LANCASTER, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 17, 2026--
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.
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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:
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.
About Armstrong World Industries
Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) is an Americas leader in the design and manufacture of innovative interior and exterior architectural applications including ceilings, specialty walls and exterior metal solutions. For more than 165 years, AWI has delivered products and capabilities that enable architects, designers and contractors to transform building design and construction with elevated aesthetics, acoustics and sustainable attributes. With $1.6 billion in revenue in 2025, AWI has approximately 4,000 employees and a manufacturing network of 24 facilities, plus seven facilities dedicated to its WAVE joint venture. To learn more about AWI, visit www.armstrong.com.
About Armstrong World Industries Foundation
The AWI Foundation has served as the philanthropic arm of AWI since its establishment in 1985. The AWI Foundation seeks to invest in organizations that embolden people to live better and healthier lives and supports local communities by ensuring access to services and spaces that allow every individual to thrive. For more information or to submit an organization for consideration, visit the AWI Foundation website here.
Leaders from Armstrong World Industries, including CEO Mark Hershey, present a check on behalf of the Armstrong World Industries Foundation to Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County, an organization dedicated to helping families achieve economic mobility and stability, during the inaugural Armstrong World Industries Community Impact Celebration.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man who sprayed vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall was sentenced Thursday to 14 months in prison.
Anthony Kazmierczak was sentenced nearly eight months after the Jan. 27 assault. At the time, Minneapolis-St. Paul was subject to an immigration crackdown that led to angry protests, arrests and the deaths of two U.S. citizens.
During an earlier hearing, Kazmierczak, who is in his mid-50s, was unable to explain his actions. Omar was not hurt in the attack.
Prosecutors had recommended a 14-month prison term.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The man who sprayed vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall meeting as the city was going through an immigration crackdown and the deaths of two U.S. citizens is expected to be sentenced Thursday after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
Prosecutors had recommended a 14-month prison term for Anthony Kazmierczak.
In an earlier hearing, Kazmierczak, who is in his mid-50s, could give no explanation of what happened in the Jan. 27 assault.
“It’s fuzzy,” he told U.S. District Judge Joan N. Ericksen when asked what he remembered.
Witnesses saw Kazmierczak jump up from the audience during the meeting, spraying liquid from a syringe at Omar and saying she was “splitting Minnesota apart.” Omar’s security officers quickly tackled Kazmierczak to the ground, then took him to police officers who placed him under arrest.
Omar was not injured and continued with the town hall after the arrest.
“I’m sorry if I scared you,” he wrote to Omar later, accepting responsibility for what he’d done.
Authorities later determined he’d sprayed her with a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. He was charged with assaulting a U.S. officer.
The government sentencing memorandum, submitted to the court by prosecutors, said he had texted at least three people indicating he planned to do something at the meeting involving Omar “but would not answer their questions about his intent.”
He also sent messages to a neighbor to arrange for dog care and contacts for a bail bond company.
The sentencing memo said Kazmierczak had long struggled with alcohol abuse, had “a history of mental and emotional health concerns” and also had a string of health issues tied to a 2022 diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.
Omar, a refugee from Somalia, has long been a target of President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. After she was elected seven years ago, Trump said she should “go back” to her home country. He has described her as “garbage” and said she should be investigated.
In social media posts, Kazmierczak had criticized former President Joe Biden and referred to Democrats as “angry and liars.” Trump wants the U.S. to be “stronger and more prosperous,” he wrote.
The attack on Omar came amid Operation Metro Surge, when more than 2,000 immigration officers swept through the Twin Cities in a dramatic crackdown that led to angry protests, arrests and the deaths of two U.S. citizens.
The story has been updated to correct the day of the sentencing to Thursday, from Wednesday.
FILE - A man is tackled to the ground after spraying an unknown substance on U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., during a town hall on Jan. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Minnesota Star Tribune via AP, File)
FILE - Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., speaks during a news conference on Jan. 28, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray, File)
