Chris Cox, Facebook Chief Product Officer, has recently given the nonprofit group Live In Peace Inc. (LIP) $1 million to establish relationships between East Palo Alto (EPA) youth and local tech companies, enterpreneurs and universities.

Cox, a past supporter of Live In Peace who encourages long-term perspective, believes in the organization and the good his dollar will do in the hands of its leaders.

“It’s been a privilege to get to know this group and their work over the last five years, and we are honored to help sustain and grow their impact over the years ahead,” Cox said in an interview with Palo Alto Weekly.

According to LIP, the organization works to support youth in arts and culture, education, technology and economics. Its mission statement states that LIP’s goal is to help “students discover, develop and direct their creative genius for the benefit of their community and the broader world.”

The organization was established a little over 20 years ago by community members Justin Phipps and Heather Starnes. In an interview with the Palo Alto Weekly, Phipps noted that the organization was really founded by the community.

“We’re blessed to be welcomed into the community and to be part of what’s present here,” Phipps said.

The organization hopes to create living-wage jobs for EPA residents. The funds donated by Cox will contribute to the organization’s goal of developing infrastructure for the next two years, and staffing and expanding the programming of EPAnow.us, a youth run news site.

The $1 million that was recently donated to the LIP group by Cox is hoped to benefit LIP’s goal of estabishing success in EPA and help the organization and the people who benefit from it.