A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) through the Walt Whitman Endowment Fund will further help the youth as they consider broader education goals. The fund was established with IECF in 1994 to benefit activities that promote mutual tolerance and respect between the community at large and the gay and lesbian communities. 

Eric J. Ornelas, President of Safe Schools Desert Cities, said the grant will go into the nonprofit’s scholarship program, offering students unique financial opportunities. 

“The grant is a great benefit to us because it’s not just a one-time thing,” Ornelas said. “It arrives every year and helps us with planning. We can count on it, which helps our scholarship program.”  

The program stands out, in fact, for how well it provides a financial lifeline for LGBTQI+ youth in the region.  

“And it’s not just because of the financial help,” Ornelas added of the program. “It’s the affirmation of who they are, and that helps boost their confidence.”  

To be sure, the financial part of the program is appreciated, too. With college costs continually rising, financial aid lightens the burden. About 20 scholarships are offered here, including the Financial Assistance Award, which can be requested throughout the school year.  

There’s also the Burton/May Pride Award, which is administered by IECF from selections made by Safe Schools Desert Cities. The Pride award provides support for educational expenses for enrollment in an educational program following a student’s graduation from high school, vocational school, or training program, community college, or another university. 

“LGBTQI+ youth in our community have additional challenges that the general student body does not have,” Ornelas said. “We step in and offer these students support. One example is by supporting gay/straight alliance clubs that exist within the schools, offering them resources.” 

The nonprofit also produces events like Pride Prom, which unfolded on May 15. 

“We also have the Rainbow Youth Summit,” Ornelas added. “And a couple hundred students came to the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast [on May 14], which isn’t produced by Safe Schools, but we are one of the beneficiaries, and we arrange to have students from across the Valley attend that event, which is huge because there’s well over a thousand people there.” 

This includes the general public and a variety of Valley leaders—from elected leaders and business owners to non-profit peers.  

Ornelas has been with the organization for more than 10 years, initially coming on as a volunteer. 

“I actually started as a DJ,” he said, noting how the organization needed a DJ to work its first Pride Prom at the time. He joined the board in 2017 and became president in 2020. 

The non-profit’s website is extensive, offering a valuable list of resources and updates on events and other opportunities for youth. 

One of them is the 2026 Safe Schools Leadership & Empowerment Camp, which runs June 11-14 at a camp in the San Bernardino Mountains within hiking distance of Jenks Lake. The event is free, runs four nights, and offers a significant intention: it’s designed for high school students to strengthen leadership skills, boost confidence and resilience, and offer a community space in a supportive and inclusive environment. 

Activities can include everything from hiking, swimming, and archery to canoeing, a talent show, and daily campfires. 

“Events like that allow these students to recognise that they are not alone, that they have a community that is there to support them,” Ornelas said. “And that’s super important during this time when they get a lot of messages that are not particularly positive. In fact, those messages can be extremely negative. 

“We help communicate that and to remind youth that there’s nothing wrong with them,” he added, “and that they are perfectly worthy. We help encourage and support them so that they can become successful leaders in their own right.” 

Learn more at safeschoolsdc.org.

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, 2026.

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A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation became a valued lifeline as the nonprofit hopes to further enhance the college journey of African American students. 

“We want to bring them closer when they go to college—not just to get to college, but to become competitive when they’re in college,” said Jalani Bakari, President and Chair of GLG. “And the best way to do that is to prepare them with opportunities to understand or navigate their route.” 

To that end, one of the activities the nonprofit recently hosted was the Academic Bowl, a popular event specifically designed to illuminate pathways to success in college and beyond. 

“All but one or two people were male [at the event],” Bakari said. “We were literally trying to teach these young men to learn how to navigate not only education in itself, but to navigate and to share information of history and community activities with each other. 

“These are young men who work in project impact, who will become teachers in our local schools, young men who are undergraduates in our local schools, and young men who are citizens, all between the ages of 18 and 32,” he added. “We we were able to use some of the grant funding to help our students, training them and working with them.” 

