SIMCO Employee Investment Advisory Committee awards $75,000 to eleven local non-profits

Third year of employee-driven charitable giving program brings total committee investment to $200,000

CARLSBAD, N.M. ̶ Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO) announced it has awarded $75,000 in grants to 11 non-profit organizations serving Eddy and Lea counties. The grants were presented during a reception ceremony celebrating the third year of SIMCO’s innovative employee-driven charitable giving program. Since its inception, the SIMCO Employee Investment Advisory Committee has now distributed a total of $200,000 to twenty different non-profit organizations across the region, demonstrating the company’s sustained commitment to community investment.

Ekta Bhakta, Community Relations & Charitable Giving for Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC (SIMCO), addresses nonprofits organizations and community leaders during SIMCO’s Employee Investment Advisory Committee grant awards reception. In total, SIMCO awarded $75,000 to eleven local non-profit organizations selected by its Employee Investment Advisory Committee.

“I firmly believe our employees have always been, and will continue to be, our most important asset—not only to fulfill WIPP’s national cleanup mission, but also in sharing their time, talents, and expertise to improve our local communities,” said Ken Harrawood, SIMCO’s President and Program Manager. The committee is comprised of 12 nonmanagerial employees who have been recognized for their exceptional leadership qualities by both managers and peers.

At the beginning of each grant cycle, the committee identifies funding priorities based on the assessment of the most pressing community needs. This year’s focus areas are food security, literacy, public health and safety, and STEM Education. The mission of the SIMCO Employee Investment Advisory Committee’s to allocate company-funded grants where the need is greatest, using the collective skills and knowledge of the employees to make a positive impact in the communities where they live and work.

The Sodality Foundation receives a $6,000 SIMCO Employee Investment grant for its Power Line App which is a vital tool designed to
support the mental health and overall wellbeing of first responders in Southeastern New Mexico.

“This approach allows us to support a wider array of organizations than traditional corporate giving and ensures our contributions reflect genuine community needs,” said Bobby St. John, SIMCO’s External Communications Manager. This program represents SIMCO’s commitment to community partnership and demonstrates how employee engagement in charitable giving can create meaningful, targeted impact in local communities.

The 11 grant recipients are: CARC Inc., Carlsbad Transitional Housing and Homeless Shelter, Cissy’s Food Pantry, Leaders Inc., My Power, Packs for Hunger, Palmer Drug Abuse Program, Permian Basin Counseling & Guidance, Sodality Foundation, Southeast New Mexico Community Action Corporation, and Weekend Hunger Initiative (WHI) Hobbs.