Spring 2022 | Page 27

The Cox team in Acadiana , La ., accepts the 2021 Benefactor of the Year award .
NextGear Capital volunteers pose in front of the Gleaners Food Bank mobile pantry .
Cox Communications has been supporting the educational efforts of college and high school students through its partnership with South Louisiana Community College ( SLCC ) in Lafayette , La ., since 2013 . Cox has granted approximately $ 50,000 in scholarships to college students in need and provided laptops and other equipment to enhance learning for high school students through the Early College Academy . This program , in conjunction with the Lafayette Parish School System , offers students the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school so they can graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree . Cox team members helped develop curriculum for the college ’ s Power Lineman Program , which launched in 2019 , and are developing curriculum for the Fiber Optic Technician Program that will start this summer . As a result of these efforts , Cox was named 2021 Benefactor of the Year by the SLCC Foundation .
Cox team members clean laptops that will enhance Inspiredu ’ s digital literacy program .
Kicking off Cox ’ s new 34 by 34 social goal , Cox Enterprises ’ integrated business technology team members volunteered at United Way of Greater Atlanta , Inspiredu , YMCA of Metro Atlanta and Girls Inc . and truly moved the technology access needle . For a two-month period , volunteers worked with Inspiredu to clean , test and prepare hundreds of laptops and tablets used to support strong home learning environments , enhance the nonprofit ’ s digital literacy program and promote educational equity . For YMCA of Metro Atlanta , Cox workers created 250 circuitry kits that provide hands-on learning opportunities for students learning remotely or attending after-school education programs . They also built 25 re-codable robots for Girls Inc . to help bridge the digital divide through STEM education .
Cox ’ s Cassandra Weinlein ( left ) and Ingo Hentschel ( right ) present free Wi-Fi for the Jacobs Center .
Thanks to NextGear Capital and a $ 150,000 grant from The James M . Cox Foundation , Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana will have a new refrigerated box truck and be able to increase the number of meals it provides in the fight against hunger in central and southeastern Indiana . The new truck will enable the nonprofit to distribute more fresh , healthy food like fruits , vegetables , dairy , eggs and meat , all of which require temperature control for storage and transportation .
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Cox Virginia , Cox Business and Cox Communications ’ Atlanta order management team partnered with Tidewater Community College , the second-largest community college in Virginia , to help more than 300 students facing financial hardship pay for an in-home internet connection . Ultimately this levels the playing field for all students and promotes long-term community success .
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Cox Communications is providing free indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi for two years to the Joe and Vi Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation . The center is in a San Diego area designated a federal Promise Zone , encompassing neighborhoods with higher unemployment and lower educational attainment than other communities . The free Wi-Fi access gives thousands of community members — from students and young adults to seniors — the chance to increase their digital literacy , continue their education and participate in job training programs .
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