Collectively, GLG’s members and board are seasoned servant leaders. One of the nonprofit’s main goals is to improve admissions competitiveness for majors in engineering, science, medicine, mathematics, and business administration.  

Improving parents’ abilities to interact productively with various staff, representatives, and teachers within schools and districts attended by their own children​ is key. 

Advocacy and equity also factor into the mix. 

To that end, communicating and promoting African-American educational issues at the state, federal, and local levels of government becomes not only necessary but vital. This is yet another way the nonprofit can gain cooperation and commitment from public and private representatives to participate and support various programs implemented in the Inland Empire. 

Ensuring vibrant and equitable participation in the area’s educational activities at all levels is yet another part of the nonprofit’s reach. This helps eliminate equity gaps that emerge on different levels in the African-American student experience. 

“We value our deep exploration of knowledge,” Bakari said. “What I love most about being here is being able to actively share in our community—of growing it and planting the seeds of the future for our students 

“It’s just incredible,” he added. “I appreciate doing activities that help students initiate things and help them begin to share in their skills or activities, whatever they are.” 

Bakari directs individuals to the nonprofit’s website to peruse upcoming events and consider getting involved.  

For instance, the nonprofit works in collaboration with the Pi Rho Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., in various events such as food drives, clothes drives, and other service-related events benefitting the community. 

And mark your calendars: The Sigma ETA Chapter 50th Anniversary Celebration takes place April 11 at the Grand Taj Event Center.  Supporting the event helps GLG honor past contributions, highlight current impact, and inspire future programs in science for students others in underserved communities. 

Mid-year connections also await. GLG’s summer flagship program, the Fatherhood Initiative Camp Out (FICO), Fishing Fest, & Garrett Livingston Graham STEM Camp begins Friday, July 17, and runs through July 19 at Lake Hemet Campground. 

Learn more at glgscienceedu.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, 2026.

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“We’re excited we can put some of these funds into field trips,” said Andrea Hecht, Executive Director at Tools For Tomorrow (TFT). “We recently did Desert X and we now have a partnership with the Herb Alpert Gallery, bringing kids there to experience the art. Extra funding is so important because it can go towards those particular trips and provide a space for kids to experience new things.”

The resources will also help develop the organization’s theater program—Hecht hopes students can experience Coachella Valley Repertory and other groups in the area.

TFT, which sprang to life in 1998 under founder Rachel Druten’s vision, uses qualified teaching artists to curate a professionally designed curriculum, creating standout lessons in the visual arts, creative writing, music appreciation, and theatre.

These free classes are held weekly at a school site after regular school hours. TFT provides all supplies—from books to musical equipment—and even snacks.

The nonprofit’s reach now stretches far and wide. All Coachella Valley elementary schools are eligible. Currently programs are set in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Coachella, Bermuda Dunes, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, La Quinta, and Thousand Palms.

“Tools for Tomorrow gets children into safe spaces to explore their creative potential through hands hands-on art experiences,” Hecht explained. “We can use illustrated children’s books to inspire the children, for instance, and in that way, they learn more about artists, musicians, and writers.”

Students also have opportunities to do hands-on projects.

“Every child in the program gets an art kit,” Hecht added. “We also introduce high-end materials for projects like gel printing, model magic, oil pastels. It’s a great way for them to learn how to use all materials in their art kit— from painting to watercolor pencils.”

The nonprofit also inspires students with various artists, from musicians to writers, where they can take what they’ve learned and create their own hands-on projects.

“In that way, they can learn to express their feelings and connect with their classmates,” Hecht said. “They build community, and learn to work together, collaborating, especially in the theater programs. They also learn problem solving, and that it’s okay to make mistakes, and that nobody’s perfect.”

Understanding that taking risks can be a good thing factors into the unique learning mix here.

“They get to have a safe space to be kids and to have fun, creatively,” Hecht said.

