“Our focus as a Rotary Club is to strengthen education and workforce pathways for students in the Eastern Coachella Valley and the grant will be a great asset for that,” added Lorena Gomez, treasurer of the non-profit organization. “A lot of the students are first-generation graduates, and our goal is to try and fill some gaps. We want to offer support to young adults to further their education and then they can consider returning to the Valley and give back to the community.”

Gomez noted that The Rotary Club of Coachella East has long been active and dedicated to assisting underserved community members through a number of measures—from supporting youth development to improving neighborhoods in the East Coachella Valley.

Club members often collaborate with local businesses and educators to fund student scholarships, organize community cleanups, and host career programs.

“I’m originally from the Eastern Coachella Valley,” she said. “My father was a farm worker. I was a farm worker. So, this kind of hits home—raising funds to support and further education for first-time graduates, like myself and my sister, and just seeing parents and students not have to worry about where they’re going to get the money to either buy a computer for school or how to put gas in their car.”

Some of the organization’s key initiatives and activities include Youth Leadership and Development, which can involve sponsoring local high school students to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and participate in high school mock interview programs that in turn establish some career readiness.

Community improvement is also part of the mix. Here, members help organize neighborhood yard and debris cleanups for elderly residents. Enhancing local public spaces falls into these efforts, too.

Educational support has become a significant measure. To that end, The Rotary Club provides financial assistance and scholarships for select students pursuing higher education.

Community alliances are vital, Gomez noted, touching on the importance of partnering with regional leaders, and other organizations like the Boys and Girls Club and local districts to launch service projects.

“We’re a volunteer-based organization—we belong to Rotary International,” she added. “It’s a global non-profit service organization, and it’s made up of a lot of local community clubs, whose members volunteer their time, their leadership, and their resources, to help improve communities, locally and around the world.

“We focus a lot on community service, leadership and scholarships, and supporting education and literacy,” she went on. “There are other rotaries that also fight hunger and poverty, disease prevention, and health initiatives. Basically, our motto is just ‘service above selves.’ Which means that we put others and the needs and the community first through volunteering, leadership and giving back.”

Looking ahead, this summer the nonprofit wants to partner with local businesses to try to end hunger.

“A lot of kids, when they don’t go to school, don’t have any or enough food,” Gomez said. “We want to partner with local nonprofits to help fill the gap, giving them resources to find regional food banks and distribution centers so that they have food, fresh vegetables and fruits.”

These are great strides, and yet another way The CIELO Fund helps make an impact to uplift and invest in Latino-led and Latino-serving organizations across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. To date, the fund has successfully raised more than $3 million to support the area’s Latino majority.

Learn more at coachellaeastrotary.com.

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, 2026.

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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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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’s Community Impact Fund will offer new opportunities for the nonprofit to expand its work, particularly with schools and students. 

“The grant was a blessing and it’s significant,” said Krystle Joseph, RMC Charity Executive Director. “We can’t stop our programs just because we don’t have the funding for it. This has been such a gift, literally, to know that we can continue with programming and still work on funding in other areas, because these programs just don’t stop.” 

Specifically, the grant will help the organization fuel its Ripple Effect programming, made up of free interactive bullying prevention workshops for elementary, middle, and high school students. The unique offering educates students on how their actions and reactions generate ripple effects out into the community and with each other.  

“It’s a wonderful program,” Joseph said. “We go into the schools and talk to kids about emotional regulation and kindness as ways to combat bullying. It’s supplemental to the social and emotional learning already happening in the classroom, but they get to hear it from a fun community partner that comes in for a school or classroom assembly to complement what the teachers are already doing.” 

These events have been well received and Joseph feels the organization has helped generate positive shifts in perspectives.  

“We used to do all our programming under the context of bullying prevention and anti-bullying—those were the words we led with in the past,” she said. “Over the past 18 months, we changed that messaging so that we don’t lead with that negativity. We lead with the positivity.  

Therefore, addressing kindness is key. 

“It’s such an easy word to receive no matter how old you are,” she said. “You can understand ‘kind’ versus unkind behaviors. All this is registering with the kids. They’re already hearing it from their teachers, but we’ve also been getting a lot of nods from the teachers because it resonates with them as well.” 

One unique component finds teachers guiding students in something called “notice it.” Students are asked to notice something, name it, map it, and talk about their emotions.  

“That way, when a negative thing happens, first you recognize and name your feelings, then create that path of positivity to how you react to your feelings,” Joseph said. “A lot of times, the teachers are like, ‘Oh, I can take a breath before I react in the classroom.’ And the kids can recognize that. Maybe they’re angry or frustrated that day because they didn’t eat breakfast. Maybe they skipped breakfast and they’re hungry, right? That hangry feeling.” 

