3M has made a substantial donation of Filtrete™ Air Filters valued at over $100,000 to the Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation and their CleanAirK12.com initiative to build Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes for schools and community centers.
The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation began as a global grassroots movement to build a low cost, open-source do-it-yourself (DIY) air purifier in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The DIY air purifier, known as the Corsi-Rosenthal Box, can be constructed in less than 45 minutes with simple materials costing about $60 to $100: air filters, duct tape, and a box fan. The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation also operates the website CleanAirK12.com, an initiative of the CR Foundation aimed at expanding the reach of the Corsi-Rosenthal Box by offering free box kits and educational resources designed for classrooms.
Humans spend up to 90% of our time indoors. Indoor spaces can be poorly ventilated, and the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of clean air. Indoor air can also be contaminated with allergens, pollutants and particulates.
Air purifiers are an effective way to clean indoor air of airborne particles, but often those most in need of air purifiers are least able to pay for them. The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation provides grants, resources, and information so people and organizations can build their own air purifiers. The Corsi-Rosenthal Box has been tested against some of the most stringent air purifier standards in the world using ISO certified equipment by experts in aerosol science and public health (including from 3M scientists!) demonstrating effectiveness. This means those who need an inexpensive, powerful air purifier can build one themselves, using locally sourced components for a fraction of the price of a commercially manufactured air purifier. The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation estimates over 200,000 Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes have been built by a global audience of clean air enthusiasts—many of whom share their creative designs on X (formerly known as Twitter).
The federal government found that over 41% of U.S. school districts need to update or replace HVAC systems in at least half their schools. The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation understands that lasting change requires more than just innovative technology; it necessitates community engagement and education. To this end, they launched CleanAirK12.com to support classrooms and educational organizations, raising awareness about the importance of clean air and providing a STEM project centered around building a Corsi-Rosenthal Box for the classroom. Specifically, through CleanAirK12.com, schools can apply to receive a FREE kit of materials to build a Corsi-Rosenthal Box—the donated Filtrete™ Air Filters will be among the inventory leveraged to support these donations. Applicants will be prioritized based on three criteria: 1) need and capacity of organization; 2) quantity and capacity to deliver; 3) strategic partnership value for scale. Other nonprofit organizations are also eligible to apply for the free kit materials and are encouraged to apply directly through the Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation website. To date, between CleanAirK12 and the Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation platforms, the Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation has donated the materials for 500 Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes across 18 grant partners.
“Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation is still in its embryonic stages” said Foundation President Jim Rosenthal. “At this point, we are 100% volunteer and largely self-funded. That is why the 3M donation is so important to us. This generous donation of Filtrete™ Air Filters from 3M moves the Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation to another level, nearly doubling our capacity to serve our partners.”
Learn more about how to apply for air purifier kits or how to support this organization with a donation by visiting this link.
