Fragile Kids Foundation Announces $125,000 Grant from the James M. Cox Foundation

ATLANTA, July 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fragile Kids Foundation (FKF) has been awarded a $125,000 grant from the James M. Cox Foundation to support the expansion of the organization's statewide medical loaned equipment program. The funds will allow the FKF to purchase 70 additional pieces of therapeutic and rehabilitative equipment, expanding its equipment inventory available for loan by 25 percent.

"This generous gift from the James M. Cox Foundation will allow us to fulfill the needs of every child on our waiting list," said Carolyn Polakowski, executive director of Fragile Kids. "We are thrilled to be able to provide 70 children in Georgia with the equipment they so desperately need for therapy and rehabilitation within the next few months."

After eighteen months, most children outgrow the equipment or meet their rehabilitative goals and are ready to share with another child, meaning this one-time gift from the James M. Cox Foundation will benefit hundreds of children for many years to come.

"One of the things that motivates us here at Cox is being involved in our communities," said Alex Taylor, Cox Enterprises' executive vice president and great grandson of company founder James M. Cox.  "I can't think of a better way to do that than by helping these kids get the equipment and help they need to live a better life. Fragile Kids is a wonderful organization and we're glad to partner with them."

This equipment is generally not covered by state medical programs or private insurance, making grants like this crucial to providing essential medical care to Georgia's medically-fragile children.

About the Fragile Kids Foundation
Established in 1988, the Fragile Kids Foundation provides rehabilitative and medical equipment not covered by insurance or government programs for medically fragile children.  The organization serves children from birth to age 21 with critically needed equipment, transportation support, and therapy tools that cannot be secured by other means.  Fragile Kids strives to create safer, healthier lives for children living with a wide range of diagnoses, including: Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida, Mitochondrial Disorder, Retts Syndrome, Angelmans and other genetic/traumatic injuries. For more information about FKF and its programs, call 770-951-6111.

Assistance offered to families includes: wheelchair lifts, stair-lifts, and overhead lifting systems to safely transport children in wheelchairs, ramping for homes and vans, specialized car seats, toileting and bathing systems, specialized strollers and more. Since its inception, Fragile Kids has helped more than 5,000 children across Georgia with equipment grants and the sharing of loaned equipment.

About The James M. Cox Foundation 
The James M. Cox Foundation is named in honor of Cox Enterprises' founder and provides funding for capital campaigns and special projects in communities where the company operates. James M. Cox was Ohio's first three-term governor and the 1920 Democratic nominee for president of the United States.

The Foundation concentrates its community support in several areas, including: conservation and environment; early childhood education; empowering families and individuals for success; and health.

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SOURCE Cox Enterprises