Other engaging activities complement those methods. 

These efforts comprise a greater network of intentions and the nonprofit’s broad reach. A recent Kindness Works workshop, for instance, helped individuals use practical tools, listen to inspiring voices, and spark connection and belonging.  

RMC Charity is also involved in National Bullying Prevention Month, which unfolds in October. 

Elsewhere, the organization has teamed up with the Riverside Fire Department to offer vital life-saving technology to Riverside. The tech, PulsePoint, allows Emergency Communications Center staff to alert registered responders of individuals in need of CPR in their vicinity. It also informs callers of nearby lifesaving devices, like AED units. These Public Safety Answering Point telecommunicators are significant links in the cardiac arrest chain of survival. 

This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, February, 2026.

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Highlanders Boxing Club (HBC), an organization that has long been committed to improving the lives of neighborhood youth via after-school behavioral health and sports programs, is using recent funding from an Inland Empire Community Foundation grant to broaden its efforts to affect change.

Founder Tony Collins Cifuentes, who launched the organization in 2005, says the recent grant will allow HBC to expand some of its programming and where those services are offered.

“This is a beautiful opportunity,” Cifuentes said of the grant, citing that it will enhance the home-based, all-volunteer-run organization. “Things don’t look so good within some communities. There’s a lot of things happening that involve and impact youth and at-risk youth. The IECF grant will help us go forward with other things we do like social services and programs for the kids.”

“We feel blessed,” he added.

After Cifuentes founded the organization more than 20 years ago, he saw a greater need for connection among youth in the area. Initially, the goal was clear: to use boxing, fitness training, and mentoring to spark healthy lifestyles and encourage drug- and violence-free living.

“But then it became important to include our surrounding communities, too,” Cifuentes said, noting the gradual success of the organization. “We started as a boxing gym then had to evolve because we found out that not all youth wanted to become athletes or fighters.”

“We transitioned and offered things like a workforce development program, social services, enrichment classes, and other services,” he added.

The shift from mostly boxing to offering broader services reflected the needs of both San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

“The kids and parents needed more,” Cifuentes stressed. Now, the organization offers programs in several school districts and beyond.

“Our mentoring and social services not only target young boys and girls but also parents, and includes parenting classes,” he said. “We’ve come a long way since I began. Initially, I just wanted to get young kids off the streets that didn’t have a place to go after school. In a community like this, with the population and our culture, there really wasn’t much to offer within these neighborhoods.”

“We took it and ran with it,” he added.

Looking ahead, Cifuentes is excited about several new programs that will filter into the mix, most notably the recent launch of HBC Tabernacle Ranch, which he calls “a safe haven and an oasis where kids can go and be mentored or hike, or just feel safe.”

Educational workshops are offered in the sprawling 30-acre property located on San Bernardino’s north side. Cifuentes said youth can learn about conservation and various forms of environmental stewardship here. Horseback riding, archery, and axe throwing are also offered. So is a nightly campfire and gathering spot for attendees.

“We’re excited about the year ahead,” Cifuentes said. “We also want people that want to help, endorse us or become a sponsor to reach out. We want to keep growing.”

This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, February, 2026.

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The community-focused nonprofit located in Coachella has a vision that, in part, will create jobs and other opportunities via arts and media designed for local youth and residents.  

But it’s IECF’s grant that will fuel bigger efforts to enhance a dedicated center located Vine Street and Second Street. Culturas CEO and Founder Oralia Ortiz explains how the city of Coachella allocated an old corporate yard to the nonprofit at a nominal rate. As noble as that was, Ortiz and her team realized that the facility needed much cleaning and enhancements, including powering up again with electricity. 

“We’ve been cleaning it up for years, so these recent funds have helped a lot with that,” she said. “We want to continue opening this space up to families, different types of art, and teaching the kids to run a business by opening up a café/kitchen.” 

The city also allocated funds for architects for enhancements. 

“We do have a new design and it’s millions of dollars, but we don’t have that funding yet,” Ortiz added. “In the meanwhile, the grant will help us power up the facility with electricity, a security system, and proper ADA-compliant ramps, restrooms, and signage. 

“But we’re not waiting for all those millions of dollars to come in,” she stressed. “We want to make sure that we’re using a facility, even if it’s to rent out for pop-up arts and things like that.” 

Overall, Culturas Music & Arts is striving to thwart the stigma of the region by providing unique art and music venues, filling them with artists, musicians, and local organizations. 