This 2025-’26 school year found TFT reaching more than 1,200 students in the Coachella Valley in 22 schools. In fact, all 15 Palm Springs Unified School District elementary schools have benefitted from the program, alongside six Desert Sands Unified School District schools, and Coral Mountain Academy in the Coachella Valley Unified School District.

Hecht has been with the organization for 18 years. She says she loves visiting classrooms and being a witness to the excitement students share.

“It’s a joy to notice the energy around doing the projects,” she said. “It’s remarkable to watch them, hear the stories, see the pictures, and witness them learn, step by step. I went into one classroom where they were going to do a collage with different colored papers. In this case, they were inspired by bees.”

One student was trying to draw a bee’s eyes, in fact, and kept repeating, “I can’t do it. I can’t do it.”

“We worked with him and gave him a few tips and tricks on how to cut paper,” Hecht added. “Sure enough, he was able to use some other materials and stickers, and then when he wanted to draw beehives, the volunteer showed him how to make a straight line by using paper. He managed to put it all together, and he was so excited and so proud of himself. Because he did it himself.

“It’s always inspiring to see things like that,” she added.

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, 2026.

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It’s mission to empower communities through various educational opportunities spanning a diverse range of fields—from art, culture, entertainment, health, wellness, and technology—recently found further support via a grant from the Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity (CIELO) Fund at IECF.

Inland Empire Community Foundation distributed the grant, which CCC Executive Director Tizoc DeAztlan said greatly helped support the non-profit organization’s annual Mobius Conference, which ran April 15-16. 

“We were able to bring together more than 500 students and six different programs throughout the Coachella Valley over several days,” DeAztlan said. “The grant helped us find resources to facilitate that conference.

“These are definitely challenging times and there’s just a lot of pressure on our youth, families, and community and these groups deserve opportunities and access to resources,” he added. 

The Mobius Conference is yet another draw during Coachella Valley’s active festival season. The annual gathering unites gifted thought leaders, artists, performers, and pacesetters to spark inspiration and opportunity.  

DeAztlan noted the broad range of ability and influence in the desert and that something like Mobius is important for people to gather thoughts and connect in a productive way. 

“We have really talented and helpful students in the Coachella Valley,” he said. “They have diverse interests. Thanks to the grant, we were able to deliver pertinent and productive programming that was free to the students. It brought them together and allowed them to really imagine and scratch a little bit of that intellectual curiosity.” 

The conference took place across several sites throughout the Valley, utilizing varied engagement formats. A select group of talented leaders, educators, students, and activists worked together, holding space for attendees. 

A diverse mix of programs were offered.  

Mentorship Sessions, for instance, featured top speakers (Dr. Bettina Love/Columbia University, Chi Chi Adenihun/ Youth Mentoring Action Network) while The Thought Collective found change agents like artist/producer Asad Ali Jafri (Kaleidoscope Dreams Foundation) and singer/songwriter/pianist Leila Milki offering valuable insights. 

Soul Session, Justice Session, Health Session, and Hospitality Happy Hour also tapped into important topics while focusing on engagement. 

“Hopefully, we’ve motivated people in their studies and in their future career paths,” DeAztlan said. “More than anything, we wanted to bring in quality, thoughtful, and community-centered folks. We’re happy when we hear students asking important and powerful questions and watch them interact with different people throughout the country.” 

Students from all three local school districts, as well as those from College of the Desert, and beyond, attended. 

DeAztlan added that the recent conference only fuels CCC’s efforts to keep growing.  

Since its inception, the organization has worked diligently to provide free educational programming for students and the community. Generating inclusive, thoughtful, multicultural, and community-driven coding practices for the future will always be key.  

But DeAztlan also wants to make a mark. 

“When we have something like the Coachella Music Festival making this area the media center of the world for two weekends, everybody wants to be here,” he said. “But the reality is, there are rural areas that are underserved and don’t have access to cultural institutions or certain programming. We’re able to provide that for students over these couple of days. That’s important.” 

To that end, making connections is a major throughline in CCC’s efforts. 

