIME INDOORS BREATHING AIR THAT'S POTENTIALLY BAD FOR THEIR HEALTH. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THESE INDOOR POLLUTANTS ARE ODORLESS, COLORLESS, AND INVISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE MAKING THEM DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY AND FIX. WHAT'S WORSE - IT OFTEN TAKES YEARS FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR HOME, IF THEY EVER MAKE IT AT ALL. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION PROVIDES FREE, RESEARCH-BASED, AND SOLUTION-FOCUSED INFORMATION ON HOW TO IDENTIFY, ADDRESS, AND PREVENT THESE INDOOR POLLUTANTS FROM MAKING PEOPLE SICK. SINCE WE LAUNCHED IN 2022, WE HAVE PROVIDED OVER 100 INTERVIEWS, ARTICLES, GUIDES, MINI CLASSES AND FREE DOWNLOADS, AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT EMPOWER HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR INDOOR ENVIRONMENT. IN 2024, WE RELEASED OUR NEW START HERE FEATURE WHICH PROVIDES STEP-BY-STEP SUPPORT FOR HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS SO THEY CAN NAVIGATE THE INSPECTION AND REMEDIATION PROCESS SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY. THIS FEATURE ALSO HIGHLIGHTS OUR NEW FREE DOWNLOADS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCESSED OVER 50,000 TIMES SINCE THEY WERE RELEASED IN THE SPRING OF 2024. SINCE OUR INCEPTION, WE'VE AWARDED OVER 100 SCHOLARSHIPS TO AIR QUALITY-RELATED ONLINE CLASSES TO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. SINCE 2022, WE'VE REACHED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN 45 COUNTRIES THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, PODCAST, AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS. THAT'S NOT JUST A NUMBER; IT'S A GROWING COMMUNITY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TAKING STEPS TOWARDS HEALTHIER HOMES AND, CONSEQUENTLY, HEALTHIER LIVES.

POLICY & ADVOCACY:CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION SUPPORTS INITIATIVES TO BRING ABOUT POLICY REFORMS CONCERNING MOLD, WATER DAMAGE, AND POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES AT ALL LEVELS OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE REMOVAL OF MOLD AND WATER DAMAGE IS NOT REGULATED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL NOR IN MOST STATES. AS A RESULT, THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVING MOLD AND WATER DAMAGE FROM HOMES AND BUILDINGS IS UNLIKELY TO HAVE ANY KIND OF SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING, AND CERTIFICATION. AS A RESULT, INEFFECTIVE AND UNSAFE PRACTICES ARE OCCURRING EVERY DAY. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM, CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION ADVOCATES AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL FOR: PUBLIC HEALTH AWARENESS PROGRAMS AND INFORMATION ABOUT MOLD, WATER DAMAGE, AND POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY, THROUGH STATE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH; FIRMER DISCLOSURES ON MOLD AND WATER DAMAGE FOR RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL REAL PROPERTY; CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR MOLD INSPECTORS AND REMEDIATORS IN STATES THAT DO NO HAVE THEM; AND INCREASED FUNDING AND APPROPRIATIONS FOR RESEARCH.SINCE OUR INCEPTION, CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION HAS WORKED ALONGSIDE A GROUP OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS IN 22 STATES ADVOCATING FOR NEW LAWS RELATED TO MOLD, WATER DAMAGE, AND POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY. IN 2024, WE LED THE CHARGE TO HELP CREATE AND PASS INTO LAW ILLINOIS SB 1087, THE MOLD REMEDIATION REGISTRATION ACT, A GROUNDBREAKING LAW DESIGNED TO PROTECT PEOPLE IN ILLINOIS FROM THE HEALTH RISKS OF MOLD IN WATER-DAMAGED BUILDINGS. IN 2024, WE FUNDED OUR FIRST NATIONAL POLICY BRIEF, DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A ROADMAP FOR POLICYMAKERS, LEGISLATORS, AND OTHERS WORKING AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO MOLD AND DAMPNESS IN OUR HOMES AND BUILDINGS. TO DATE, OUR ADVOCACY WORK HAS RESULTED IN ONE STATE BILL BEING PASSED AND 12 STATE BILLS BEING PROPOSED. WE HAVE ALSO HELPED PROPOSE ONE FEDERAL AMENDMENT TO THE NDAA THAT WAS LATER PASSED INTO LAW, AS WELL AS HELPED PROPOSE ONE FEDERAL BILL. IN THE SUMMER OF 2023, BRANDON CHAPPO, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY, TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO ADVOCATE FOR THE HEALTHY AT HOME ACT OF 2023. THIS FEDERAL BILL WILL PROVIDE RESEARCH, STANDARD-SETTING ACCOUNTABILITY, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND EDUCATION FOR TENANTS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND OVERALL HABITABILITY OF OUR COUNTRY'S HOUSING. DURING THIS TIME, CHAPPO MET WITH OVER 30 CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES, OR JUST OVER 5% OF CONGRESS!