The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington will hold a ribbon cutting for its new Cox Innovation Lab at the Annandale Community Center on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, at 4 p.m.

The project is a partnership of Cox Communications, The James M. Cox Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and Fairfax County.

Cox has provided a grant of $20,000 to upgrade technology equipment at the community center, which opened last spring at the Heritage Shopping Center. The donation is part of a larger $150,000 gift from the James M. Cox Foundation to create new Cox Innovation Labs across the nation, develop STEM programming and provide training for the Boys & Girls Club staff this year.

The Cox Innovation Labs are the cornerstone of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Club Tech program, which provides students access to curriculum to advance their computer literacy skills. These Innovation Labs also help bridge the digital divide for children without access to a computer or internet connection at home.

“This generous donation from Cox will enhance learning and leisure activities for the children who visit the Boys & Girls Club at Annandale Community Center after school,” said NCS Division Director Chris Scales. “We are excited about this partnership and the positive impact it will have on our kids.”

The Aug. 29 event will feature an appearance by Malcom Mitchell, a Super Bowl champion (New England Patriots), author and founder/CEO of Share the Magic Foundation, which is focused on unlocking the potential of young lives through literacy.

“We’re committed to ensuring our children have internet access and the tools they need to succeed at school, home and now, thanks to the generosity of the James M. Cox Foundation, right here at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington’s Annandale Club, where so many children spend their afternoons after the bell rings,” said Kathryn Falk, Cox’s Northern Virginia Market Vice President. “We’re excited about the positive impact and achievements these bright kids will make.”

The ribbon cutting is part of Annandale Community Day, a free event from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. There will be food trucks, family activities and more.

About Neighborhood & Community Services

Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services promotes the well-being of individuals, families and communities by providing a variety of recreation, educational and developmental programs and services; by facilitating community engagement to identify areas of need and enhance countywide capacity for serving those needs; and by connecting residents with a continuum of county- and community-based resources that promote equity and create positive outcomes for people of all ages and abilities.

About Cox Communications 

Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through technology. As the largest private broadband company in America, we operate fiber broadband networks in more than 30 states, providing connections and advanced cloud and managed IT services for nearly seven million homes and businesses nationwide. 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 in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox.  

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW) is a 136-year-old non-profit and one of the largest affiliates of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.  BGCGW is a leader in youth development serving over 21,000 children and youth annually across Washington, Maryland and Virginia. Our mission is to help boys and girls of all backgrounds, especially those who need it most, build confidence, develop character and acquire the skills needed to become productive, civic-minded, responsible adults.