Desert Charities January-February-March 2023

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DAVID AMBROZ DAVID January/February/March 2023 MIP page 1 MIP page 2

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DESE RT CH AR IT IE S N EWS P RE SEN TS 2023 PAGE 17

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The Premier News Magazine Dedicated to Philanthropy and Charitable Giving in the Desert Cities.

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Steve Tolin (760) 346-1822 steve@desertcharities.com

Dianne K. Ker Circulation Manager

Steve Tolin

Editor-Publisher (760) 346-1822 steve@desertcharities.com

Kristin Peterson President

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Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (760) 346-1822 (760) 346-6109 fax www.desertcharities.com www.dcnnews.com

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Published 2X a Year by Desert Charities Publishing LLC

October/November/December 2023 Reservation Deadline August 30,2023

January/February/March 2024 Reservation Deadline December 2, 2023

Steve Tolin & Kristin Peterson

Palm Valley School is an exceptional learning community that educates, nurtures, and challenges each student to achieve excellence and contribute to our global society.

Palm Valley School holds an Annual Gala each Spring to raise money to support our current and future students.

Join us for a fun night of jazz, a live auction, games, and more!

Annual Gala A Night on Bourbon Street

March 4, 2023 • 6:00–9:30pm

Palm Valley School

Palm Valley School has a strong tradition of paving the way for future leaders. Since 1952, Palm Valley School has stood alone as the Coachella Valley’s only non-religious, college-prep, independent school. With our commitment to excellence, Palm Valley Private School provides an Toddler12th grade nurturing environment in which highly motivated students flourish and find success in the classroom, at colleges and universities throughout the nation, and beyond. PVS offers an environment where it’s ‘cool’ to be smart.

General and Cosmetic Dentist MEET DR. DELL’ACQUA

“GO RED FOR WOMEN” Seeks End of Heart Disease & Stroke

Adopting the symbol of the red dress, the American Heart Association (AHA) created the Go Red for Women (GRFW) movement in 2004 to dispel myths and raise awareness of heart disease and stroke among women.

GO RED FOR WOMEN in February and March!

National Wear Red Day

Friday, February 3, 2023

Encourage your friends to join you at www.wearredandgive. funraise.org

Wear Red throughout February as American Heart Month. Talk to your friends and share your Wear Red pics on social media, to build awareness of heart disease.

Get your FREE “Shop Smart, Eat Smart” digital recipe booklet*

Coachella Valley Go Red for Women Lunch & Expo

Date and time TBA

The Westin

71333 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage

Twenty years later, GRFW continues to harness the energy, passion and power women have to band together, take action to reduce their personal risk, and collectively wipe out cardiovascular disease.

Only 55% of women realize heart disease is their #1 killer and less than half know healthy levels for cardiovascular risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol. GRFW works to make sure women know they are at-risk so they can take action to protect their health. GRFW wants to walk hand-in-hand with women through every age and every stage as a trusted health partner.

“As gatekeepers of family health, many women feel uniquely called to keep everyone at home eating a balanced diet and getting enough exercise,” said Teresa Hodgkins, PharmD and VP of Clinical Quality Initiatives at Desert Oasis Healthcare (DOHC.) “DOHC shares that commitment as the local ‘Life is Why’ sponsor for the AHA and it’s why we turn out by the dozens each year for the Heart & Stroke Walk and again for Go Red for Women. We want our patients, employees, and the whole community to practice good heart health!”

If you have questions about how you or your company can Go Red, drop an email to AHA.NationalGRFW@heart.org.

Tucked away in the San Jacinto Mountains, you will find a a new and innovative program called War Horse Creek.

An initiative of Living Free Animal Sanctuary, War Horse Creek is an immersive transition training program using rescued wild mustangs to assist veterans as they transition from military to civilian life.

California Indian Nations College Hosts

Successful Annual Gathering Under the Stars with Community Partners

California Indian Nations College (CINC) provides quality and equitable education to the local communities while actively pursuing full accreditation as a two-year tribal college. CINC, chartered by the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, commits to incorporate and preserve American Indian and indigenous culture, languages and traditions to strengthen traditional values in advanced education. With the growing demands and the rising student success, CINC aims to answer the call for California Indian Country.

On November 5, 2022, CINC held its annual Gathering Under the Stars for community to gather and engage in cultural activities through a night of heritage appreciation. As a community offered event, CINC partnered with local and regional organizations and vendors to create a successful celebration showcasing the CINC team and students through cultural celebrations. This annual event is especially successful through community partners who come together and provide services and support.

Through a generous contribution by community sponsors at Southern California Edison, CINC was able to host hundreds of community members and provide space for congregating at zero cost. It is through treasured partnerships and support from entities such as Southern California Edison that CINC is successful in offering community engagement opportunities and quality education to native and non-native individuals. To learn more, please follow us on our social media accounts and our website at www.cincollege.org.

Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert Plans to Reopen in 2023, reIMAGINED!

We worked with our original exhibitry company to design new experiences and programming that our community expects and deserves. Those designs are now being prototyped and fabrication has begun!

Long term, we have five phases to include a reimagination of all three buildings, a building expansion and new construction, as well as an exterior plan. Our goal is to expand our experiences and programming to include all ages and family members.

In Phase One we are reimagining Building One to create a brand new, whimsical, creative, exciting space for our 0-8-year-olds. The space will include creative ways to imagine, express, move, experiment, explore and dream and will be comprised of over 40 new exhibits! Our anticipated opening will be early 2023 and is dependent on community support and fabrication. We have a budget of $3million for this first phase and we are counting on our community to help us get there!

The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert (CDMoD) is excited to share that we have a plan for reopening in a reimagined way, with our community’s support.

