Turning investment into impact: Reflecting on JF Maddox Foundation’s 2025 funding initiatives
From past experiences, we know 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 more than $14 million 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. More than $300,000 was invested to support organizations serving youth, including the Boys & Girls Club of Hobbs and the City of Eunice Youth Center, helping to provide children in Lea County with safe spaces they can 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 with the tools to succeed. A separate $20,000 grant supported the boys’ mentoring circle program through MyPower, Inc.
Of course, when investing in the next generation, we know 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 across the county.
We also know 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 no one in our community went hungry, while a $25,000 grant to the Salvation Army of Hobbs helped provide holiday meals 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 have seen in 2025 is a powerful reminder of what is 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 opportunities, address challenges, and create lasting change that helps Lea County thrive for generations to come.
TJ Parks is CEO of the JF Maddox Foundation, a private family foundation in Lea County. Alongside its partners, the foundation invests in education, social services, and community development for a greater quality of life for Lea County residents.
