On Dec. 6, Autism Society Inland Empire and The Living Desert team up for its Gather & Glow Living Desert Holiday Party. The festive outing stands out for its adaptivity and inclusiveness.  

“Creating a safe environment is important,” said Juanita Hernandez, Program Specialist for Autism Society Inland Empire. “Traditionally, most families find the holidays to be exciting and joyful. But for many of our families affected by autism, the holiday season can be very overwhelming, whether it’s behavioral issues or environmental stressors. A lot of times our families don’t get to participate in traditional holiday experiences like family photos with Santa or being able to gather in large family groups.”

That is not the case with the popular Wildlights celebration. Hernandez says the two organizations will focus on creating a sensory-friendly, adaptive environment where families can experience “a safe and respectful space.”  

Event highlights include: a private pre-Wildlights celebration with adaptive crafts, gluten-free treats, reindeer games, and gifts; a Sensory Santa experience with photos in a calm, welcoming setting; early access to the Wildlights attraction before the general public and designated Quiet Zones for breaks.  

“It just helps reinforce that all families deserve to be included in meaningful community celebrations,” Hernandez said. “It helps improve their overall quality of life, especially this side of the pandemic. Creating that sense of connection and belonging is super important because some people can feel a little isolated or anxious around this time of year.”  

It’s just one of a myriad programming achievements of the organization, which launched 38 years ago with a vision to “connect people to the resources they need through education, advocacy, support, information and referral, and community programming.”   

A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation through the Fred Stebler and Eva V. Stebler Foundation Fund allows the organization to further expand its reach. Hernandez said the grant was “very beneficial” in terms of how it allows the nonprofit to manage its key programs.  

“There’s more than 30,000 families that need our assistance,” she said. “So, any kind of monetary support we receive always helps us make a greater and bigger impact on our community.”   

One of the things the organization takes pride in is realizing that any funding it receives allows it to create a “safe, inclusive, warm, and welcoming environment for families.”  

Hernandez is quick to express praise for The Living Desert, which is a certified autism center.   

“They’ve gone through training, which must be renewed every year,” she added. “Their staff is certified to work with our population. It’s important that we partner with businesses like that.”  

Amidst so many moving pieces comes an ongoing desire to make sure the public is aware of everything the nonprofit offers. 

“I think a lot of people look at our family events and our programs and see that we have fun and exciting things to do,” she said. “But something people might not always be aware of is that we do offer navigation services as well. We have dedicated resource specialists that can meet our families where they’re at, one -on -one.   

The nonprofit also allows clients to connect through their preferred communication method.  

“Sometimes people don’t like to jump on the phone and talk,” Hernandez said. “Sometimes they prefer to email us or to contact us through social media, through instant messaging or something like that. We have a lot of in-person meetings with individuals on the spectrum.”  

Interesting to note is how many individuals on the spectrum are employed by the nonprofit or sit on the board. 

“We also have an advisory committee of individual adults with autism that help provide input when we’re thinking about new programming,” Hernandez said. “We want people to know that we’re here for them, that we’re literally a phone call away. Autism is lifelong. So, as you grow, you go through stages of life, and you face different challenges.  

“We’re not just a one and done,” she stressed. “You can continue to keep that relationship with us. You can keep that connection and know that we’re here every step of the way. Whether it feels like a small challenge or a big challenge, you can always pick up the phone and call us and we will help navigate through that.” 

Learn more at ieautism.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, December 2025.

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Recent grants from Inland Empire Community Foundation through the Joyce A. Montgomery Donor Advised Fund, the Todd Barajas Legacy Fund, and Martha’s Village and Kitchen Food Fund Endowment will further assist with those efforts.  

Rosa E. Verduzco, Chief Operating Officer of Martha’s Village & Kitchen, said the new funding will help several expansion measures at the nonprofit, particularly in the Child Development Center and the center’s playground.

“Those resources will help us increase our capacity from 24 kids to 50,” Verduzco said, expressing gratitude for expansion funding overall.  

It is just one of many success stories in the organization, which has become one of the largest providers of homeless and disadvantaged services in Riverside County and Coachella Valley.  