Ruth Hardy Park Saturday, January 28, 2023

The Palm Springs Health Run & Wellness Festival has now become one of the largest events of its kind in Southern California. Added new this year a Half Marathon along with the USA Track and Field certified 10K and 5K courses has caught the attention of serious runners and nationally recognized health and wellness speakers and presenters.

The event benefits Desert Healthcare District and Foundation, Palm Springs Unified School District and United Way of the Desert.

The Wellness Festival has grown substantially since its inception 10 years ago and now has over 100 Health and Wellness booths showcasing the latest in

nutrition, exercise techniques, KESQ News Channel 3 Food Challenge, LifeStream Blood Drive, rock climbing wall, Walk on Water and more.

This world-class event would not be possible without the incredible support of the following companies: Presenting Sponsors Eisenhower Health, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, Desert Care Network, Desert Oasis Healthcare, Gilead Sciences, Scan Health, The Desert Sun, Genesis Care, City of Palm Springs, Contour Dermatology, Desert Water Agency, Desert Healthcare District and Foundation, Grace Helen Spearman Foundation, Palm Springs Disposal, Hot Purple Energy, 420 Bank Dispensary and Lounge and so many others.

Save the Date for Saturday, January 28, 2023 and register at www.PalmSpringsHealthRun.com

For sponsorships, booth information and speaking opportunities contact Jeff Hocker, Executive Producer, 760-409-1530 or jeffhocker1@gmail.com. The Palm Springs Health Run & Wellness Festival is a Hocker Productions event.

We’ve built a community of support with our partners, volunteers, and donors to save the unique diversity of the Coachella Valley.

Our work wouldn’t be possible without you!

Join us on a guided hike, discover the desert after dark on a Night Adventure, volunteer outdoors or in the office, or make a donation to help protect the unique wild spaces of the Coachella Valley!

www.desertmountains.org

Friends of the Desert Mountains protects open space in the Coachella Valley and surrounding mountains by acquiring and preserving open land, cleaning up trash and invasive species, and researching the effects of climate change on our desert. We connect people to the land by building and restoring hiking trails and providing educational programs for all ages, so that together we can share and protect the natural gifts that surround us. Friends of the Desert Mountains is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed in 1987 by a group of passionate, concerned citizens determined to help to protect the conservation land resources of the Coachella Valley.

DURING EMERGENCIES

We invite you and others to join the American Red Cross mission by volunteering, learning lifesaving skills or making a financial donation. Your support helps ensure families don’t face emergencies alone.

Volunteer. Donate. Take a Class. Visit redcross.org/SoCal or call 1-800-RED CROSS to learn more.

www.redcross.org/socal

For local engagement opportunities in the Coachella Valley/Morongo Basin area, please contact Brian Daly at brian.daly@redcross.org.

Shay’s Warriors will use a $25,000 Coachella Valley Spotlight grant to help fund its signature event “I Am HOPE Survivors Reset Retreat.” The retreat introduces various healing techniques and a network of support for survivors to thrive in their life after cancer. The grant was presented by the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation in partnership with News Channel 3.

“We know living life after cancer is tough,” said Shay Moraga, Founder and President of Shay’s Warriors. “Our organization aims to inspire, inform, empower and help heal people and their families through health, fitness and the mind-body connection.”

Moraga founded the nonprofit in 2018, when she was told by her doctors that there was “no evidence of disease.” While

www.lulupalmsprings.com

www.lulupalmsprings.com

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding has been serving the Coachella Valley since 1982

We Offer Equine-Assisted Therapy, Utilizing Full Body Range of Motion Exercise on Horseback. Pegasus Has Been Servicing All Special Needs, All Ages, for 40 Years!

Pegasus has serviced thousands of Coachella Valley children and adults with disabilities for over 40 years. Over the years we have partnered with Desert Arc, local school districts and families to ensure that our services reach a variety of riders. Pegasus is a place where people with all types of disabilities can come for full range exercise on horseback. Our program helps reduce anxiety, encourages interaction and creates a sense of empowerment. We provide 200 rides a week with the help of over 150 volunteers at our ranch in palm desert at no cost to the rider, schools or families.

If you would like to become a rider please fill out a rider application and submit to info@pegasusridingacademy.org for more information call 760.772.3057 or email info@ pegasusridingacademy.org. www.pegasusridingacademy.org

two side walkers, one on each side of the horse holding the rider and a third person leading the horse. That’s three people for each rider on an equine. Each riding session is 30 minutes long and we like to rotate our volunteers in and

are in good physical shape and want

work with horses, special needs adults and children call us or e-mail our Director of Operations Erika Battke at: erika@ pegasusridingacademy.org

“Elevating the capabilities of kids & adults with disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding” – Pegasus Therapeutic Riding

Desert Charities News P.O. Box 1525

Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (760) 346-1822 steve@desertcharities.com

www.desertcharities.com www.dcnnews.com

in men PHILANTHROPY

Industry Leaders and Influencers in the Nonprofit Industry

PRESENTED BY

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians

Cathedral City Senior Center

Contour Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery Center

DAP Health • Desert Arc • Desert Oasis Healthcare Momentous • The Living Desert • Think Together

Our community is home to many meaningful charities.

In its 12 years of telling the stories of local nonprofits, Desert Charities News has built the largest database of charities within the region. This allows us to stay current on the individuals who are at the forefront of these organizations – helping them grow and thrive.

This section is dedicated to the men who serve the desert’s philanthropic community through their leadership, vision and benevolent spirit. Learn more about these exceptional men and what inspires the passion in their purpose.

Aside from giving time and treasure to the causes that have touched their hearts, these men are also prominent driving forces in the community – using their influence to benefit others in need.

Get to know the “Men in Philanthropy” who are making an impact in the Coachella Valley.

