The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert (The Center) has long been on a mission to create meaningful and long-lasting connections with the community and to resources that contribute to LGBTQ+ people’s health and happiness.
From The Center’s Palm Springs McDonald Wright Building and The Center Coachella to the Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic and the Community Food Bank, strategic initiatives set in place make a significant difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the region.
Recent funding from Inland Empire Community Foundation’s (IECF) grant through the FitzDell Gifting Fund will allow the nonprofit to further these advances.
“The impact we are having across the Coachella Valley only happens because of the generosity of our community,” said Mike Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert (The Center). “The FitzDell Gifting Fund has been an exceptional partner in this important, and lifesaving work.”
Holding strong to its key values—integrity, equity, and joy—The Center finds itself moving deeper into 2025 with even greater focus and drive.
“The current social and political climate has made it increasingly more challenging for LGBTQ+ people, which is evidenced in the rise of new clients in our Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic,” Thompson said. “With limited resources already available in the Coachella Valley, its important The Center continues to build and expand its services to meet the mental health needs of our community into the future.”
With so many shifting political puzzle pieces these days, maintaining funding for nonprofits has become a hot topic; however, Thompson feels The Center may get through 2025 with grace.
“While many organizations are concerned about the loss of programs funded by federal grants, The Center does not share this same concern,” he said. “Fortunately, our programs and services have been built upon, and continue to be funded by, the generosity of individual philanthropy, such as the grant we received through IECF.”
In addition to the Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic, the Community Food Bank, and other valued programs, The Center’s Gender Expansive and Family Support program also stands out.
Gender expansive and family support programs and services include access to key resources, education, and opportunities for community building and engagement. These services are provided to trans or gender-expansive-headed families and families with gender expansive youth or adults. This includes adults considering parenthood.
To that end, The Center offers bi-weekly parent support groups, monthly youth meetups, and individual support services.
It’s but one of the vital and impactful programs The Center offers. Meanwhile, Thompson is quick to note The Center’s exceptional team of volunteers who contribute in various roles across the organization. He encourages individuals to visit the organization’s website to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Learn more at thecentercv.org.
This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, April 2025.
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