The nonprofit offers life-changing programs based on the “continuum of care model,” which aims to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. Launched in 1990 as a noble endeavor to serve hot meals to homeless neighbors, the project thrived with just a parish kitchen, a group of volunteers, and $5 donations. It has grown considerably since, expanding its services considerably. 

Its Career and Education arm, for instance, has been a valued resource for the community. So too have the nonprofit’s emergency housing and its vast array of healthcare services. Case management, a homeless recuperative care program, an exemplary food services program, and a revered cooling center during hot months round out some of the other offerings. 

Verduzco has been with the organization for 12 years, serving in a few capacities. 

“I am very fortunate to have done every position there is,” she said. “I started as a part- timer, moved into the rec program, then some management. It’s been a journey, but it’s easy to work for an agency whose mission is to serve the community and the less fortunate, and to do it with such grace. 

“We all strive to provide high-quality service,” she added, noting how the organization stands out for its significant support for the community. 

Martha’s Thrift Store in Indio, for instance, has become a go-to with the sheer amount of items it houses. Consumers may feel a sense of peace realizing their purchases and donations help the nonprofit to continue serving the region by responding to food, clothing and shelter needs. 

There are many other ways for the community to contribute.  

One standout initiative, dubbed Adopt-A-Room, strives to help “transform lives.” Interested individuals can offer an annual $5,000 donation to adopt one of the nonprofit’s 35 residential rooms. These are where families and individuals live during their stay at Martha’s Village & Kitchen. 

“We’ve been around for more than 35 years, but yet many members of the community still don’t know a lot of things we provide,” Verduzco said. “We can impact more than 8,000 members of the community, not just the homeless individuals, but those at risk of homelessness, meaning that they might have their home, but they can access our services. 

“Maybe they are needing a part-time job and they need to build up their interview skills before becoming homeless,” she added. 

Verduzco also noted her passion and joy for a key project revolving around early education.  

“Some folks don’t know that service is there,” she said. “They don’t know that we have a fully licensed child center offering high-quality care for children. And it’s not just to the clients here, but it’s also for the members of the community. That is unique.” 

Learn more at marthasvillage.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, December 2025.

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Jack Fitzsimmons and Walter Gendell, who established a donor advised fund at Inland Empire Community Foundation several years ago to help manage and focus their charitable giving, recently provided additional resources to Cathedral City Senior Center.

Their grant arrives at a critical time and will greatly benefit the challenges the food bank faces during major shifts in government bureaucracy.  

“Our little Food Bank was already busy,” said Geoff Corbin, CEO of Cathedral City Senior Center. “But when the SNAP/CalFresh delays were first announced, the numbers [of people coming in] jumped fast. We went from already-high weekly counts of about 450 to 555 individuals served, just from the news of the delays. And this is before the holiday surge even starts.” 

He added that the center will see a continuation of that trend.

“Walter and Jack were so moved by an email we sent to people, letting them know they could come to the food bank if they are impacted by the pause of SNAP benefits,” added Vic Ide, the center’s COO. “The email let people know that we had food, social services, and mental health resources if they needed help or somebody to talk to.

“Or even if they just needed to get out of the house,” he said. “We’ve got activities here that help with being isolated. And sure enough, after that message, we fed 555 on a Monday, which is over 100 more people than we normally see.” 

The giving couple didn’t belabor the decision to help. 

“When we heard that 37,000 Coachella Valley residents, mostly children, seniors and working families, were going to be impacted by the delay or suspension of SNAP benefits, we knew we had to do something to address this crisis,” Jack and Walter said. “The disruption to food assistance—leaving vulnerable families without support—is an acute moral inflection point for us personally, both as citizens and people of faith. Impoverished children and seniors and families living paycheck to paycheck going hungry in an area as wealthy as the Coachella Valley felt shameful and morally wrong. We realized reaching out to the Cathedral City Senior Center and making a direct contribution from our DAF at IECF to their food bank was the best way to get food into the hands of those that needed it most. It was truly the least we could do.” 

The Cathedral City Senior Center’s food bank, known as the Jim Scheibel and Tim Wood Food and Humanity Center, has become a beacon of hope and provision in the region. Scheibel and Wood have long been recognized for their commitment to creating food security in the desert. Their generosity brightly shines through. 

