This article originally appeared in the Hobbs News-Sun.
From past experiences, we know that when we work together and form meaningful partnerships, our community thrives. 2025 was no exception. This past year, the JF Maddox Foundation had the honor to collaborate with community partners across the county and invest over $14M in grants, scholarships, and project-based funding that truly helped to transform our community.
Reflecting on the year, many of our funding initiatives looked to the future and invested in the next generation of Lea County’s leaders. Over $300,000 was invested to support youth-serving organizations like the Boys & Girls Club of Hobbs and the City of Eunice Youth Center, helping to provide children in Lea County safe spaces they could access after-school and during summer breaks. Additionally, a $10,000 grant award for the Future Innovators Academy helped to empower at-risk youth through the Pathway to Possibilities program, providing children in our region the tools to succeed, while a separate $20,000 grant supported a boys’ mentoring circle program through MyPower, Inc.
Of course, when investing in the next generation, we know that supporting their education has a tremendous return on investment for our communities. Approximately $400,000 was awarded in scholarships for our 2025 Maddox Scholars and semi-finalists, supporting scholarships for students in Jal, Hobbs, Lovington, and Eunice.
We also know that keeping our community healthy leads to a stronger Lea County. A $179,000 American Heart Association grant supported the Lea County Lifestyle RX Program, an initiative that increases access to blood pressure monitoring, lifestyle coaching, and community-based education, bringing resources directly into neighborhoods and empowering families to prevent and manage heart disease. Additionally, a $100,000 investment in food assistance to organizations like Cissy’s Food Ministry and Isaiah’s Soup Kitchen provided support to help ensure that no one in our community went hungry, while a $25,000 Salvation Army of Hobbs grant supported providing holiday turkeys for those in need during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Last year also focused on finding transformational ways to help our friends and neighbors have their basic needs met. A $25,000 grant also supported the Salvation Army in its efforts to keep unhoused residents safe through an emergency motel lodging initiative.
The progress we’ve seen in 2025 is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when collaboration leads the way. Reflecting on the core values that guide our work, we genuinely care that our neighbors are healthy, educated, and supported, and we believe in the power of continued partnerships and shared commitments. Together, we can accelerate opportunity, address challenges, and create lasting change that helps Lea County thrive for generations to come.
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TJ Parks is the CEO of the JF Maddox Foundation, a private family foundation in Lea County, New Mexico. Alongside its partners, the foundation invests in education, social services, and community development for a greater quality of life for Lea County residents.
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