Variety Children’s Charities of the Desert is eager to expand its reach in the Valley. An Inland Empire Community Foundation grant via the Fred Stebler and Eva V. Stebler Foundation Fund will help the revered nonprofit do just that this fall and beyond.
“We’re excited about the grant because it will allow us to expand our community impact,” said Heidi M. Maldoon, Executive Director of Variety Children’s Charity of the Desert. “For the next year, we’ll be putting those funds to use as we really get into the higher-risk communities of Mecca and Desert Hot Springs.”
To that end, the nonprofit will bring its presence, programming, and services to those communities in an effort to reduce the need for transportation, which is often a challenge. 
“We’re bringing art classes and developmental screenings, mobility applications, and equipment to the area,” Maldoon added. “The grant is really going to help us for the whole year ahead.”
Serving the communities of Mecca and Desert Hot Springs is a new initiative, in fact. As the nonprofit started having a presence in those communities, it wanted to see what was needed and where those needs had to be filled sooner rather than later.
“For a while, we were just in those communities once a month,” Maldoon said. “Now we’re moving to once a week, and it will be more than that as soon as we get through the year. We’ve seen the difference in the families we’re serving and the connection we’re able to make. This has been a great opportunity to expand our time and work and become embedded in the community.”
Longevity is key here.
The organization sprang to life in Coachella Valley in 1987. It quickly stood out for how well it promoted the health, mobility, independence, and social inclusion of special needs and underserved children throughout the region. Nearly 40 years later, it offers life-changing programs and resources.
The Care Program, for instance, is a unique early childhood development resource center which offers critical and life-saving medical equipment and services, healthcare, and well-being to children.
The Freedom Program helps children by delivering important equipment and services for mobility, independence, and social inclusion. Meanwhile, The Future Program provides services, education, and opportunities to boost children’s self-esteem.
“We welcome anybody wanting to learn more about us,” Maldoon said. “They can come take a tour, meet with our team, see what we’re doing, and learn about how we can help their family or someone they might know. Also, any volunteers, of course, in the community. We love our volunteers, and there are lots of upcoming opportunities this season to work directly with the kids, or help with fundraising, or be an ambassador.”
Looking ahead, the nonprofit has several free events on the schedule.
Art From the Heart, slated for late September, is a family event that showcases the creative works of both children and clients of the organization. The event, which takes place at the Cambria Gallery in Palm Desert, is designed to be uplifting, with a strong focus on community, compassion, and creativity.
In October, the nonprofit’s annual Fall Carnival offers seasonal fun to children and families across the Coachella Valley. The event is geared toward children with disabilities, serious illnesses, or those who are underserved. Families can enjoy an afternoon filled with adaptive games, sensory-friendly activities, treats, music, and more.
Maldoon said that community support makes the event possible, and invites local businesses, volunteers, and donors to collaborate for a day of “unforgettable memories for the children who need it most.”
“What I love most about the organization is the people, whether that’s our clients, our donors, our staff,” Maldoon added of the work she and her team do. “It’s the ability to connect and know that people are going to be having a better opportunity to thrive and being able to celebrate that. That’s what gets me up every day.”
Learn more at varietyofthedesert.org.
This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, September 2025.
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