Contact information for all men: www.desertcharities.com

Search: Name of their company

Steve Tolin Editor–Publisher

Kristin Peterson President Greg Kain Print Design

DAP Health Rounds Out Its Fundraising Leadership Team

BOTH SEASONED DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS ARE EXCITED TO JOIN THE COACHELLA VALLEY HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION

By Daniel Vaillancourt

With two new hires, DAP Health enriches its development department just in time for the Coachella Valley’s season of giving.

Chief Development Officer Cortney Weir joins the advocacybased non-profit after nearly 30 years at such organizations as the American Heart Association, the Arthritis Foundation, Best Buddies, and most recently, the California Southland Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

For his newly created role, Assistant Chief of Philanthropy and Presidential Priorities Chris Boone recently relocated to Palm Springs from Los Angeles. Boone comes to DAP Health having spent time at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Los Angeles Youth Network, The People Concern, and most recently, the National Parks Conservation Association.

“Removing barriers to care requires financial resources, which requires hiring top fundraising talent,” says DAP Health CEO David Brinkman. “Cortney and Chris are the best of the best in the field of philanthropy. Together, I have no doubt we will fulfill our mission to bring wellness to our valley by providing health equity to all.”

Neither Weir nor Boone are new to the desert.

In 1984, at the age of 18, Weir moved from her native San Francisco to Palm Desert, where she and her roommate were the only two women living in a 10-unit apartment complex inhabited by gay male couples of various ages. “Those dear men really took me and Elizabeth under their wings,” says Weir. “I remember we couldn’t afford a Christmas tree, and suddenly, a Christmas tree appeared. If we were dating young men we should not be dating, they would chase them off. Whatever we needed, they would provide.”

When those same men became sick within a year, it was Cortney and her roommate’s turn to provide for them, going so far as to drive them to appointments at the original, tiny Vella Road offices of Desert AIDS Project, as DAP Health was formerly known.

“I remember taking people to the hospital and having them be turned away because they were living with HIV/AIDS,” Weir recalls. “I remember calling their mothers to say, ‘Your son is dying,’ and having them reply, ‘My son died for me a long time

ago.’ I was in shock. My mother would have crawled over broken glass for me — and she was with me many times when one of my friends was incoherently calling for his mom. She’d hold their hand and say, ‘I’m here, honey. I’m here.’ Back then, the only comfort we had was one another and Desert AIDS Project. For me, coming to DAP Health is coming home.”

Born and raised in Seattle, Boone has been a longtime visitor to Palm Springs. Speaking to his role and to DAP Health’s purpose, Boone — who served as a board member of the Human Rights Campaign for six years — says, “It was honestly a unicorn of an opportunity. To be able to take what I’ve learned at other organizations I’ve worked at or volunteered with and apply it to a mission I’m so passionate about was very appealing.”

While Weir wasn’t looking to leave her previous employer, all it took was a campus tour led by Brinkman to convince her. “David is an impressive leader and visionary,” she says. “He’s so good at painting a picture of where he wants to go — what’s been achieved, what’s possible. And he’s right here!

There’s nobody he has to answer to in Chicago, Miami, or wherever. Trust me, I asked around. Everyone said, ‘Seriously, DAP Health and David Brinkman are the real deal.’”

Boone will focus on DAP Health’s major benefactors. “David saw the need for someone to specifically do this work,” he says. “My biggest task, but an opportunity I relish, is getting to know the organization’s dedicated donors — their passion and personal story that bring them to support the organization. There are so many generous people in the desert. Some are currently supporters, but many we still need to meet and introduce to our work.”

For Weir, the biggest hurdle is time. “I can be an impatient person,” she says with a chuckle. “I want everybody to know — now! — that while we remain very respectful to the history of this organization, what it’s meant to the community, and whom we’ve served, the impact we can have on an even larger group of community members is very real. Donors are going to be very interested in what we’re building over here at DAP Health. Once we’re done with the next phase of our growth, people are simply going to be blown away.”

Removing barriers to care requires financial resources, which requires hiring top fundraising talent…

The impact we can have on an even larger group of community members is very real.

Photo: David A. Lee

Reid D. Milanovich

“Reid. D. Milanovich serves as Tribal Chairman for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Chairman Milanovich Reid D. Milanovich was sworn in as Chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians on April 5, 2022. He was first elected to the Tribal Council in April 2014 and served five consecutive terms as a Tribal Council Member and two and a half years as Vice Chairman.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has given millions of dollars to hundreds of charities over the past decade. In addition, the Tribe presents the annual Charity Golf Tournament that provides donations to five charities each year. This year’s golf tournament supports Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs, Mama’s House, Cathedral City Police Officer’s Association, Advocates of Indigenous California Language Survival and the Malki Museum.

“It’s an honor for us to support so many important charities and organizations throughout Coachella Valley and beyond,” Chairman Milanovich says. “These charities are dedicated to making lives better throughout our community.”

During his career, Chairman Milanovich was named as one of Palm Springs Life’s 40 Under 40, a group of impressive young professionals with promise to achieve greatness in the Coachella Valley. In addition, he was also recognized by The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development with a Native 40 under 40 Award.

Prior to his service on Tribal Council, Chairman Milanovich served as a Tribal Council Proxy in 2013 and served for more than two years on the Tribe’s Scholarship Commission. In addition, he served for two years on the Board of Directors for the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. Chairman Milanovich earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California Baptist University and resides in Palm Springs.

Reid D. Milanovich, Chairman

Agua Caliente Band of Mission Indians

5401 Dinah Shore Drive Palm Springs, CA 92264 (760) 699-6925

%Kate Anderson kanderson@aguacaliente-nsn.gov www.aguacaiente-nsn.gov

Tracey D. Allen

IMAHelps Vice President

Making A Difference

Tracey D. Allen co-founded IMAHelps in 2000 with his wife, Ines, to organize medical humanitarian missions that provide some of the world’s most underserved people with everything from general medical and dental care to life-changing surgeries, prosthetics and other specialized services that reflect the expertise of our volunteers.

