Press Release
September 18, 2026
Armstrong World Industries Foundation Awards More Than $600,000 in 2026 Better Building Grants
AWI leaders presenting a check to Community Action Partnership of Lancaster during the AWI Foundation event.

LANCASTER, Pa. – Armstrong World Industries Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI), today announced its 2026 Better Building Grant recipients, awarding more than $600,000 to 10 nonprofit organizations to support building renovations, facility improvements and essential community services.

The grants were presented during the inaugural Armstrong World Industries Community Impact Celebration on Sept. 10 at Armstrong’s Lancaster campus, bringing together business leaders, community members and representatives from the nonprofit organizations to celebrate their work and the impact of their projects across the communities they serve.

“Buildings are more than physical spaces — they are places where people find safety, receive care, build community and access the resources they need to thrive,” said Salena Coachman, AWI Foundation President and VP, Talent Sustainability and Acquisition at AWI. “Through our Better Building Grants, we’re proud to invest in the organizations that are creating and maintaining these spaces and making a meaningful difference in the lives of people in our communities.”

The 2026 Better Building Grants support a range of projects, from major facility renovations and expansions to critical maintenance and improvements that will enhance safety, accessibility, efficiency and service capacity.  

This year's grant recipients include:

  • $100,000 to Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition to transform The Wellhouse on South Prince St. into a Navigation Center, bringing medical exam rooms, behavioral health services and housing, job training and benefits resources together under one roof.
  • $100,000 to Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County to modernize the Crispus Attucks Community Center office building through interior painting, flooring and stair replacement, HVAC and heat pump replacement and LED lighting upgrades.
  • $100,000 to CASA of Lancaster & Lebanon Counties to complete renovation work that remained unfinished after asbestos abatement and unexpected structural repairs consumed the project's original budget, including remaining exterior repairs.
  • $50,000 to Child Advocacy Center, Missouri to support a 6,000-square-foot addition for forensic services, renovation of a second building for on-site mental health care and development of a therapy garden connecting the two buildings.
  • $50,000 to SACA & SACA Development Corporation to renovate the Centro Hispano facility at 545 Pershing Ave., which houses a senior center and community meals program and will eventually serve as the site of a neighborhood health clinic.
  • Additional community grants were awarded to YWCA Lancaster, Volunteers of America, Lancaster EMS, VisionCorps and the LGH Foundation, supporting their ongoing missions across housing, healthcare, emergency services and community well-being.

In addition to the grants announced today, the AWI Foundation provides funds for AWI production sites to award to charitable organizations in their local communities as well as matching funds for employee giving and emergency relief to employees experiencing hardship, natural disaster or significant medical expenses.

 
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