The center partners with FIND Food Bank, Von’s, Trader Joe’s, Grocery Outlet, Crumbl Cookie, Starbucks, McDonalds, Krispy Kreme, Eddie V’s, and other local businesses to offer the widest kinds of selections of foods—from fresh and name brands to shelf-stable and other nutritious offerings.  

The food bank offers a “dignified shopping experience,” in fact, a kind of “shop-for-what-you-need” experience akin to that of traditional grocery stores. Locals have also embraced the monthly food drives, which arrive via the Dinners with Patsi fundraising events, which benefit local charities and restaurants. 

The center accepts food and monetary donations year-round. 

Corbin and Ide are hopeful about the months ahead but remain on alert. Even when SNAP benefits begin to flow again, uncertainty seems omnipresent. 

“That’s the big issue,” Corbin said. “What we’re dealing with here is huge increases [in need] due to the uncertainty of it all. And the uncertainty is what stays behind for a while.  

“We’ve been dealing with families torn apart by ICE raids,” he added. “We’re having to give our rapid-relief mini grants out so that some families can find ease.” 

He notes one example of a family of five children, ranging from 5 to 17 years of age, whose parents were recently taken out of a Coachella field by ICE agents with no notice.  

“A woman affiliated with the center, who has three of her own children, took those children in for the couple of weeks until they got to where their parents wound up,” Corbin said.  “And where they landed was in southern Mexico. But had lived here for 30 years. And I won’t tell you the harrowing story of the two weeks the parents spent imprisoned, poorly nourished, and mistreated.” 

That’s just one reason why Corbin and Ide both feel that Fitzsimmons’ and Gendell’s recent gift felt so “serendipitous.” 

As for the road ahead in 2026, Corbin is to the point: “We’re going as fast as we can, and we’re still barely scratching the surface of what the need is here in mid-Valley.”  

Learn more at cathedralcenter.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, December 2025.

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An East Valley extension of The Center (The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert), the portal has found success being a safe and inclusive space for the LGBTQ+ community in East Coachella Valley. With its diverse programming and commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, the haven is now a valued resource, especially for LGBTQ+ youth in Coachella, Thermal, Mecca, and North Shore. 

Miguel Navarro, Director of East Coachella Valley Programs at The Center Coachella, calls those younger individuals important change agents, people capable of creating a sea change in the East Valley.  

It all filters into a diverse mix of offerings at The Center Coachella and Navarro is quick to express gratitude for community support and recent grants, like the one the organization recently received from Inland Empire Community Foundation through the FitzDell Gifting Fund.

“The grant funding allows us to continue doing our work,” Navarro said. “It allows us to help LGBTQ+ folks who don’t have the easiest access to transportation to healthcare, resources, connection, and meeting other folks. We create our programming and engagement around that and give them access to all those resources.” 

That can include anything and everything from the organization paying for transportation and/or making sure people have bus passes, especially younger individuals.  

“The resources are vital,” Navarro added. “We have facilitators that will do workshops throughout the year or special invitations to therapists or other non-profit organizations that bring resources to our allies. It all connects.” 

A recent East Valley Pride Festival in October stood out.  

“It was a big celebration in Coachella, and we brought a full day of entertainment, resources, and vendors,” Navarro noted. “All that was supported by the grant.” 

The Center itself is a kind of lighthouse in the East Valley with its resource center and community room that is open to support groups, meetings, small events, and other activities.  

Navarro hope The Center Coachella will continue offering resources to LGBTQ+ individuals living in the East Valley, especially in those unincorporated areas—from Mecca to North Shore. 

One local program close to Navarro’s heart is Mis Amores (My Loves), which serves parents and family members of Spanish-speaking LGBTQ+ people.  

“A lot of the time, we don’t have enough literature and resources with Spanish terminology,” Navarro said. “It’s been mostly kept in English. There isn’t a lot of Spanish translation of what it means to be ‘gender expansive’ or what it means to be ‘nonbinary.’ There isn’t a lot of language around hormone therapy, so it takes a lot of time for all of that to be translated in Spanish. It takes lot of effort and research.” 

To that end, The Center Coachella offers a support group twice a month for Spanish-speaking families and allies. 