“In the beginning for us, there was no art or murals or art programming in the area,” Ortiz said. “We were sitting around with some friends in 2008 and talking about how they had built this brand new wall in a community park that’s right in the middle of the barrio. And that’s where it started. All the artists that contributed to that mural were young graffiti artists or taggers, and many of them never painted a mural before. Most of them didn’t know their own history.” 

The colorful mural depicts Chicano-Mexican history from the pre-Columbia era, all the way to the future. Each panel is 50-feet long and six feet high.  

“Many of the artists involved had to do their research on the particular timeline they chose in the mural,” Ortiz said. “It was a learning experience.”  

The mural was completed in 2012, topped off with a celebration and unveiling dubbed “The Synergy Music and Art Festival.” 

“It really was community-based and grassroots,” Ortiz said. 

Several other endeavors stand out at the nonprofit.  

One of them is Arte Del Barrio, which launched in the early days of the pandemic. Ortiz noted how COVID affected many small businesses and entrepreneurs who relied on extra income.  

“We had a call for artists and crafters to come out and join us,” she said, noting how the nonprofit set up at United Farmworkers headquarters, spiking attendance, creating solidarity.  

In March 2025, the nonprofit generated positive attention with Women Rising Presents Festival de Rebozo. The event became a celebration of “the powerful feminine,” and the women who lead communities, organize causes, and raise children who will shape the future.   

Looking ahead, Ortiz is optimistic. 

“We want others to know that this center can help people,” she said. “Imagine a second-grade class in elementary school—kids everywhere. But as soon as you sat them down, and we’re cutting paper or gluing or coloring, things shift.  

“And that’s what art does,” she added. “I believe this center is important. It will feature music, dance, visual arts, digital design, and traditional crafts, but it will also bring the community together. It will showcase festivals, events, and educate people on their own history.  

“This community is mostly Latino,” she went on. “We want to educate on that culture and showcase traditional arts. We want people to feel proud of where they came from. It’s a healing. It’s wellness. It’s action. It’s pride.” 

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

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For CEO and Founder B. Hunter, overseeing PSL has become a passionate mission, and by the looks of it, the impact is being felt. 

Recently, Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (District 31) named PSL the 2025 California Nonprofit of the Year. 

“It’s one of the biggest recognitions that we’ve received,” Hunter said of the accolades. “It’s an extreme honor. As nonprofits, it’s really hard to get funding. So, to have the credibility of the senator of the state of California’s 31st District, it meant a lot, especially when you’ve started this in your bedroom.” 

Hunter launched PSL in 2016 in the hopes of positively impacting underserved communities. Her approach stood out. She wanted to enhance social-emotional development by pairing it with need-specific resources.  

What followed was a steady flow of motivational messaging, impressive outreach food distribution, health and wellness initiative, artistic installation experiences, creative arts, inspirational film, and collectible products.  

Recent grants from Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) through the Community Impact Fund and the Youth Grantmakers Committee Fund-Riverside are further helping PSL expand its impact, specifically with its food distribution. 

“It’s been a journey of highs and lows,” Hunter said of the nonprofit’s journey, overall. “In terms of food distribution, sometimes our suppliers that donate food experience shortages, and they don’t have a lot to give. As an organization, that’s really hard because we have a community waiting for us. There are people camping out as early as 3 a.m. at our distribution site and they have an expectation that we’re going to feed them.” 

“The IECF grants were so helpful because we were able to fill those food gaps to reduce shortages and stabilize costs,” she added. 

To that end, mark your calendars for Jan. 8, when PSL will host its next “Free Food Drive-Thru.” These events take place every second and fourth Thursday in the parking lot of Moreno Valley Mall parking lot by the Crunch Fitness entrance. Food boxes are offered to anyone in need on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

“Power Speaks Louder wants to transform lives by the power of words and action,” Hunter said. “A lot of what we do is not only to meet the diverse needs of our community through lessening the gap of food disparities—or meeting the need through food distribution, health and wellness—but also to empower people. 

“I think adversity doesn’t discriminate,” she added. “Our goal is always to just meet people where they’re at and to give them hope, not only give them the immediate need, but empower them for long -term solutions as well.” 

She also encourages the community to watch PSL’s Still Standing documentary, an experience that she says evokes empathy for local neighbors, “because any of us can fall into hard times and services.” 

Still Standing had its world premiere Aug. 12. It quickly turned heads and nabbed an Emmy Award for how well it challenged the stigma surrounding homelessness and amplifying the voices of the marginalized.  

The doc also featured several stories of individuals who have impacted positively by PSL. It spotlighted available resources and celebrated the resilience of the communities, specifically in relation to post-pandemic recovery. 

Hunter says Still Standing is not merely a title but “a testament to the enduring strength within our shared journey.” 