“That connection, that engagement with students is critical, especially right now because there’s a lot of heaviness,” he said. “A lot of folks might be feeling a little helpless. They may not know how to channel their passion. Codex committees are composed of individuals that want to channel that energy and focus it on our students here, making sure they have access to opportunities.” 

This story will appear in the Desert Sun, May, 2026.

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A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation helped on that front, allowing Brothers of the Desert to better facilitate a recent wellness summit.

“We put huge amounts of effort into our annual wellness summit where we invite community members and allies to discuss everything from education and financial literacy to health, wellbeing, and spirituality,” said Tony Lanier, a board member at Brothers of the Desert.

“The grant helped us build out that annual wellness summit,” he added. “Specifically with an educational piece of the work we do, like funding several organizations within the desert with scholarships.”

Brothers of the Desert has several key scholarships, in fact. Lanier says the nonprofit offers $2,000 grants, for instance, for individuals pursuing a four-year or Master’s program.

“These are for individuals from the Inland Empire, but we also provide funds to the organizations like the Negro Academic Scholarship Fund and Palm Springs Unified School District,” Lanier added. “Each year, students are chosen throughout Palm Springs to visit historic Black colleges and universities. We help fund those trips because many of them accepted otherwise wouldn’t really be able to go.”

The organization, which sprouted in 2017 as a response to Black gay men in the Coachella Valley feeling isolated and disconnected, attracted newcomers and change agents in the region. Founding members began assessing the needs and dreams of many Black gay residents and in 2019, a partnership was formed with the LGBTQ nonprofit, Better Brothers of L.A. Collectively, the groups raised money for local scholarships.

Brothers of the Desert became a nonprofit in 2020 and has since generated more than $20,000 in scholarships to LGBTQ+ and Black students in the Coachella Valley.

The nonprofit’s supportive arms stretch deep into other arenas, too, such as faith schools, the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast 2026, which it attends yearly, and OneFuture Coachella, which strives to ensure students succeed in college and career, thereby enhancing the local workforce.

“We’re big into that because one of the issues we have in our community in terms of building wealth and education is that oftentimes young people don’t know what’s available to them in terms of professions,” Lanier said. “When we think of the medical profession, two things come to mind: doctor and nurse. But there’s so many other things within the medical profession, especially research. We don’t have the right number of people of color within health research.”

That means when new research is done, it oftentimes excludes communities of color.

“We certainly need more people to be involved in health research,” Lanier added. “Our program helps connect these individuals with information while they’re still in secondary schools, because after that, sometimes it’s just more challenging.”

Introducing students to as many options as possible is vital, which is why Lanier is quick to circle back to the nonprofit’s scholarship programs.

“We’ve been using the funds in a big way to make systemic change in terms of building wealth, because of the wealth disparities here,” he said. “Many younger adults haven’t had a leg up, or the advocacy to really help them through attending a university.

“So, we like to be in touch with our grantees to let them know there are other options for them, as opposed to taking a break or pausing their schooling. It helps with making better judgment calls,” he added.

Moving forward, Lanier would like locals to learn even more about the nonprofit.

“There was a void in the Coachella Valley for Black gay men,” he said. “And we like to fill that void. Isolation is the No. 1 issue. I joined the organization during the pandemic, which was another period of isolation, and it was isolation that started the organization, and it’s the reason why it’s important going forward in 2026, because right now, things are very tough for everyone.”

One thing he wants to steer locals toward are the nonprofit’s sponsored monthly sessions with Black men called The Barbershop, a discussion group where men can bring up and discuss various topics.

“Sometimes, we don’t talk about the important things enough,” Lanier said. “We don’t express feelings and we don’t feel that there is a venue where we can do that safely. We’ve created one and it really does help people make better decisions, whether it’s health-related or about wealth or retirement. It’s important to feel empowered.”

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, May, 2026.

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The 501(c)(3) organization began by offering the first free humane education program and low-cost spay and neuter clinic to the region, with a goal of eliminating the suffering and abuse of homeless and unwanted animals.

