“Tech Boosts” Program from Cox Communications Awards $10K Grant to the Rhode Island Center for Justice
Tech Boosts from Cox put technology equipment into the hands of community organizations that need it the most
WEST WARWICK – (June 14, 2021) – Despite the important work nonprofits and community organizations do in the communities they serve, many are lacking the modern technology tools needed to perform their missions to the fullest. To bridge this technology gap, Cox Communications today announced the 2021 recipients for its “Tech Boosts” program, which awards grants to nonprofit groups committed to investing in technology equipment for the betterment of its patrons and mission.
In Rhode Island, the company presented the Rhode Island Center for Justice with a $10,000 Tech Boost grant. The organization is a statewide non-profit that empowers Rhode Island families facing housing insecurity, employment challenges, education inequity and violations of civil rights. In addition to purchasing collaboration tools like a virtual whiteboard, the R.I. Center for Justice will use the Tech Boost grant to purchase cameras and scanners to intake client information; a wide-format color printer to prepare presentations for court, primarily for photos of substandard housing for eviction defense; all-in-one scanner/printers for its attorneys, who must now primarily work from home; and more.
“We are thrilled to be recognized as a 2021 Cox Communications Tech Boosts recipient,” said Jennifer Wood, executive director, R.I. Center for Justice. “The global pandemic set in motion numerous forces that worked against our clients, from not being able to pay their rent and facing eviction to losing their jobs and struggling to find new work. The Tech Boost grant from Cox will support the acquisition of numerous technology devices and software that will help us serve our population more effectively and help them regain their footing as normalcy returns. These tools will facilitate permanent changes in how we work to support our clients reflecting all that we have learned during this crisis.”
This marks the fourth year of the Cox Communications Tech Boosts program, and the mission remains the same: to invest in technology equipment and services that support a common goal of enriching the lives of community members and fulfilling their missions to the fullest. The company recognizes community organizations across its Northeast footprint, which includes Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Ohio.
“The R.I. Center for Justice is seeing first-hand the deep and prolonged impacts the pandemic continues to have on low income families and individuals,” said State Representative and House Majority Leader Christopher R. Blazejewski. “We are fortunate in Rhode Island to have partners like Cox Communications who recognize the need to give back and ensure our community organizations can help the less fortunate rise up and rebound as quickly as possible.”
Other organizations receiving a 2021 Tech Boosts grant from Cox include the Enfield Food Shelf in Enfield, Connecticut, and the Olmsted Community Center in Olmsted Falls, Ohio. All applicants are required to demonstrate how their request addresses community well-being in one of four focus areas: conservation and environment; early childhood education; empowering families and individuals for success; and community health.
“When you consider the breadth of what the R.I. Center for Justice tackles on a daily basis, it’s staggering to consider the impact this organization has,” said Jay Allbaugh, senior vice president and region manager, Cox Communications. “Cox is excited to award this Tech Boost grant to the Center so that they can continue fighting on behalf of Rhode Island’s most vulnerable residents, and finding solutions that help deliver the stability they need in their homes, schools, and jobs.”
About Cox Communications
Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through technology. The largest private broadband company in America, we proudly serve six and a half million homes and businesses across 18 states. We’re dedicated to empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that make each one unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in1898 by Governor James M. Cox.