Operating with no paid staff, no salaries and no financial backing, the Allen’s have built a team of 130 volunteers who have provided free healthcare to over 100,000 impoverished patients in nine countries. IMAHelps has grown to a point where it now organizes some of the largest humanitarian medical missions in the Western Hemisphere.

David Ambroz Head of Community Engagement for Amazon in the Inland Empire

Making A Difference

When it comes to lifting up communities, we look to leverage our scale for good and use our ability to innovate quickly to strengthen communities around the world where our employees live and work. Amazon’s culture is built around solving impossible problems, which is why we’re able to take a different, more hands-on approach than most. We work side-by-side with community partners to find solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges and build long-term, innovative programs that have a lasting, positive impact.

Dr. Rick Axelrod

LifeStream Blood Bank President/CEO

Making A Difference

How often do we get a chance to save someone’s life? By sharing one hour of your time to donate blood you can save up to three lives. Patients at our local hospitals depend on community members to donate life-saving blood products to help them get well. Your blood donation through your local blood bank supplies the human fuel that allows our healthcare professionals at our local hospitals to do their jobs. Without blood, there are no surgeries. Without blood, patients cannot recover from chemotherapy. Without blood, premature infants may perish. Give Hope, Give Life, Give Blood!

Richard Balocco

Desert Arc President/CEO

Making A Difference

THANK YOU to everyone in our community who supports Desert Arc’s mission to enhance the quality of life and create opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1959!

You are the ones making a difference in the lives of nearly 700 people!

THANK YOU to Desert Arc’s Board of Directors, Staff Members and Volunteers, to the Families and Care Providers, our Donors, Grant Funders and Sponsors, to our Business Partners, Commercial and Residential Business Services Customers, Local, State and Federal Politicians, Press and Supporters, to our colleagues at the Inland Regional Center, California Disability Services Association, Department of Rehabilitation and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities!

Ray Barmore Living Free Animal Sanctuary Executive Director

Making A Difference

Working at Living Free with a group of people who all share that same goal is a joy. When you see the world changed for the animals we save and how those animals enrich the lives of the people who adopt them, work is not work, it’s a pleasure.

When you visit Living Free you feel the peace and serenity of the sanctuary. You feel it again when you see how our mustangs change the lives of veterans through our War Horse Creek program. It’s a true transformation, I’m grateful and humbled to be part of such a wonderful organization.

Randy Barth Think Together

Founder & CEO

Making A Difference

At Think Together our mission is to partner with schools to change the odds for kids. In California, 2 million kids, out of 6 million are effectively failing school. Most of these students are African-American and LatinX. This is known as the achievement gap. We work with schools to close this gap and we work with families to provide the support system around schools, which also helps to close this gap.

Ron Berger Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee President

Making A Difference

I manage non-profit entities focused on the Desert Tortoise.   The Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee operates preserves where  desert tortoises and other threatened, endangered species can live peacefully within fencing we installed. One area, the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area located outside California City, CA,  covers forty square miles. The Desert Tortoise Conservancy plans to develop an  Awareness Center in Palm Springs, building awareness of the tortoise’ plight while providing a facility to re-home formerly pet  tortoises. The Coalition for a Balanced Environment, comprised of 19 entities, seeks to bring raven populations under control!

Chris Boone

DAP Health Assistant Chief of Philanthropy and Presidential Priorities

Making A Difference

For me it’s about connecting donors to impact. Throughout my career in fundraising and the nonprofit sector I have always worked and volunteered for missions that I have a passion for and that align with my personal values.

At DAP Health, I am responsible for coordinating, crafting, and overseeing the execution of the relationship management strategies for all prospects capable of making the largest gifts to DAP Health. Linking our biggest investors to DAP Health’s vital programs to show them impact is how I can make a difference. And that gives me energy and hope.

David Brinkman DAP Health CEO

Making A Difference

Anything that unites us and lifts up all people, I prioritize. The nonprofit sector exemplifies these values of unity and equality. Whether a volunteer, donor, client or staff member, together we bring life to the African Proverb, “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Let’s focus on our similarities and inspire each other to go further, together in 2023.

Frank Goldstin

Frank Goldstin is the President of MOMENTOUS, the Coachella Valley’s premier event production firm specializing in the creation of unforgettable, multidimensional events including live, virtual, hybrid and televised fundraising experiences.

For over 30 years, Frank and his team have been the creative force behind a diverse portfolio of events ranging from strategic fundraising and gala events to corporate productions, elaborate entertainment and show concepts, custom parties and luxe celebrations.

When it comes to producing the many high-profile fundraising and gala events in the valley, MOMENTOUS brings a client’s vision to life through an elevated, development-centric approach, through the formation and delivery of strategic and creative concepts, integrated solutions, event marketing and communications, superior event and entertainment design, advanced technical production and total event management; all seamlessly combined in unison to deliver incomparably memorable and immersive event experiences.

Volunteer Palm Springs Founder/Chair

Making A Difference

My goal and inspiration for creating VPS was to create volunteer opportunities which, in turn, provided a way for people to meet new friends and help build a stronger community through volunteering. Whether you are a full-time, part time or snowbird resident, VPS partners with many nonprofits representing a wide range of activities and events to put your interests and energy to work! There is no greater satisfaction to me than to continue to be the ‘volunteer matchmaker’ of the Valley.

Go to www.volunteerpalmsprings.org for more information.

