Northern Meadows fundraises for young entrepreneur

Trunk or Treat

Oct 13, 2025

RIO RANCHO — Halloween started early in Northern Meadows with a trunk-or-treat to raise funds for a local teen getting his business going.

Michael Hicks will turn 16 soon, and to celebrate, he raised funds to expand his business — Frutas Locas — on Oct. 11 at King Meadows Park in the Northern Meadows neighborhood.

He said the funds will go toward a new fruit cart for Frutas Locas, which started a few months ago with a big event.

“It translates to crazy fruits. I usually do fruit cups and stuff like that, but I’m just going to start adding more stuff to the menu,” he said.

Hicks added that the cart will help him get more business and attend more events as a business owner. However, he said he is often underestimated because of his age.

“A lot of people think I work for someone. Like, I’m just helping them but I just tell them I do it myself. They think I’m really younger than I am, 13 or something,” he said. “I was going to start working. I just didn’t really want to work for someone, and as soon as I got that big event opportunity, I was really stoked.”

Hicks wasn’t the only business at the trunk-or-treat. A portion of the profits from dozens of vendors and food trucks will go toward the fundraiser. Ashley Cabada, owner of Cabada Chamoy and co-organizer for the event, provided the chamoy for Hicks’ fruit.

She said the trunk-or-treat was helpful to parents who work Halloween.

“It was easier for them to get out on a Saturday, and it’s all focused on the kids. There’s free face painting. We had live music. It’s just a nice free community event that also benefits Mikey and help him get his business going,” she said.

The event also involved raffles and a costume contest for both kids and adults.

Cabada added that they got a lot more candy this year because they ran out last year.

Trunk-or-treats provide an alternative for Halloween as opposed to knocking doors and roaming the streets. Cabada said she has seen an uptick in unsafe drivers in Northern Meadows.

“And I just think it makes it easier to have it all during the day. And it’s a lot safer because it’s all together,” she said.

The event was also made possible by a sponsor, Beehive Assisted Living Homes, which donated $1,500 to the event. The owner, Nathan Manning, was impressed with Hicks’ entrepreneurship.

“I think it’s awesome. I love the initiative. I think we need more entrepreneurs. They provide jobs; they are oftentimes the engine behind economies and it’s a wonderful thing” he said.

He added that the company makes a point of sponsoring community-driven initiatives.

“In this instance, a young entrepreneur is a great thing that we felt like it was a really good cause to sponsor,” he said.

Hicks is looking forward to the event and hopes it inspires other teens to start their own businesses.

“Stay consistent, know what you want, and just hope for the best,” he said.