That quest continues today, but amidst greater challenges—from animal overcrowding to power access for new projects.

“Affordable spay and neutering is important here with so much overpopulation and overcrowding in shelters, not just locally, but across the country and state,” said Tom Snyder, Executive Director of Animal Samaritans. “We have a rescue program with a full-time employee who works at the public shelter next door to us, the largest in our community, and they’re constantly overcrowded.

“All their satellite shelters throughout Riverside County are constantly overcrowded,” he added. “It’s a real issue.”

A recent grant via the Albert and Anna Herdina Memorial Fund through the Inland Empire Community Foundation helps significantly, especially for low-income individuals with animals in need of veterinary care.

“The Herdina Fund has been critical to Animal Samaritans, specifically in our mission to provide affordable span neuter services to pet owners,” Snyder said. “Often, it’s senior pet owners or lower-income pet owners who want to spay or neuter their pets. They want to do the right thing, stem the tide of overpopulation, and keep the numbers in public shelters down because of overpopulation.”

Snyder also stressed that spaying and neutering pets is “at the top of the list in terms of being a responsible pet owner.”

With March—“kitten season”—upon us, he’s quick to point out that one cat can give birth to three litters here in the Coachella Valley just because of the climate.

Elsewhere, Animal Samaritans’ capital campaign is key to future success.

“We’re moving forward with our campaign project to build a new, better, and larger pet adoption center and a humane education center here on our campus,” Snyder said. “It’s been in the news a little bit and there are challenges with the Imperial Irrigation District and their freeze on providing power to various projects.”

The organization got hit with that news last year and has been working to fast-track it so it can move forward with plans.

“The new pet adoption center will be a larger safety net for the animals and our Valley,” Snyder said. “It will help relieve overcrowding at the public shelter, and that will result in a lower euthanasia rate and higher outcomes.

“We hope that some of our partners in the community can help leverage and help us get the power we need for this new project,” he added.

The challenges appear to have sprung after the Acrisure Arena was built off 1-10 in Palm Desert.

“The word is that that project took up a lot of the power grid,” Snyder said. “What I hear is, ‘Oh, you know, the Imperial Irrigation District doesn’t have any additional power to give to projects currently in part, because that was a very big project.’”

Other reports note that some power can be made available.

“Some people say we may have to wait until these new power substations get built,” Snyder said. “But according to local news reports, that’s supposed to happen this year, around the summer, and finish up in summer 2028. We still have no certainty of when things will start and when they’ll finish.”

Regardless, Snyder and the Animal Samaritans team remain committed to their cause.

“What I love most about being here is just knowing that the organization is making a difference in the lives of animals and people,” he said. “It goes with our mission statement—improving the lives of animals and people—and it’s true. Every day, I get to see all the people doing the work, and I try to make sure my team can do the work they are good at and that they love doing.”

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, April, 2026.

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Scott Wolf, the nonprofit’s Development Director, said CVRM greatly appreciates the impact of the fund and how the grant will filter into the mix of the many services and initiatives it provides.

“We are extremely grateful for the support,” Wolf said. “We are an organization that serves thousands and thousands of people who are unhoused or in danger of being unhoused, or at-risk and food-insecure. People come to us from all walks of life—everything from abuse, neglect, human trafficking, addiction, mental health issues, and more.

“This year we’re celebrating our 55th anniversary, and we can’t do what we do without everybody in the community supporting us,” he added.

To be sure. CVRM has long been providing vital resources in the region.

Launched in 1971 after a rise in individuals experiencing homelessness in the region, faith and business leaders joined forces. With support from Union Rescue Mission of Los Angeles, they purchased property in what was then known as the Carver Tract, an unincorporated community in Riverside County.

That 1940s-era meeting hall soon transformed into a soup kitchen, then a men’s shelter. The mid-1980s saw a rise in homeless women and families, which led the faith-based nonprofit to purchase and revamp a nightclub next door, creating a safer shelter for mothers and children.

