Cox and The Trust for Public Land Launch Louisiana's 2015 Cox Conserves Heroes Awards Program

Call for nominations; $20,000 to be donated to local environmental nonprofits

News provided by

Jun 01, 2015, 10:00 ET

BATON ROUGE, La., June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications, in partnership with The Trust for Public Land, today launched Louisiana's 2015 Cox Conserves Heroes program to honor local environmental volunteers. Nominations are being accepted at CoxConservesHeroes.com for volunteers in Cox's service areas in Acadiana, Baton Rouge and New Orleans who are creating, preserving or enhancing outdoor spaces.

A total of $20,000 will be donated to local environmental nonprofits on behalf of the winner and finalists. Nominee activities must be performed on a volunteer basis and may not be part of an individual's paid job.

A judging panel of civic and environmental leaders will select three finalists who will then compete to be named Louisiana's 2015 Cox Conserves Hero. The winner will be chosen through an online public vote.

Louisiana's Cox Conserves Heroes Timeline:

Nominations: June 1 – 30
Voting: August 24 – September 14
Winner Announcement: October 1

Matt Thomas, Bart Everson and Jenga Mwendo are Louisiana's previous Cox Conserves Heroes. Thomas helps preserve Baton Rouge's lake system to provide a safe, healthy and beautiful setting for local citizens and visitors to enjoy. Everson helped create a 3.1 mile trail that links the French Quarter, Treme, Mid City and Lakeview areas of New Orleans to create a safe, non-motorized transportation route. Mwendo transformed an overgrown lot from a dumping ground into a beautiful centerpiece for the community.

As either a finalist or winner's nonprofit of choice, the following Louisiana organizations have received financial support from the Cox Conserves Heroes program: Friends of Lafitte Corridor; Jefferson Beautification, Inc.; Lafayette Square Conservancy; Louisiana Environmental Action Network; New Orleans Food and Farm Network; Operation Sudden Impact; Parkway Partners; The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation and The University Lakes Improvement and Preservation Association.

Cox Conserves Heroes also takes place in Arizona, California, Georgia, Florida, Massachusetts and Virginia. Nearly $500,000 has been donated to local nonprofits and more than 140 volunteers have been honored through the Cox Conserves Heroes program.

For more information, visit CoxConservesHeroes.com or Facebook.

Social Media: #CoxConservesHeroes and #CoxConservesHero

About Cox Communications:
Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet, telephone and home security and automation services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves approximately 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising. Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For eight years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity nine times, including the last eight years. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.

About The Trust for Public Land:
The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Nearly ten million people live within a ten-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. Learn more at tpl.org.

About Cox Conserves:
Launched in 2007 by Chairman Jim Kennedy, Cox Conserves is Cox Enterprises' national sustainability program. Cox Conserves focuses on reducing waste and energy consumption, as well as conserving water. The program engages each of the company's major subsidiaries (Cox Communications, Cox Automotive and Cox Media Group) and encourages Cox Enterprises' 50,000 employees and their families to engage in eco-friendly practices.

The company's sustainability goals are to send zero waste to landfill by 2024 and become carbon and water neutral by 2044. The company also presents the Cox Conserves Sustainability Survey, a nationwide survey that examines sustainability opportunities and challenges for small and medium-sized businesses.

SOURCE Cox Communications