Cox Communications announced on Wednesday that it awarded $35,000 to seven local nonprofits through its Cox Charities Investments Grants program.

According to the release, the program provides employee-funded grants of up to $5,000 to support programs that benefit residents in the area.

Nonprofit organizations were invited earlier this year to submit applications.

This year’s recipients of the Cox Charities Community Investment Grants are:

• A Vessel of Hope Corporation –Funding for Civics in Action: An Experience for Today’s Youth will support a four-session civic education program for youth ages 15–24, focused on voter education, registration, and engagement. The program includes interactive learning, guest speakers, and hands-on activities to build civic knowledge and highlight voting as a social justice issue.
• Cade Creativity Labs/Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention –The grant will support the Cade Museum’s invention-based STEAM education program, enabling approximately 50,000 guests to engage in hands-on, challenge-driven learning experiences. Through interactive activities and educator-led exploration, participants will deepen their understanding of science concepts while earning Inventivity badges and incentives.
• Forage Inc/Working Food –The Cox Charities grant will support the Young Stewards program in delivering over 300 hours of free, hands-on environmental and food education to 480 marginalized youth. Activities include gardening, cooking, science, and art, led by trained educators and teen interns. Grant dollars will sustain six youth gardens, provide fresh snacks weekly, distribute enrichment kits, and support leadership training.
• Public Education Foundation of Marion County – Funding will support the Tools 4 Teaching program in providing free classroom supplies to approximately 1,200 Marion County public school teachers during the 2025–26 school year. With an estimated $300,000 in distributed supplies across 3,500 shopping visits, the program helps make teaching more sustainable and improves educator effectiveness. Grant dollars will ensure continued access to essential materials, directly benefiting teachers and students while supporting retention and instructional quality.
• Star Center Theatre, Inc. – The Stories That Speak program, which uses drama and music to improve literacy and foster creativity among youth by transforming popular books into original performances, will benefit from this grant. The program engages 60 to 80 student performers and reaches over 800 audience members, offering a hands-on, arts-based approach to reading comprehension, critical thinking, and emotional growth.
• Strong-MINDed Mentoring, Inc. – The grant will support Strong-MINDed Mentoring in providing consistent, trauma-informed support to at-risk young men ages 12 to 24 through mentoring, life skills training, job readiness workshops, and educational exposure trips. The program will serve at least 15 youth over 12 months, offering 26 mentoring sessions, 4 workforce workshops, and 3 cultural trips.
• University of Florida – Cox Charities dollars will support Roaring Riptide’s #FIRSTwithAT initiative, which empowers students to design and deliver free, customized assistive technology (AT) devices and adapted toys for individuals with disabilities. In the 2025–26 program year, the team will create at least 20 personalized AT devices, distribute 100 adapted toys, host 5 outreach events, and engage all 14 student members in hands-on STEM learning.

“Partners like Cox make it possible for the Cade Museum to provide hands-on STEAM activities for thousands of youth in our community and beyond,” said Brad Gamble, CEO of the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention, in the release. “With their support, we’re able to deliver experiential learning moments that inspire the next generation of inventors, entrepreneurs, and visionaries.”

Cox Charities is a charitable giving initiative that is 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 Aimee Pfannenstiel, Cox Central Florida market vice president, in a release. “This community means a lot to us, and I’m incredibly proud of how our employees continue to make a real difference every day.”