Cox employees raised $637,810 through Cox Charities grant initiatives
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
This marks the 27th year Cox employees — through Cox Charities — have raised funds to help the communities where they live and work.
Cox representatives report this year’s effort represents a 10% increase in giving meanwhile since 1996, Cox Arizona employees have raised nearly $10.5 million and awarded grants to 1,851 local Arizona nonprofits. Cox Charities grants are helping a variety of Arizona 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that align with the company’s focus areas — education, diversity, environment, and sustainability.
Most of the funds come from employee-driven fundraisers and donations by the employees and their families. Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels (AHRA) helps fulfill the legacy of Amanda Hope who, before passing away from cancer at age 12.
Amanda Hope provides children fighting cancer with a team of licensed counselors, coaches, mentors and wrap-around programming to ease the burden of this extraordinary fight. Through its financial assistance program, AHRA provides new laptop computers to child cancer warriors who need to do their schoolwork from the hospital or at home.
“This year’s Cox Charities grant will allow AHRA to provide 10 new laptops to children. When we get to present a gift like this to a child, it’s remarkable because they begin to dream again. They know their community cares, because they often feel so forgotten about. Thank you, Cox Charities, for making this happen for our cancer warriors,” said Lorraine Tallman of AHRA, in a prepared statement.
A total of 130 Maricopa, Yavapai, Pinal, Pima and Cochise county nonprofits received grants totaling $637,810.00.
Among those is A New Leaf La Mesita Children’s Services that provides care and after-school programming each year for approximately 250 children, up to the age of 18, struggling to overcome challenges related to homelessness and poverty. As young ones deal with moving around, they face social emotional trauma and academic challenges.
That’s where La Mesita Children’s Services steps in to lift them up, providing preschool programming in partnership with Head Start, after school and summer programming, and personal development for teens.
“With the support of Cox Charities’ $10,000 grant, vulnerable children get individualized case management and have a safe place to spend their out-of-school time to receive homework help, engage in STEM activities, and develop social emotional wellness,” said Laura Bode, director of community engagement for A New Leaf.
“We’ve seen kids recover 1-2 grade levels academically in the span of just six months. Without the support of funders like Cox Charities, we would not be able to provide any of these services.”