That expansion included a new kitchen, dining room, walk-in cold storage, and a second-story addition for administrative and program space.

CVRM successfully facilitates recovery and self-sufficiency for individuals by offering food, shelter, basic needs, and various forms of emotional support and encouragement.

To celebrate its 55th-year milestone, the nonprofit is hosting an anniversary gala at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, in the Cahuilla Ballroom at Agua Caliente Resort and Casino Rancho Mirage.

Brad Kinney is the master of ceremonies for the event, which begins with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails before dining, program entertainment, and dancing kick in. (Visit CVRM’s website for more details.)

“The rescue mission is about two words: recovery and hope,” Wolf said. “It gives all of our clients’ time to rebuild spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. We’re here to help them help themselves, mostly by enabling them to acquire all the skills and tools necessary for success when they transition back into independent living.

“So many of our clients come when they’re at rock bottom,” he added. “We see them at their worst, but we give them a chance. We give them a venue or an environment that’s safe. We treat everybody with dignity, compassion, grace, and faith. It’s an opportunity to totally rebuild their lives from the ground up.”

Street outreach and a program called Rapid Housing also come into play. The latter assists the homeless community in the region and the surrounding area by providing housing intervention and other supportive services.

Daily meal services are factored in. CVRM serves more than 30,000 meals each month—beginning with two daily hot meals for the public, three for residents. Volunteers are encouraged to reach out.

For Wolf, this work is deeply personal. He’s worked with the organization for more than 10 years, but it is what happened long before that which influences the impact he and his team make today.

“I came to the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission as a client,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know that. This place literally saved my life. I just happened to be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. And I got a part-time job here right after I graduated. Then I worked my way up and through the organization. Now, I’m at the director level.

“A lot of people don’t realize that so many people need help,” he added. “Nobody’s more different than anybody else. We’re all the same. We’re all experiencing trauma. We’re all experiencing a really, really bad time in our lives.”

To that end, CVRM strives to take care of people’s varied needs.

“We just have people here that care enough to ask those in need to be here,” Wolf added. “And that changes everything. The most rewarding thing about my job is having the ability to be part of a team that allows me to do for all the people that came after me… the same thing that people did for me. I’m a part of that process. And it just keeps going and going and going.”

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, March, 2026.

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To be sure, acquiring some of life’s basic necessities—clothing, shelter, and food—can become a daily challenge for the region’s homeless population. The Bridges 2 Hope strives to tackle those immediate needs but also builds connections that can open doors and spark lasting transformations.

And, perhaps, invite the community in.

“We always need volunteers,” said Michele Verdugo, president of The Bridges to Hope. “Anybody who wants to volunteer can just come to an Outreach Night. We’re there every Tuesday at Abundant Life Church in Indio [82025 Bliss Ave.] from 6 to 8 p.m.”

That haven provides a hot meal for homeless individuals. There is also food-to-go. Abuse resources and other medical services are also available.

“We have the County of Riverside there with their Justice Outreach Team there for anybody who wants to go to drug treatment,” Verdugo added. “They do an onsite intake and then look for a bed for people seeking treatment.”

Once that’s secured, The Bridges 2 Hope provides a duffel bag with clothes, socks, underwear, and other necessities while in treatment.

A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation through the John and Sarah Kobara Foundation Fund offers yet another opportunity for the nonprofit to expand its reach.

“The grant will assist us with many things,” Verdugo said. “We like to help people with food insufficiency, and when the unhoused get secured housing, we help with a deposit, if necessary, or the first month’s rent. We also provide furnishings and beds.” She added that portions of the grant funding will be used to furnish homes with items obtained from specialty stores like Revivals.

The nonprofit’s impact in 2025 has been significant.

More than 3,400 on-site meals were served. Nearly 500 First Aid kits were distributed. There were about 2,400 Narcan distributions—that program offers naloxone, which is considered a safe, quick-acting medication that helps reverse opioid overdoses.