Felice Chiapperini

Desert Oasis Healthcare Community Development Specialist

Making A Difference

Partnering with local nonprofits, senior centers, and other community agencies, Desert Oasis Healthcare continues to provide both financial support and health services to help improve the lives of our residents. Our Mobile Health Clinic visits health fairs and other partner locations throughout the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin. To date, we have administered more than 110,000 Covid vaccines and boosters, along with flu vaccines and a variety of health screenings, all at no cost. Our commitment to assisting our sponsorship partners further their mission to improve the health and wellbeing of our residents remains an important priority.

Geoffrey E. Corbin

Cathedral City Senior Center President / CEO

Making A Difference

As CEO of a nonprofit, I am privileged to work with countless people across the desert who make a difference.

At Cathedral City Senior Center, I am honored to work with a team who makes a life-affirming difference for seniors daily.

We distribute thousands of pounds of food through the Jim Scheibel and Tim Wood Food and Humanity Center and provide  warm meals, emergency food bags, and social services referrals. I marvel at how our community comes together to provide  food, fun, and friendship in a community center where this magic happens daily.

We are honored to be long-term event partners to many of our valley’s non profit’s in their critical fundraising. For new clients, we provide complimentatry consulations to get to know the organization, its mission and events, and to share our approach through the delivery of elevated and strategic event services.

For more information and to see a vast array of event profiles featurinng photos and video, please visit MOMENTOUS’ website at GoMomentous.com

Frank Goldstin

President

MOMENTOUS

777 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 200 Palm Springs, CA 92262

(760) 273-5050

Frank@GoMomentous.com

GoMomentous.com

David Carden Jr.

“We rise by lifting others.”

- Robert Ingersoll

Allen Monroe

Allen Monroe, President and CEO of The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, began his professional career as a research scientist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services where he studied the effects of climate change on endangered species. Then he put his passion and training to work in conservation biology with several nationally known zoos and aquariums before coming to The Living Desert in 2014.

“I come to the Zoo every day inspired by the work we do in education, conservation, habitat revitalization, and animal breeding,” he explains. “We are making an impact locally by inspiring people to care about the world’s deserts and globally collaborating to save endangered species from extinction.

The Living Desert is first and foremost a conservation organization, on the frontlines of species survival and habitat preservation.” Celebrating its 50 th anniversary in 2020, the Zoo welcomes over 600,000 visitors annually, and recently embarked on a $60 million capital campaign “Pride of the Desert” to build a new restaurant, convention/conference center, and lion habitat. This project will strengthen the organization’s ability to teach future generations to conserve and share our planet’s precious resources with all living creatures.

Mr. Monroe holds a BS in Wildlife Fisheries Sciences from Texas A & M University and an MBA from the University of Texas A & M University.

Allen Monroe, President and CEO

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

47900 Portola Avenue

Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-346-5694 amonroe@livingdesert.org www.LivingDesert.org

Barry Dayton

Desert Oasis Healthcare Director of Marketing

Making A Difference

When California introduced its “Vaccinate All 58” campaign for COVID-19, Desert Oasis Healthcare (DOHC) jumped in wholeheartedly to do its best within our service area in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. DOHC began giving what now totals tens of thousands of vaccines.

As flu season returned once again, we used our Mobile Health Clinic to extend our reach for both COVID and flu vaccines, and health screenings into even the remotest areas of the Coachella Valley and the High Desert. We’ve also been providing boosters and vaccinating 5-11 year olds.

We still believe that “Together we can end the pandemic.”

Joe Enos

Joe Enos & Co. Public Relations Principal

Making A Difference

It’s been an honor over the past year and a half to support community leaders and local organizations who have lifted the spirits of so many in very different ways during really challenging times, like Susan Davis and Jenny Gil of Desert X, Margaret Keung-Robles of Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs, Ellen Goodman of The Foundation, and Dane Feldman of the Erkies Turkeys giveaway. I applaud everyone who kept the arts alive, continued their work with kids in our community, and addressed food insecurity. We will come out of this better.

Patrick Evans KESQ Television Meteorologist & Host of Eye on the Desert

Making A Difference

I have always believed that my career in television and radio has given me a platform which should be used to help others, improve the community, and elevate organizations that are doing hard work to make the Coachella Valley a better place. I feel very lucky to do what I do, and I’m glad it’s given me opportunities to work with some many local charities. I am grateful for those opportunities.

Michael Faith

Michael Faith Auctioneer Owner

Making A Difference

I support nonprofits and schools in creating fun, purposeful, and successful fundraising events – utilizing current best practices. I believe that events can bring us closer together. When done well, they can deepen your relationship with donors and allow your organization to fully realize your mission. With my background in nonprofits as well as my training and experience as a professional Benefit Auctioneer - I can support you and your organization in taking the guesswork out of events. I will work with you to craft a fun, meaningful, and most importantly, a successful event. Let’s do more good together in 2023 and beyond! www.psauctioneer.com.

Frank Goldstin

MOMENTOUS Events President

Making A Difference

We are honored to help make a difference doing what we love for so many organizations and nonprofits in our community. From being a trusted partner in the truest sense of the word while supporting their event endeavors, our goal is to elevate each client’s organizational brand and bring great awareness to their respective missions through the power of strategic events and integrated live communications.

Lawrence

Gustafson

Think Together Sr. Director, Corporate Relations

Making A Difference

Working with Coachella Valley foundations, donors, and corporate funders to support Think Together’s afterschool, expanded learning and school improvement programs is a tremendous privilege.

Together, they support our mission to change the odds for kids and the amazing team that pursues our vision to impact over two million students statewide.

Since opening our first site in Palm Springs Unified School District in 2020 amid a pandemic, our caring staff have supported students with their academic and social-emotional development and help prepare them for college and career success.

