Cox and The Trust for Public Land Launch Louisiana's 2016 Cox Conserves Heroes Awards Program

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

BATON ROUGE, La., June 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications, in partnership with The Trust for Public Land, today launched Louisiana's 2016 Cox Conserves Heroes program to honor local environmental volunteers. Nominations are being accepted through June 30 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 2016 Cox Conserves Hero. The winner will be chosen through an online public vote, which will take place in late August.

Patrick Armstrong, Matt Thomas, Bart Everson and Jenga Mwendo are Louisiana's previous Cox Conserves Heroes. These volunteers have removed nearly 10 tons of litter from New Orleans' public outdoor spaces, preserved Baton Rouge's lake system, created a non-motorized transportation trail and transformed an overgrown lot 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; Quality Deer Management Association – Louisiana State Chapter; ReCover Acadiana; The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation and The University Lakes Improvement and Preservation Association.

The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Cox Communications. Cox Conserves Heroes takes place in Arizona, California, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington.

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 digital 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 10 times, including the last nine 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. Millions of people live within a one-half mile walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit http://www.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' 55,000 employees and their families to engage in eco-friendly practices.

SOURCE Cox Communications

For further information: Jeremy Theriot, Cox Communications, 225-237-5167, jeremy.theriot@cox.com; Elizabeth Olmstead, Cox Enterprises, 678-645-0762, elizabeth.olmstead@coxinc.com; Kristen Anderson, The Trust for Public Land, 415-800-5178, kristen.anderson@tpl.org