Cox Communications employees have awarded a total of $30,000 in grants to six local nonprofits, through Cox Charities Community Investment Grants. The program provides employee funded grants of up to $5,000 to support a special program benefiting residents in the area. Earlier this year, organizations were invited to submit applications for funding. This year’s recipients of the Cox Charities Community Investment Grants are: 

• Bibb County School District – This grant will help Porter Elementary launch a bilingual Student Media Team to make school communications more inclusive for its diverse student body, especially the 40% who are Spanish-speaking.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia – Funding will support four free STEAM-focused mentoring sessions for youth ages 5–18, integrating hands-on activities in coding, robotics, drones, and digital arts. Delivered in partnership with local organizations and hosted at state-of-the-art facilities, the program builds confidence, innovation skills, and career awareness. Grant dollars will enhance educational access, mentor engagement, and social-emotional growth for underserved youth in the 2025–26 academic year.

• I am Kali, Inc. – Funding will support a 9-month leadership development program for 20–25 middle school girls from underserved communities in Macon-Bibb County. Through weekly sessions and monthly workshops, participants will build confidence, public speaking, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, emotional wellness, and environmental awareness. Grant dollars will fund culturally responsive instruction, mentorship, and hands-on learning across eight signature tracks, with outcomes measured through surveys, reflections, and community presentations.

• Macon Cherry Blossom Festival – Funding will support a Veterans Day Weekend celebration in Macon, including a 5K race, parade, and golf tournament honoring local veterans. Proceeds will benefit the Macon Georgia Cherry Blossom Festival and the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Foundation, helping provide housing assistance to veterans in need. With over 10,000 expected attendees, the events promote community engagement and support for both cultural programming and veteran services.

• Middle Georgia Access to Justice Council, Inc. – Funding will support free or low-cost civil legal services for low-income families across seven Central Georgia counties. Services include consultations, document preparation, and representation in family law, probate, guardianship, and criminal history relief. Grant dollars will help deliver at least 25 legal intakes, ongoing case support, and client referrals, improving access to justice, stability, and economic opportunity for underserved individuals.

• Museum of Aviation Foundation - Funding will expand the Museum of Aviation’s STEM programming for K–12 students, especially those from Title I schools and military families, through enhanced Saturday STEM Labs and Homeschool STEM sessions. Grant dollars will support the purchase of robotics kits, AI platforms, and coding tools, enabling hands-on learning in emerging technologies. The program aims to serve 6,000 students over 24 months, fostering workforce readiness, educational equity, and regional innovation. 

“We are incredibly grateful to Cox Charities for their generous support of our STEAM Explorers program through the Community Grant,” said Betsy Fitzgerald, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia. “This funding allows us to bring hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math experiences directly to the youth we serve. By embedding STEAM into our one-to-one mentoring model, we’re not only sparking curiosity and innovation but also building confidence and expanding possibilities for Littles across our region. With partners like Cox Charities, we’re empowering the next generation to dream bigger and reach higher.”

Cox Charities is a charitable giving initiative of Cox Communications fully funded by Cox employees and business partners. The funds raised are then invested annually as Cox Charities Community Investment Grants to organizations that align with our focus areas of youth innovation programs focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM); conservation and sustainability initiatives; and equal opportunity. A total of $315,000 is being awarded to 63 grant recipients throughout Cox’s East Region.

“Supporting our community isn’t just part of our job, it’s who we are at Cox. Whether it’s our employees giving money from their own pockets to fund these local nonprofit grants, or rolling up our sleeves to volunteer, our team shows up with heart and purpose,” said Caryn Frey, Cox Middle Georgia market vice president. “This community means a lot to us, and I’m incredibly proud of how our employees continue to make a real difference every day.”

For more information about Cox Charities, visit www.CoxCharitiesNE.org.