Steven Henke

DAP Health

Director of Brand Marketing

Making A Difference

Your brand is the story others tell about you. I view creating diverse and honest communications as one way to effectively express DAP Health’s values of inclusivity and justice. Whether choosing what stories to tell in DAP Health Magazine using a team of writers who reflect the voices of our diverse clients and patients — or choosing what images to lift up in our marketing campaigns — the goal is identical: We at DAP Health want to create equity for every member of our community by building authentic, personal connections based on shared values. Actively listening so as to celebrate the wide range of human experiences lived by those we serve is what marketing with a purpose is all about.

Michael Hinkle Palm Springs Art Museum Associate Director of Advancement

Making A Difference

My deep roots in the Coachella Valley have helped inspire and guide my career in fundraising and advancement. Strong leadership, consistent communications, and audience engagement are key to establishing long-term relationships for philanthropic and transformational giving. I work with an incredible team to create experiences and opportunities that align with the interests of our diverse community of members, donors, and underserved communities. We also recognize the younger generations and the new energies coming into Palm Springs and the region. Everyone is welcome at Palm Springs Art Museum.

Victor Ide Cathedral City Senior Center Chief Operating Officer

Making A Difference

What we do is very personal to me and it is my passion. I know personally the challenges of caring for an older adult and navigating the many services that are required.

These experiences shape the work we do at Cathedral City Senior Center. Our team shares the same passion for creating a space for seniors to thrive. We make a difference every day.

Whether you are in need of services or want to volunteer, give back or make a difference, there is a place for you here. We are a home away from home for seniors in our community. Come join us!.

Richard Balocco

Richard Balocco is the President/CEO of Desert Arc, a nonprofit organization who has championed the rights of people with disabilities since 1959. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life and create opportunities for people with disabilities. With locations in Palm Desert, Indio and Yucca Valley, Desert Arc serves nearly 700 adults, 18 and older, with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the desert cities and outlying areas.

The programs offered by Desert Arc are designed to give each individual a safe and supportive, person-centric resource base to reach their highest potential to live, work and socialize in the community.

Allan H. Jensen

Neuro Vitality Center

Executive Director

Making A Difference

Here at the Neuro Vitality Center, we are making a difference in the lives of those with neurological issues, such as stroke, Parkinson’s, Dementia/Alzheimer’s. Our two programs consist of the Community Based Adult Services (CBAS) for those who function in a social setting, offering Physical, Occupational, & Speech therapies. And the Desert Memory Club, that focuses on those with more advanced Dementia/Alzheimer’s.

Allan’s theatrical background has also brought to the center the Foundation Lounge and our weekly Open Mic Night on Wednesday evenings, along with our Saturday Showcase Series featuring local talent from around the Coachella Valley. www.neurovitalitycenter.org.

Dr. Timothy Jochen

Contour Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery Center

Founder / Medical Director

Making A Difference

Giving will change you. Get out of your comfort zone and do something for others, and your life will be richer for the experience. People tend to find excuses for not giving. Everyone can be a judgy critic behind a cell phone and complain about a situation. But by volunteering or giving resources, you can become part of the solution.

There’s a gift in giving, and that gift is for you in addition to helping others. You always get something back, and you never know how much impact one small action can have.

Find a cause or two, and don’t miss out on the opportunity to give

Jerry Keller Lulu California Bistro Managing Member

Making A Difference

Lulu is proud to be deeply involved in our vibrant Coachella Valley community which has brought us so much love, happiness and success.  Lulu’s main goals are to provide very sanitary, safe and enjoyable dining for our guests and safe employment for as many of our staff as possible.  We’re also proud to support Musical Theatre University, DAP, PS Boys & Girls Club and many other vital charities.

Since some of our programs are not funded by the State of California, Desert Arc relies on contributions from our community to provide services like our Nutrition program offering healthy meals to people from low-income families. Meeting another important need, our Transportation department’s fleet of buses picks people up at their home and brings them back at the end of a fulfilling day throughout the Coachella Valley, Morongo Basin and other desert cities. Our Sports and Recreation program engages people in extracurricular activities such as golf, tennis, zumba dance and art classes. And, many people would not be able to participate in our programs without the benefit and assistance of our on-site nurses.

Proceeds from Desert Arc’s annual fundraisers ~ the ChampionsofChange Recognition Awards Luncheon on February 8, 2023 and the Golf Classic on April 3, 2023 ~ will benefit our cause in support of these vital programs.

I am deeply grateful for the unwavering dedication of Desert Arc’s Board of Directors, staff and all of our supporters in making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities!

DesertArc.org

760.346.1611 General Information

760.404.1370 Business Services

760.404.1368 Fundraising Events

Richard Balocco also served as a Council Member for the City of Indian Wells since November 4, 2014.

Dr. Timothy Jochen

“I believe in the flow of giving. The more you give, the more you receive because there’s satisfaction and joy in giving.”

Dr. Timothy Jochen is as passionate about helping his community as he is about helping people look and feel better through his work as a board-certified dermatologist and talented cosmetic surgeon at Contour Dermatology Cosmetic Center. He’s been serving the Coachella Valley for more than 20 years. From one office in Palm Springs to three Coachella Valley locations and a new office in Loma Linda, as the practice increased, so has his community involvement.

Dr. Jochen has been recognized for both his professional work and philanthropy. Professional honors include being voted a Castle Connolly Top Doctor nine years in a row as voted by his peers and published in Palm Springs Life, voted a Palm Springs Life Best of the Best Beauty + Body Care, and voted Best Dermatologist in The Desert Sun’s Best of the Desert for eight years. Sharing his knowledge as an Associate Professor of Dermatology at USC in Los Angeles, he’s also been voted teacher of the year several times.

For philanthropic contributions, Dr. Jochen and Lee Erwin, Executive Director of Contour Dermatology, have been honored with the 2017 Jeannette Rockefeller Humanitarian Awards, the Mizell’s Center’s 2019 Community Impact Award, the 2020 JFS Desert Humanitarian Award and as honorees of the 2020 Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House “A Few Good Men.”