For more information, visit powerspeakslouder.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, December, 2025.

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Sigma Beta Xi (SBX) Youth & Family Services, which has long been committed to empowering youth and transforming communities, is using recent grant funding from Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) to fuel several key initiatives. 

“A lot of our funding is very restrictive even in the grant writing process,” said Darrell A. Peeden, Co-CEO and Board Member of SBX. “This grant allowed us to have some freedom and creativity. We’ve been able to implement the funding to not just focus on the need of the Black community and our Black youth, but to be inclusive of non-Black youth to start learning about empathy and finding a deeper understanding of the world outside of what they have experienced as a non-Black student.” 

Peeden added that the funding allows its young people to lead and to fill in the gaps that they see are missing for their future, helping them design what they’d like to see and experience. 

“It’s important for us to get young people in the front to lead,” he said. “That’s what we’re all about.”  

SBX launched with humble beginnings at Rialto High School in Fall 1995 under the guidance of Earl Tillman and Kevin Clinscales. The goal was to create a unique leadership development program focused on self-discipline, self-confidence, and self-reliance, while also strengthening a commitment to society, family, and the community. 

A few years later, the “Beta Club” morphed into Sigma Beta and eventually Sigma Beta Xi. In those early days, Peeden and other devoted souls ventured forth with a mission to actively seek out opportunities to make a difference, taking charge and addressing challenges head-on. 

That collective vision transformed from a school project into a thriving nonprofit dedicated to youth empowerment.  

Today, the nonprofit’s list of services is significant, ranging from youth development, housing, and workforce development to basic needs support, restorative practices, and wellness. 

“I’d love for people to know more about the history of who we are,” noted Berenice Zuniga, Co-CEO and Board Member of SBX. “Darrell and I went to high school together and we were part of like that initial group of young people, and there’s been several young people that have done the same in the recent years where they’ve continued to have that community chapter on site at Rialto High School. Or, they’re in Moreno Valley starting workforce projects and really leading and partnering with the adults.” 

“There’s a true authentic holistic partnership that alumni of this organization have with young people of all ages, our youngest being 9 years old,” she added. “A real sensitivity is evident. You can’t really express that in words or put it into a grant proposal. You must come and see it for yourself by being a part of an experience that we’re creating for the community.” 

This is particularly evident in the nonprofit’s workforce development arm, where young people can gain experience through active participation at every level. Fostering economic self-sufficiency is key. One of the main questions the organization asks is whether “a young person doing it?”  That approach, SBX feels, simply builds a more resilient community because it is empowering the next generation of leaders and professionals. 

“It’s quite powerful,” Zuniga said. “One thing I don’t really get to share a lot is how this organization has completely transformed my life as a Latina woman. It has forever impacted the life that my children are going to have. This wasn’t just a moment where I can say, ‘Oh, I appreciate being part of this or that.’ It was literally just from those early interactions at Rialto High School that made a big difference.” 

“Today, our relationships with our young people are lifetime relationships,” she added. “It’s not just a program or a season for them. This is an extension of their family and an opportunity for them to be involved in their communities in a much more impactful way.” 

Learn more at sbxinc.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, November, 2025.

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Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE), which was created by a group of pastors, will utilize the recent IECF grant to strengthen its mission to protect and revitalize the communities in which they live, work, and worship. 

COPE does this by training and developing the capacity of religious and lay leaders in congregations. 

“The recent grant will help us build upon the leadership capacity of not only our staff and our board, but really those who are closest to the problem,” said Pastor Samuel Casey, who also serves as COPE’s executive director. “This allows us to continue to work with them to develop not only solutions, but real innovation that increases their ability to be civically engaged and involved, and actually talking to the decision makers.” 

“Most importantly, it will help us see that real and transformative change actually comes to the communities where we live, work, and worship,” he added. 

The funding comes at unprecedented time in history when the fight for civil rights has grown considerably during the current administration. 

“Investments like this grant make it possible for us to continue doing what we’ve always done, regardless of the political climate,” Casey said. “And that is to organize, intentionally, people into units of power to advocate for their own interest.  It’s just unfortunate that we have to do it more reactively now than we would proactively.” 

Casey founded COPE in 2000 from a listening campaign with African American clergy, lay, and community outreach ministries in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Collectively, these visionaries wanted to create meaningful change in their communities.  

It began as an affiliate of Regional Congregations and Neighborhood Organizations (RCNO) training center, an intermediary organization focused on building the capacity of clergy, laity, and community leaders in small- to mid-sized African American congregations and community organizations. 

Some 25 years later, COPE continues to engage in public policy initiatives that lead to program innovations and stronger communities.  