“We study and we bring education and knowledge to parents and grandparents who have never heard about any of these terms,” Navarro said. “And all those conversations happen in Spanish. If there isn’t something available, we have to translate it and present it to the folks who come.” 

Over time, the initiative has become one of Navarro’s main priorities. 

“I want to continue bringing more awareness around this because I know there’s a lot of farm-working parents and possibly undocumented parents, who have LGBTQ+ kids, and they may feel very alone and isolated,” he said. “When parents come for the first time, they often share that they never realized there was a center or a support group that would be culturally sensitive and it would be in Spanish.  

“And that it would really cater to specific needs of farm-working people, undocumented people, and single mothers that don’t speak English,” he added. 

He points out the importance of continually reaching out to as many parents as possible because the East Valley has a significant number of unincorporated communities.  

“Those communities are some of the most underserved and under-resourced,” Navarro said. “Engagement is even more important for those communities. And even though we have an office in Coachella, I’ll tell you, if someone lives in Oasis or Mecca, it’s still at least 30 to 35 minutes to get to, so that becomes a challenge.  

“In the new year, we’re going to be promoting Mis Amores as much as possible,” he added. 

Learn more at thecentercv.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, December 2025.

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By generating inclusive, thoughtful, multicultural, and community-driven coding practices for the future, CCC hopes to strengthen communities with new educational opportunities coloring a broad spectrum—from health and wellness to art, culture, entertainment, and technology.

A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) will further fuel those efforts. 

CCC Executive Director Tizoc DeAztlan said the recent grant not only falls in line with what IECF offers the community but that the resources come at a pivotal time. 

“This support has allowed us to continue providing programming for our community at a really critical time when there are a lot of budget cuts and funding is harder part to come by,” he added. “It’s very enormous to have a partner like this.” 

The resources, distributed through IECF’s Gates Educational Advancement Grant, will further allow CCC to enhance a world where intellectual curiosity prospers, community connections deepen, and cultural enrichment is accessible to all. 

“Collective well-being is prioritized,” DeAztlan said. 

Those four pillars, he added, were established to inspire and empower individuals and communities to fully explore, connect and celebrate diversity. 

Supporting one another in a shared journey towards an even more inclusive future is vital, too. Providing people with the strength and confidence to shape their own destinies generates an impactful ripple effect. 

And while coding—that seemingly ethereal process of writing specifications for a computer to perform a key task using a significant programming language—happens behind the scenes, CCC is certainly out there among the community, too. 

The organization is aligned with several notable community initiatives. They include The Mobius Experience, which unites brainstormers to address the current environmental and global conditions that require attention. 

The much-anticipated event unfolds April 15-16, 2026. 

Elsewhere, CCC’s support of Run with Los Muertos (Nov. 1), helps honor the centuries-old tradition of uniting dozens of community groups, teams, artists, musicians, runners, and many thousands of attendees throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Canada for an empowering event that celebrates wellness, art, music, and culture.  

Workshops and workouts filter into the mix and an impressive block party in Old Town Coachella stands out. It also features the popular 5K run, a colorful procession, art walk, car show and a vendor village, along with three stages of festive live entertainment. 

“It’s obviously a very empowering event,” DeAztlan said. “It’s very big on arts and culture, and we feature dozens of local artists. Our car show is popular, which is a big deal for the Latino community.” 

More than 20 local schools participate and compete in the popular Day of the Dead procession.  

“It’s just a way to create a community environment,” DeAztlan said. “At the end of the day, there’s no substitute for bringing folks together and being able to celebrate.” 

The diversity of the event is significant. 

“It brings folks from throughout Coachella Valley,” DeAztlan stressed. “A lot of times East Side stays on the East Eide, West Side stays there. But with our partnerships, we’ve been able to foster an evening that brings folks not only from out throughout the Coachella Valley. 

“Now, with our communities seemingly under attack, it’s just really feels great to be able to have organizations like IECF on our side,” he added. 

Learn more at codexcreation.com. 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, November 2025.

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Now, a recent grant from the fund via Inland Empire Community Foundation will greatly support Desert Arc, a nonprofit human services organization that has long offered support services such as transportation. 