The accolades are humbling; more than anything, they want to spotlight the charities they support and inspire others to give back. Covering nearly every facet of the community, they have helped more than 60 local non-profit organizations, including health-related services, women’s charities, programs for children, seniors, animals, food and homeless shelters, and the arts.

Jochen, MD Medical Director,

James Lindquist DAP Health Director of Development

Making A Difference

Philanthropy and making a difference go hand in hand. If we choose, each day, each of us can effect positive change in someone’s life by participating — in whichever way we can — in humanitarianism.

The Coachella Valley is known for its diversity, which allows varied racially and ethnically communities to thrive. These disparate populations become the backbones of solid civic cohesion.

At DAP Health, we strive daily to provide health equity and health justice to all, and I am honored to be just one part of the tremendous impact our organization makes on the desert we all share and have chosen to call home.

Tony Marchese Trio / CVHarvestbox Owner

Making A Difference

Trio has been a community supporter / partner since it opened its doors in 2009. ‘

“Trio is where Palm springs Eats.” Loved by all locals and tourists alike. I have always believed in giving back to our community.  We are proud to have supported AAP Food Samaritan, DAP (Dining Out For Life), AIDS walk Palm Springs High School, just to name a few.

Trio will always stand tall and proud of our community, and always will help when we can.

We never take our business for granted, we are grateful for all the community support and our continued growth.

Jerome Elliott Moskowitz Desert Ensemble Theatre Artistic Director

Making A Difference

As Artistic Director of Desert Ensemble Theatre since 2018, my role is to identify plays that illuminate the complexity of human interaction, push artistic boundaries, and challenge societal norms. Themes this season include the rising wave of antisemitism and homophobia; freedom of artistic expression; Jewish identity; and fixation with celebrity culture. As a community theatre, we offer local artists opportunities on and off the stage. We espouse a philosophy of collaboration and camaraderie that was initiated when Tony Padilla founded the company in 2011. DET strives to create a nurturing environment and a laboratory for personal growth for theatre practitioners.

Greg Murphy

The Joslyn Center Director of Development & Marketing

Making A Difference

Jack Newby

The Joslyn Center Executive Director

Making A Difference

David Perry & Associates President

Making A Difference

Contour

& Cosmetic Surgery Center Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Loma Linda (760) 423-4000 contourderm.com

Working for and with nonprofit organizations provides countless opportunities to make a difference. The effort we put in comes back tenfold in the impact it has on the quality of life in our community. As the then President & CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals noted when visiting the Coachella Valley several years ago, the Palm Springs Area is one of the top philanthropic communities in the United States, the other being Palm Beach, FL. We are blessed to be where we are, and I am grateful for all of you who help make a difference.

I have had the pleasure and honor of working in the non-profit sector for nearly 30 years. Whether working for LGBTQ+ organizations, AIDS organizations, or working with seniors and older adults, I have always taken great satisfaction knowing that I have helped make a difference in people’s lives. Making a difference means providing food to those in need, comfort and support for those with a serious illness, or helping to provide a place where people can build a new life. Many of the people we serve have nowhere else to turn. Non-profit work truly changes the lives of those we serve.

With over 35 years working with charitable organizations and nonprofits, David Eugene Perry believes in giving back to those organizations that give most to the community. Whether it’s representing the Coachella Valley’s esteemed nonprofit theatre Dezart Performs, the acclaimed A Cabbello all male chorus, working with HARC.org to better inform community and government leaders on how to improve health care, serving on the Palm Springs Police LGBTQ Outreach Committee, or helping build the next generation of community leaders with the Caravanserai Project, or helping promote the first ever “Pride on the Page” literary festival to benefit the Palm Springs Library Foundation. David Perry & Associates, Inc. / www.davidperry.com

David Perry

Timothy

Founder

Dermatology

Michael Phipps-Russell Loving All Animals Executive Director

Making A Difference

It has been an amazing experience to be a part of the Coachella Valley’s animal welfare charity sector. Throughout the pandemic our community has continued to work together to end the euthanasia of our adoptable and treatable animals. It has not been easy, but we have seen success and now we can focus on sustaining our accomplishments. I honestly did not think I would live long enough to see all that we have done together. It has been a privilege and honor to work within this community and to be a part of truly making a difference for our valley’s animals.

Alan Potash Jewish Federation of the Desert Chief Executive

Making A Difference

Officer

Being a newcomer to the Coachella Valley I am inspired to continue the important work of the Jewish Federation of the Desert: Caring for the Vulnerable, Strengthening the Community and Supporting Jewish Communities in need around the world. We raise money to allocate to organizations who are aligned with our mission to Make the World a Better Place. By strengthening our work and partnerships we will make significant differences. I am looking forward to working with others in the valley!

Shawn Ragan California Indian Nations College Vice President

Making A Difference

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed many of the systemic educational inequalities face by historically-marginalized populations. Many Native Americans live in technology deserts and faced obstacles accessing on-line educational services. Native American students already face historical trauma around forced education, the erasure of identity, feelings of “invisibility,” and the lowest success rates of any demographic in California. CINC is changing these trends with personalized student services, culturally-aware academic curricula, dedicated staff and faculty, tribal and community partnerships, and successful graduates who support our current students. CINC is helping our students change their lives – not just now, but for generations to come.

Victor Ide

Caring for my mother with MS inspires the work I do. Before starting my in-home care agency, Progressive Care Partners, I spent my career in HR / Change Management with several Fortune 100 companies, including Office Depot, Walmart, Gap, Inc., and Charles Schwab. After I sold Progressive Care Partners to an agency in Los Angeles, I joined Cathedral City Senior Center as COO.