Sack lunches, on-site haircuts, onsite doctor visits, and even the distributions of cat and dog food fall under the nonprofit’s many services.

“As we move into spring for the unhoused, I would like people to know that we do have mobile showers,” Verdugo said. “And for those who need medical treatment, we’ve got Volunteers in Medicine and Eisenhower Hospital at our outreach every week. It gets hotter in spring, so we always need donations of water, hydration packs, and wipes.”

Events like the Socks & T-Shirt drive (March 1) and Hot August Nights, held in 2025, also create opportunities for locals to make a difference by donating essential survival items.

Visit the nonprofit’s website for a list of upcoming events.

When asked what she appreciates most about being involved in such a far-reaching and noble enterprise, Verdugo is candid.

“I like to be one-on-one with people, so I enjoy the social part,” she said. “I have been clean and sober for 31 years. I feel my place in there is to encourage people to find sobriety. And I don’t judge anyone because I know it’s a difficult situation. I just want to build a relationship with people and sometimes it takes us a while for people to trust.”

She cites cases of individuals who have finally gone into treatment after living on the street for six years.

“One of the things I find most rewarding is when someone goes into treatment and then continues on,” she added. “Right now, we’ve got a mother who lived under the bridge for six years and now she’s been clean and sober for over a year. It’s remarkable to witness that; to see somebody get off the street and start a whole new life.”

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, March, 2026.

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“We want to be able to tell the story of the role that pollinators play in desert habitats,” said Allen Monroe, the nonprofit organization’s CEO and President. “Pollinators are under the radar.”

Not for long.

The new endeavor, which is thoroughly interactive, invites guests to build a team of “pollinator heroes” and learn how they save the desert. Understanding ways to help those pollinators also factors into the mix.

To that end, visitors can choose “teams,” such as Bloomkeeper, Leafbound, or Shadowcraft. They will be able to locate nature’s heroes as they navigate the zoo, looking for supersized pollinators. A team’s icon will be located on signs. Solving riddles on each sign comes into play, allowing people to learn what makes the pollinators unique.

It’s the mid-2020s, so photo-ops are always a good thing. Snap a photo with each pollinator hero, then venture forth. Later, guests can visit the Pollinator Playground Maze and practice the knowledge learned. Trading cards can be collected.

“I am always excited we have these environments and that there’s always a steady supply of education,” Monroe said of the program.

The recent grant, part of the FitzDell Gifting Fund, is but one of a myriad components that funnel into making The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens remain so unique in the Valley.

Monroe says the organization is engaged in more than 100 active conservation projects at the moment.

“We have projects all around the world,” he added. “About half our time and effort here in Southern California is being done locally. So, we work on special projects that involve such things like the desert tortoise or the pronghorn, or the Mexican wolf with their conservation, and also tell their stories to the general public.”

Two species of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), for instance, are featured in The Living Desert’s educational push. The pronghorn once thrived in the region. By the 1940s they became locally extinct due to habitat loss and hunting.

People may not know that these animals are the second fastest land animal on the planet, able to maintain speeds of 40mph for an hour.

Monroe points out that the peninsular and Sonoran pronghorn have not been a part of Coachella Valley’s desert ecosystem for nearly a century. The Salton Sea separated these two subspecies in the past—the Sonoran on the east side and the peninsular on the west side—but efforts have been made to bring things back into balance.

To that end, The Living Desert has partnered with a coalition of led by Mexico’s Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Program in an effort to assist with the breeding of the subspecies. The goal is to bring the animals to eastern San Diego County and to establish a population there.

Additionally, The Living Desert is now the lead facilitator and editor for the Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Plan, which was approved by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Monroe beams with pride over these initiatives and commends all efforts overseeing about 600 other animals in the organization’s care.

Other key programs abound, as well as events and impactful alliances.

Recently, the nonprofit’s involvement with the International Desert Conservation Summit honored 10 “heroes” in the field. The event doled out $180,000 in conservation awards. It also stood out for the vast number of experts from across the globe who gathered to address some of today’s more pressing desert conservation challenges.

