Introducing the chicago clean air resilience network
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introducing chicago clean air resilience network
A person breathes 11,000 liters of air a day mostly indoors, where the air quality is estimated to be 3-5x’s worse than the outdoors. Air Support Project (ASP) is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded on the principle that clean indoor air is a human right. We strive to create cleaner air and safer spaces for more people, especially those who are vulnerable and high-risk.
It is with profound sense of gratitude that we are announcing the debut of our most recent collaborative project, the Chicago Clean Air Resilience Network (Chi-CARN)!
What is CHI-CARN?
Chi-CARN is a coordinated, multi-partner initiative led by ASP and co-founded with Public Health Action Network (PHAN), SOS, and Windy City ToolBank – four 501c3 nonprofits who united around the mission of not letting bad air get in the way of good work.
Through a community-driven model, we are expanding access to clean air resources across Chicago by creating a shared stockpile of free N95 masks, and low-cost borrowing of air purifiers and other clean air equipment available through the Windy City ToolBank’s lending program. Each partner organization brings its own expertise and area of focus, contributing to the collaborative framework that makes Chi-CARN possible.
Windy City ToolBank serves community-based organizations by providing tools, equipment and expertise to empower their most ambitious goals. Their Pilsen-based warehouse also serves as the Midwest hub for ToolBank Disaster Services, aiding relief efforts in over 10 states.
SOS is dedicated to eliminating the disconnection in humanitarian relief and will provide system-wide visibility into resource allocation, demand patterns, and partner activity by enabling adaptive decision-making and granulated impact reporting.
With a mission-centered on protecting public health from airborne pathogens, PHAN contributes an established system for PPE inventory management and distribution. For Chi-CARN, PHAN supports procurement, sourcing, and distribution of PPE and related consumables and other supplies like PortaCounts, air monitors,and other airborne related equipment through the SUPPLY platform.
ASP oversees partner coordination and ensures alignment across all program components for Chi-CARN. Our nonprofit’s focus is to deliver affordable, science backed indoor air quality (IAQ) solutions to those at greatest risk. When possible, we work to improve IAQ by bringing the principles of ASHRAE Standard 241 and ASHRAE Guideline 44 to life through practical, real-world implementation that benefits communities.
Together, we are building a coordinated, data-informed network that enables efficient procurement, equitable distribution, and rapid deployment of clean air resources across communities.
This coalition exists to address a critical system gap: Chicago lacks a coordinated, equitable system for delivering clean air resources for both acute and chronic indoor air mitigation events. As climate-driven air quality crises become more common, access to protective equipment such as air purifiers and PPE remains fragmented, reactive, and dependent on individual or organizational capacity, leaving many vulnerable people unprotected.
Chi-CARN’s goal is to transform how communities prepare for and respond to air quality emergencies from an individualized burden to a sustainable, collective, and data-backed preparedness infrastructure. Our shared infrastructure allows any nonprofit, community, or neighborhood organization in Chicago to access equipment such as N95 masks, high-CADR air purifiers, and specialized equipment like PortaCount machines and far UVC lights – without the overhead cost of purchasing, storing, and maintaining these supplies themselves. During times of ambient air crises, Chi-CARN will empower Chicago communities with the tools they need to protect themselves – and data-informed distribution strategies that prioritize underserved and high-risk populations.
The Problem We Solve
Poor air quality is a worsening problem in Chicago and across the country, with airborne particulate pollution, industrial and automotive emissions, and respiratory illnesses being linked to numerous chronic health issues.
Climate-related disasters, such as wildfire smoke, floods, and tornados create additional sources of hazardous air in Chicago and the surrounding region of the Midwest. This year’s wildfire smoke season is predicted to be especially severe, and Illinois has had more tornadoes this year than any other state – which ToolBank’s Disaster Services has been responding to aiding in the clean-up for. Tools to improve IAQ are often overlooked in situations where they are the most beneficial. That’s where we step in. Our program allows nonprofits and community organizations to use the equipment and supplies that they need, without the added overhead costs of purchasing, storage, and maintenance.
Life happens, and often tools to improve IAQ get overlooked in situations where they are the most beneficial. That’s where we step in. Our program allows you to use the equipment and supplies that your organization needs, without the added costs of purchasing, storing, and maintaining them yourself.
Some examples of situations where Chi-CARN’s equipment would be useful:
- Disaster Preparedness and Recovery: Weather and climate events, such as wildfire smoke, tornados, and flash floods, can dramatically impact air quality. Borrowing our equipment in advance of a climate event, or to help with the clean-up after, allows you to protect your air without the hassle of buying new equipment.
- During Construction: Building construction and maintenance can release particulates, VOCs, mold, and other pollutants into the air. Adding air purifiers, monitoring particulates, and offering masks during these periods can help protect your clients and staff.
- Preventing Superspreader Events: Nobody wants to get sick, and having your staff, volunteers, and clients come down with preventable illnesses takes valuable time and energy away from serving your community and advancing your mission. Adding preventative measures such as air purifiers, high-quality masks, far UVC, and COVID and flu testing to your in-person gatherings makes them more accessible for everyone, and can help stop unwanted guests from crashing your event!