“Being here gives not only me but other people opportunities to actually live out their life’s purpose,” Casey said. “This is not work for me. It’s a calling.” 

Thus far, COPE’s reach has been significant, encompassing civic engagement, health access, education, and justice reform, to note a handful. 

The latter, in fact, finds the nonprofit taking on the Rethink Public Safety Initiative, which is designed to “promote responsible, restorative, and redemptive approaches” to various justice reforms in schools and communities throughout the Inland Valley. 

To that end, district attorneys, law enforcement, and policymakers can do everything from helping prevent unjust targetings of Black and Latino residents to helping people charged with minor crimes.  

Keeping undocumented immigrant families together may come into play lately as national ICE raids continue to affect several major cities like Chicago and the Los Angeles region. 

Casey notes that the organization’s alliance with the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) has also been pivotal. 

Looking ahead, the pastor said the nonprofit encourages locals to get involved, reminding people that government and various corporate practices impact the community because of various policy decisions. 

“With what we see in the world right now, we want to make sure people are made whole and well, regardless of policies and practices,” Casey stressed. “Because right now, we’re just an unhealthy population. There has become greater solidarity and greater unity amongst the ethnic groups and wars that we’re all facing right now.” 

“To simplify it: I’m looking forward to a more just and radical beloved community,” he added. 

For more information, visit copesite.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, November, 2025.

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A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation will allow Terrance and Monette Hamilton, leaders of The Hamilton Essentials, Inc., to further their cause. The non-profit organization offers unique if not creative mental health opportunities through the arts, leadership development, and STEAM services for transitional youth at neighborhood centers, and faith-based and academic institutions. 

“The timeliness of this particular grant couldn’t have come at a better time, given the current climate,” said Terrance Hamilton, co-founder and chairman of the board of the organization. “We were able to identify key shortcomings in the community and contracts that we were no longer having access to.”

To that end, the current grant gives the nonprofit a place “to land the plane on a major upcoming event,” the co-founder added, noting that resources will funnel in that direction with the “2026 YLEAP Summit: Making Cultural Shifts for Youth to Lead.” The event unfolds from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21 at Performing Visual and Arts Academy Enhance the Gift in Moreno Valley. 

The high-energy, hands-on summit allows young entrepreneurs and change agents to share ideas, enhance their confidence, and lead other toward sea changes. Attendees can participate in-person or via Zoom.  

The Hamiltons see the event as yet another way their organization can intentionally create spaces where young people take charge and establish new ways of recognizing various power dynamics. 

“The upcoming summit is important because we are putting our money where our mouth is in terms of talking to young people about leadership opportunities and spaces where they can thrive with philanthropist opportunities,” said Monette Hamilton. “We’re providing a space, but also training.  

“They will get training before they present,” she added. “We’ll have presenters doing wonderful presentations on either their businesses or ones they want to start, or even on something they’re passionate about, which they want the community leaders to know.” 

The “presenting” to their peers aspect is key. 

“That’s already scary enough for a young person but to be brave and step up to the mic and talk about what you’re passionate about—and have the resources to do that—is, to me, the cream of the crop,” she said. 

To be sure, the Hamiltons’ collective life experience elevates what is possible with the organization. 

Monette Hamilton is an award-winning, bicoastal program development specialist with more than two decades of experience in dynamic mental health programming through the arts, which is aimed at youth empowerment, life skills, leadership, and staff development. 

Terrance Hamilton had long wanted to partner with community-based organizations that align with enhancing mental health through the arts, life skills and STEM programming. He brings more than 20 years of professional computing and desire to help young scholars develop computer coding skills, which they can then apply academically and outside of the classroom. 

“Monette has been at this for nearly 30 years in the community, beating the pavement,” he said. “I was still a software engineer working primarily aerospace and other industries when we connected, and I wanted to support her.” 

The duo soon found themselves in a situation where an individual wanted to infuse $50,000 into the community for youth programming.   

“There was not a single organization within our contacts or our sphere of influence that could help us pull that money in to do this program in 2013,” he added. “That prompted us to start something.” 

Writing grants followed. 

Programs such as “Burn In Not Out,” a youth empowerment program and professional development training, and a K-12 offering that revolves around coding lego machines and robotics professional development, blend professional growth and self-care.  

“Resources from IECF, of course, allowed us not only to apply for grants but to appreciate the support IECF offers,” she said. “We’ve been very intentional about the grants we write, so it’s been an awesome experience tapping into those resources, but to also see the relationship that IECF has with DEI and other organizations.  

“It’s just amazing to see that model come to work and see the benefits in the community,” she added. 

Learn more at thessentials.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, February 2026.

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