Meanwhile, locals and visitors are encouraged to peruse other events at The Living Zoo.

There’s Yoga at the Zoo—never hurts to practice camel pose in a hub that also features camels. Then there’s the Walking Club, which unfolds Tuesday and Thursday mornings. it features a special Zoo member adventure, such as a scenic walk that includes inspiring animal facts and wildlife sightings. It’s also a stellar opportunity to connect with other members.

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, March, 2026.

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The post Grantee Spotlight: Grant helps make The Living Desert’s pollinators exciting appeared first on IECF.

PSPLF recently reached a major fundraising milestone in its capital campaign, nabbing its first $1 million toward revitalizing the Palm Springs Public Library. That means it has successfully met the full $1 million match that was pledged by library’s Board of Trustees, which manages the Library Trust Fund and oversees long-term planning.

Raising a total of $2 million now marks a pivotal if not early success of PSPLF’s $7 million goal that will support the community-driven elements of the library’s $52 million major transformation.

“It’s an exciting time,” said Jeffrey Norman, board member and one of PSPLF’s Capital Campaign co-chairs. “Having $1 million matched by the library trustees, we’re well on our way toward $7 million.”

Recent grants from the FitzDell Gifting Fund and the Jane Lykken Hoff Endowment Fund via Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) create yet another win for the project.

“The IECF grants will also help get things accomplished beyond just the building’s infrastructure, which state and city money pays for,” Norman said, expressing his enthusiasm for the interior improvements, which will enhance “people-centered” outposts, such as the community room.

“We’ll have state-of-the-art equipment, making it easier for many community organizations to come in and use the space—everything from the film festival to something like a string quartet,” Norman said.

There will also be placemaking activities spaces for teens and children who can create and connect with others.

“The Foundation Board has really stepped up to the plate to bring us to this point where we finally understood what the needs were and could speak about it publicly,” Norman added. “We’re grateful to the board for doing a great job and the recent grants are incredibly beneficial.”

These new milestones accelerate the progress on all enhanced spaces, innovative programming, and a long-term endowment to ensure sustainability for future generations.

In addition to the IECF funding, recent donors include: Friends of the Palm Springs Public Library; Karla Kjellin-Elder & Jeff Elder; the Lamb Family Foundation; Jim Gray and Bernard Rottner and Betty Rae Smith; David Engen and Ken Pengelly; and Deborah Schwarz.

An anonymous gift of $100,000 filters into the mix alongside dozens of other donations ranging from $50-$50,000.

The Next Chapter campaign launched in October 2025. The renovation will modernize the 35,000-square-foot main library building and the 4,000-square-foot JC Frey Building, while preserving its architectural significance.

Every year, the Palm Springs Library serves 20,000-plus cardholders, and welcomes more than 140,000 unique visits.

Mark your calendars. The estimated reopening is Summer 2027.

“The library has been so important to the civic life of Palm Springs,” Norman said. “The donations and grants will help bring us into the future,” Norman said, stressing how vital the library is as a place that offers more than just books.

“Sometimes people look at Palm Springs and say, ‘Oh, it’s a very wealthy community,’ or ‘Why do people need to go to the library when they have their own Wi-Fi and their own books and DVRs,’ and what have you,” Norman said. “But there’s a considerable percentage of children whose families live below the poverty level here. The library has become a huge resource for them.

It has also been a cooling space during summer and a warm place in the winter.

Not to be left out: job seekers, who walk in and, with the help of trusted librarians, learn to navigate the various job sites or get help preparing their resumes.

“There are more than 300 programs a year at the library,” Norman beamed, “and now, even in our temporary space, we’re still hugely active.”

Bill Wylie, PSPLF board president, added: “Palm Springs has a long tradition of generosity and civic pride. Our community has always championed the institutions that make this city unique, and our library is definitely one of them.”

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, March, 2026.

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The post Grantee Spotlight: Grants help Palm Springs Public Library Foundation hit new milestone appeared first on IECF.