“We’re grateful for this opportunity,” said Michelle Peters, Desert Arc’s President and CEO. “Many of the individuals that we support utilize wheelchairs. One of the fine partnerships we have is with the Desert Recreation District. They have all sorts of adaptive sports opportunities, and we go there quite frequently. We utilize this grant to be able to do that.”

Desert Arc, founded in 1959, serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities living throughout Riverside County and the Morongo Basin of San Bernardino County. One of its key efforts is the Transportation Program, which transports individuals to and from their program or work site.   

Peters said the team of professional, dedicated drivers who provide daily curb-to-curb service from an individual’s home to their program has been instrumental in creating a lasting impact.   

Individuals using the service span a broad spectrum.  

Roughly 700 people, ages 18 and older, with diagnoses such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and epilepsy are enrolled in the nonprofit’s programs. Each client’s services are designed with a person-centered plan for personal growth and development. Connection and trust are key. 

Peters, who “literally rolled into the Valley on the moving truck at the end of March of this year and started my role April 1,” appreciates the opportunity. She feels locals are familiar with what the organization does day to day, providing transportation, but notes some of its other efforts, such as responding to community needs. To that end, Desert Arc has established a variety of valued enterprises, employing clients and providing business services such as shredding, recycling, landscape maintenance, order fulfillment, and janitorial services. 

“What we are really working on targeting is our employment services so that individuals in the community understand the great work that we’ve been doing,” Peters adds. “We help through our state funding and often through these various grant opportunities, paying admissions and fees and whatnot. Through that, we are able to help people get competitive employment.”  

The organization has worked on several endeavors on that front. 

“One person comes to mind, and it’s an employee of Acrisure Arena,” she said. “We’re getting ready to do a spotlight on her. We also have several gentlemen who expressed interest through the Community Connections program. They are now employees of Joshua Tree doing janitorial work there. 

“I’d love for locals to know more about the employment efforts here,” she added, “because it’s great and dynamic work, and it’s wonderful that we’re able to do it. And our volunteer opportunities help others explore their interests. There’s a huge variety of work out there.” 

Desert Arc also offers life-enhancing programs that span adult day centers and behavioral programs. The For Your Independence and Independent Living Skills program offers supportive living services. And Pathways to Employment and Transportation further strengthens the nonprofit’s commitment to transporting people to and from the campuses. 

“I love being part of this team,” Peters said. “One of my favorite stories here revolves around our janitorial services. This is a team of individuals with disabilities who come through and collect trash. And every day there’s one individual who pops his head around my office door, and he’s just like, ‘What up, girl?’ It’s the highlight of my day. It just makes me so happy to see him happy. 

“And there’s a certain excitement that comes from seeing people take pride in their work,” she added, “and to know that they’re doing a good job; knowing that we’re making a difference. I think that’s what I love most about this work—being able to really make a difference.” 

For more information, visit https://www.desertarc.org/ 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, November 2025.

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The IECF grant via the Arthur L. Jacobson Donor Advised Fund will filter into the established capital campaign for the new center.

Ground broke on the new facility late last year. It will house new examination rooms as the center and the Riverside County Coalition to End Human Trafficking further extend their services for child abuse victims.

“The new facility will be set up for identification of potential child abuse,” said John Thoresen, Director and Executive Officer of Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, located on the Eisenhower Medical Center campus in Rancho Mirage. “That’s done either with forensic interviews or medical exams. As forensic medical exams go, we’re now doing 30 a month.”

Documenting abuse victims is vital, he added. “The only way we could document those victims is to bring them back for a revisit. The forensic pediatricians and forensic nurse practitioners doing the medical exams have to get that report to law enforcement as soon as possible. They can’t really document other medical issues.”

The new pavilion for child and adolescent health is one part of a campaign that received crucial donations.

Equally important at the center is a new research fellowship that the organization endows at the University of California, Riverside, to conduct more research on child abuse prevention and awareness.

“The third key element related to our work is relative to prevention,” Thoresen said. “We’ve developed a series of animated videos on child abuse prevention that are shown around the world. There are almost a billion views on YouTube. They’ve been translated into various languages and they’re shown throughout schools.”