- Ensuring Safety: Buildings can have invisible, unforeseen health risks – including mold, radon, asbestos, VOCs, and chemical exposure – especially if older or poorly maintained. Borrowing tests, sensors, and equipment from Chi-CARN help you identify potential concerns and take informed steps to create healthier indoor spaces.
What Supplies Are Available?
The following equipment and supplies will be available in Windy City Toolbank’s inventory as part of Chi-CARN:
Durable Hardware
- High-CADR air purifiers
- Air quality sensors (PM2.5, TVOCs, CO2, formaldehyde and radon)
- PortaCount fit testing machines
- Far UVC lights
- Air scrubbers and dehumidifiers
- Vacuums with HEPA filters
- Molecular testing platforms (ie. PlusLife, Metrix)
Consumables
- N95 and KN95 respirators
- Rapid tests (COVID, influenza, RSV)
- Fit testing kits
- Mold and radon tests
We are currently launching this pilot in multiple YMCA locations throughout the city and are in discussions with representatives from both the Chicago Parks District and Chicago Public Library. You might even see us at tables at a neighborhood festival this summer where we look forward to connecting with people and sharing more about our work.
“Don’t let bad air stand in the way of your mission.”
Whether you need air purifiers, dehumidifiers, and fans for the flood in the rec center, far UVC, CO2 monitors, and air purifiers for your next big gathering, or more mutual aid resources (ie. masks) to distribute within your community, we got you. This is just the beginning, and we are always looking to connect with more organizations who can benefit from having access to our inventory.
How Organizations Can Sign Up
We are launching the first stage of our project this summer through Windy City ToolBank’s tool lending program. Any community or mission-based organization in Chicago can register for Chi-CARN through our sign-up form to request rentals – 501c3 status is not required. If you are not already registered with Windy City ToolBank, you will be asked some questions to become a member with them. Once registered, you will be able to put in a request for PPE and clean air hardware, as well as borrow any tool available in ToolBank’s inventory.
Help Us Launch
We are running a GiveButter to raise some initial grassroots funding for Chi-CARN. While we hope to procure much of our inventory through in-kind donations, we also need monetary support to help with the following aspects of our project launch:
- Buying equipment
- Tech platform development and integration
- Insurance fees, warehouse maintenance, and other overhead expenses
- Shipping and transport-related costs
We are launching our fundraising campaign with a goal of $20,000, but hope to exceed this amount in order to expand our inventory to the size we need to meet the needs of communities around Chicago. Every donation helps us launch and grow our program to make clean air tools accessible to anyone who needs them.
Donate to our GiveButter here.
To help reach our goal, we are seeking donation-matching from individuals who want to support our project in a larger capacity. Matching gifts help us multiply the impact of every donation and encourage more people to donate and share our fundraiser.
Chi-CARN is always seeking to connect with vendors and subject matter experts who want to advance healthier indoor environments alongside us. If you are interested in providing in-kind support or serving on our Technical Advisory Committee, please contact us at hello@chicagocarn.org
Future directions
We intend to expand Chi-CARN in the following directions as the project evolves:
- Lending Library Program: Expand our lending locations for portable equipment to local neighborhood sites, such as Chicago Public Library branches, to reach people where they are at.
- Classroom Air Purifier Rentals: Offering year-long air purifier rentals to Chicago public school teachers for classrooms.
- Clean Air Spaces: Strengthening the capacity of trusted community organizations to serve as clean air refuge centers during ambient air quality crises through the installation of indoor air quality sensors, portable air purifiers, HVAC filtration upgrades, real-time data dashboards, and staff training.
- Community Events: Hosting and providing resources for community events, such as DIY air purifier builds and mask fitting events using the PortaCount.
- Expansion to Other Cities: Once we run our Chicago pilot project, we intend to replicate this model in other cities, particularly those with existing ToolBank Affiliates.
closing remarks
Last year, healthy indoor air was recognized by the United Nations as a human right, and Air Support Project, PHAN, and many of our friends and partners joined in supporting this historic pledge. Our coalition has united to expand access to low-cost air-cleaning resources and free high-quality masks to organizations and communities in Chicago, because the cost of these supplies remains a major barrier to many people being able to access clean air as a human right.
Air Support Project is honored to lead this coalition, and we are thrilled by the enthusiasm this program has already generated even before its official launch. We are deeply grateful to our coalition partners, whose hard work and collaboration have transformed this initiative from an idea into a reality. We look forward to being a trusted resource for organizations across Chicago, ensuring that poor air quality never gets in the way of the vital work they do for our communities.
Published under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
"The best way to predict your future is to create it"
Sarah Masih, MD, MBA
Sarah Masih is the Executive Director of Air Support Project and has extensive experience in project management, fundraising, and communications. Her deep commitment to public health and her collaborative approach with community organizations and health experts make her a vital force in the fight for cleaner air and healthier communities.
Melissa Smallwood
Melissa Smallwood is Science and Technology Policy researcher with a background in neuroscience, psychology, and social science, and the author of The Future of Long COVID: A Threatcasting Approach. They are interested in how disability and healthcare justice intersect with emerging technologies, and are an advocate for COVID mitigation strategies to help end the pandemic.