One of the things that the campaign also allowed for was funding for a new national marketing person. Thoresen said the role is significant because it will assist with the center’s curriculum and getting videos into more state schools and school superintendents’ offices.

Overall, he sees these new endeavors as “very exciting” in terms of the impact it can make.

Collectively, these are yet another series of significant steps, in a series of long and impactful ones, that continue making the center an empowering resource.

Founded in 1986 by Barbara and Frank Sinatra, the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center had a clear mission from the beginning: to be dedicated to ensuring “every child’s right to a normal, healthy and secure childhood.”

The center rose in the spotlight, quickly commended for its individual, group, and family therapies. Special programs that addressed issues tied to children’s suffering, and the effects of child neglect and abuse—and even those at risk to be abused—factored into the center’s work.

More than 80 percent of children counseled come from families below the national poverty line for a family of four.

“I don’t know if people really recognize the fact that when the Sinatras started this organization, they did so to cover the full range of activity around the issue of child abuse,” Thoreson said. “A lot of people recognize that we have a wonderful team of therapists and psychiatrists who deal with the treatment of abuse. And we have done that for almost 40 years and seen 25,000 kids.

“What’s important to note, too, is that we’re really the organization that investigates or quantifies the potentials of abuse that has occurred through very highly qualified pediatric forensic interviewers, forensic pediatricians, and nurse practitioners,” he added. “The Sinatras really wanted to work on prevention and awareness.”

As the organization expanded its reach, things shifted in 2017. Thoresen said the center modified its mission and basically went “global” it its prevention and awareness efforts.

“That’s when we started constructing the animated videos and the curriculum,” he said. “That curriculum and the videos are in schools in 15,000 cities across the United States now.”

Thoresen encourages Valley residents to visit fightchildabuse.org (or the center’s website) to experience those videos first-hand.

The Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center worked in conjunction with Wonder Media and the Joshua Center on Child Sexual Abuse at the University of Washington to develop a strong global campaign on child abuse awareness and prevention. Child advocates, therapists, and national scholars are the brainchild of the unique program, whose reach continues to stretch far and wide.

Learn more at barbarasinatrachildrenscenter.org.

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, October 2025.

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Guide Dogs of the Desert, one of the most intrepid and valued nonprofits in the Valley, is encouraging locals interested in making a difference to consider applying to be a puppy raiser. 

“It’s a very important role,” said Robert Maher, Executive Director of Guide Dogs of the Desert. “Puppy raisers are vital. They help us meet the demand of the number of visually impaired students on a waiting list to receive a guide dog from us.”

The nonprofit goes through an intricate dog/human matching process, in fact, which can be lengthy.  

“We want to make sure we’re finding the right dog for the person,” Maher said. “Somebody who applied last month may be able to receive a dog by the end of the year because we found the perfect dog, while somebody who applied a year ago or two years ago may still be waiting because we haven’t found the dog that is the best match for them..  

“We have enough individuals that could be on a three-year waiting list,” he added. “To address the waiting list we need puppies. So, the big thing is always puppy raisers.” 

Recent grants from Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) will assist on a number of fronts, particularly for the nonprofit’s general needs. However, the funding will expand opportunities to focus on key initiatives like the dog/human matching process. 

“We’re looking to have 75 puppies this year, meaning we need 75 puppy raisers,” Maher said. “The people who were puppy raisers last year are still working with their puppy—they care for the dog about 18 to 24 months. It can be a constant challenge to be able to find enough people willing to take this on.” 

Maher added that in any given year, the nonprofit aims to meet several key goals. 

“We shoot for about 20 teams (student and dog), as they’re referred to. We have three to four classes a year each with six students who come to our campus for 28 days to learn how to care for and work the dog.” 

Some people have had dogs before, of course. Others have never owned a dog.  

“We’re here so those people can learn how to work with that dog,” Maher said. “People who have had dogs before, just like any of us. When you get into a new car, every car drives differently, so every dog is going to be different. You may have had a dog for the past 10 years and suddenly, you’re being given a new dog, and you now have to learn how to work that dog.” 

“We work with all people with all abilities,” Maher said. “We’ve had deaf students, and we’re able to teach the dog commands through sign language. We’ve had older people, too.” 

Maher went on to share a story about a woman who applied for a guide dog several years ago.  

“She was 86 at the time when she applied, but she had a very active lifestyle,” he said. “She played golf every day, and we actually taught that dog how to ride on the golf cart. Of course, I always wondered who was driving the golf cart. Was it her or the dog? Because she didn’t have the sight, but the dog knew how to ride with her.” 

Guide Dogs of the Desert is more than 90 percent privately funded.  

“We have one local county grant,” he said. “We really rely on our community to help support us. The IECF grant helps us make a tremendous impact on the work we do.” 

Learn more at guidedogsofthedesert.org 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, September 2025.

Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy. Sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The post Grantee Spotlight: Grant loosens financial leash for Guide Dogs of the Desert appeared first on IECF.

“Palm Springs has a great richness of excellent theater,” said David Catanzarite, GRTCCV’s Founding Artistic Director. “But outside of the area, there’s very little that’s accessible or affordable for people.” 

There’s a hidden benefit to that reality. It has allowed GRTCCV to adhere to its powerful mission. 

“It’s important for us to take professional shows with much the same actors and excellent designers you’d see in Palm Springs, to places that are comfortable and familiar for people who couldn’t necessarily afford to travel across the desert to go to a production,” Catanzarite said. “We make our shows accessible to families, and we’re committed to bilingual populations.  

“Palm Springs is still a predominantly Anglo population, but beyond Palm Springs, most of the Coachella Valley is anywhere from 70 to 90 percent Latino,” he added.

Another unique component of GRTCCV’s creative structure is the presentation. Oftentimes, the nonprofit prefaces its shows to individuals who have never been to the theater or ballet before. 

“We like to have a 15-minute curtain or pre-show dance performance,” Catanzarite said. “We’ve found that a lot of our patrons have never been to live theater at all in their entire life. Not at school, not in church, nowhere. So, this is their first theater experience, and it makes the audience feel comfortable when they see something like Ballet Folklorico, which is something that they know.” 

Ballet Folklorico programming will further be enhanced at GRTCCV thanks to a recent grant from the Youth Grantmakers Committee-Coachella Valley Fund via Inland Empire Community Foundation. Catanzarite said the grant will enable the organization to open or expand its programming for under-resourced neighborhoods. 

“The grant will help us have ballet folklorico classes in Thermal,” he added. “We started a class last year in there and now we will be able to continue. This grant will also help us provide scholarships just for some of the kids, because some of them have very few resources at all.” 

GRTCCV utilizes two professional companies with adult dancers. Several company members teach for GRTCCV. 

“We pay our teachers well, more than most of the other places where Ballet Folklorico is taught,” Catanzarite beamed. “I appreciate the great diversity of kids.” 

The community, in turn, appreciates GRTCCV’s work. 

Catanzarite founded the organization 17 years ago with the head of the organization’s Ballet Folklorico program, Karen Lin. Since then, the co-founders have nurtured a vibrant nonprofit organization, bringing theater to new performers and audiences throughout the Valley. 

Auditions for new productions are announced on the company’s website. Individuals interesting in volunteering are encouraged to reach out. Meanwhile, community support is always welcome.   

To that end, Catanzarite adds that the company wants to continue building bridges between communities and generations. Some recent milestones include: the 2020 Desert Theatre League Desert Star award for Outstanding Production for a staged reading of “How I Learned to Drive” and Outstanding Production and Outstanding Director for the youth musical “Sister Act.” 

The future looks bright, too. Ballet Folklorico classes start Sept. 17, however a new group of individuals may see these classes as brand new opportunities to find unique ways to express themselves more freely. 

“For the first time, we have a cohort of five-year-olds,” Catanzarite said. “We also have older kids, teenagers, all the way up to age 18, but this group of five-year-olds will be exciting. It’s great that we can get them started early. 

Learn more at grtccv.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, September 2025.

Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy. Sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The post Grantee Spotlight: IECF grant helps Ballet Folklórico shine in Coachella Valley appeared first on IECF.

“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.

Stay up to date on all the good work we’re doing through the power of philanthropy. Sign up for our eNewsletter, Philanthropy Matters, today.

The post Grantee Spotlight: IECF grant expands impact of Variety Children’s Charities of the Desert appeared first on IECF.