I thrive on change; I’m passionate about creating environments where people thrive, and businesses grow; I love the uniqueness of each person and what brings out the passion in them; my signature is finding common ground from where we can build. I am thrilled to be able to apply this experience to Cathedral City Senior Center.

Cathedral City Senior Center was a small, nonprofit senior center serving seniors and their families (including caregivers, children, and grandchildren). Along with CEO Geoff Corbin, I am leading an executive team that has grown the agency to help exponentially more seniors and their friends and families. Because Cathedral City does not have a community center, parks & recreation department, or social services department, our little center is a de facto community town hall.

A. Renker

Eisenhower Health Foundation Senior Vice President

Making A Difference

As a proud member of the Eisenhower Health family I am both honored and grateful to work with so many outstanding colleagues caring for our community through this crisis. Our front line health care workers who risk their lives to take care of others are the true great heroes, of this time and this country. I am humbled and grateful to work with all of them and their hard work, dedication and kindness are inspiring!

Jeffrey Schlund

The Betty Ford Center Senior Outreach Manager

Making A Difference

As a Senior Outreach Manger, I get the opportunity to work with dedicated professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists every day.

It has been said, pick a job you love, and you never work a day in your life. That is true when I began my career working at the Betty Ford Center, the premier non-profit drug and alcohol treatment center in the world, located in Rancho Mirage.

I am beyond blessed to be working for an organization whose mission is to bring recovery to those suffering with the disease of addiction.

It is a cause that is close to my heart.

George Sinatra

Palm Springs Art Museum Corporate, Foundation and Grant Manager

Making A Difference

I’m thrilled to be in my new role this year as a member of the beautiful Palm Springs Art Museum Team. Overseeing Corporate Foundation and Institutional Grants gives me the opportunity to help make the museum’s incredible community programs accessible to people of all ages and walks of life in the Coachella Valley. Every day, I’m inspired by the art, the artists and my colleagues who are dedicated to make every person’s experience unique!

Our current management team has tripled membership, doubled the Food Bank, increased programming to a diverse audience (e.g., Braille and Hispanic), and tripled the agency budget. I am thrilled with the volunteers, donors, community, and members that make the Cathedral City Senior Center a particularly successful niche agency serving those most in need from across the valley. I am honored to help lead the organization’s mission to become a 21st-century center for active living.

Victor Ide, Chief Operating Officer

Cathedral City Senior Center

37171 West Buddy Rogers Avenue

Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 321-1548

victor@cathedralcenter.org

David

James Lindquist

I don’t think any of us grow up thinking we want to work for a non-profit or that we will have a career in that field. But for me, one event that changed my life forever made clear my calling for life in philanthropy.

The non-profit at which I began, Our House, made a difference in people’s lives by providing them with housing, food, clothing, and medical services. I could relate to this work, seeing as many of those needs were ones I had at that stage of my life. For the very first time, I realized I was exactly where I belonged.

My career evolution over the last 18 years has focused not only on where I’ve felt my efforts made the most significant impact on disenfranchised populations and their ongoing needs, but on what aligned with my own values. Whether it’s been working with animals, people with disabilities, or people living with HIV/AIDS — or fighting for health equity and health justice for all — I’ve had the great honor of uniting with donors, volunteers, board members, and staff to remind all of us what a profound, positive change we can make in our communities.

As the director of development at DAP Health, I oversee the IMPACT Program, an initiative that allows our clients and patients to tell their stories of how the organization has touched and improved their lives by providing health care and other vital services. We invite donors to attend these tours in an effort to show them what it is we precisely do at DAP Health. All that we do.

I get so much daily satisfaction from my work. I love knowing I help make a difference by allowing our storytellers to share their tales of triumph and joy.

James Lindquist

Director of Development

DAP Health

1695 N. Sunrise Way

Palm Springs, CA 92262

(760) 656-8413 (direct) (760) 567-2306 (cell)

JLindquist@daphealth.org www.daphealth.org

Mike Singer CSUSB Palm Desert Campus Public Affairs

Making A Difference

I feel that the work I do at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus affords me the opportunity to make a positive impact in the community. PDC is a special place, and our faculty, staff and students excel in a variety of areas.

I enjoy sharing their achievements and accomplishments with our community, and I know that the education our students receive at PDC will open up many doors for them when they graduate. I am proud to be a part of PDC’s success, and I am looking forward to the future as the campus continues to grow.

Peter Sturgeon

John F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation President/Chief Executive Officer

Making A Difference

The mission of the JFK Memorial Foundation is to enhance the physical, emotional and intellectual health and wellness of Coachella Valley children and families.

With the long term damaging impact from the response to COVID, this mission is more vital than ever in our 24year history.

I am humbled to be a part of it!

Adolfo Velazquez California Indian Nations College Director of Development

Making A Difference

Opportunity at equitable and quality education is an absolute owed to all communities and individuals. While this is a readily accepted perspective, it is far too often left out of conversation and prevalently missing in minority communities.

Here at California Indian Nations College, we are working diligently to provide equitable opportunity at affordable and quality education to our native and non-native community members. As the Director of Development, I commit my time to securing financial and community support to grow the college’s efforts and ensure the success of our communities in, and beyond the Coachella Valley.

Rob Wheeler LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert CEO

Making A Difference

The Center supports, strengthens, and amplifies the diverse LGBTQ+ community across the Coachella Valley. Because of the fierce dedication of our team, we offer life-saving access to essential social-support programs, including a weekly community food bank, behavioral health services, and an array of youth-driven groups, events, and activities in our Coachella space. Looking ahead, I envision an era of programming where we are agile, responsive, and continue to evolve in response to community need. Having dedicated my life’s work to our community, I am humbled to lead The Center in partnership with everyone marching toward LGBTQ wellness, justice, and liberation.

Scott Wolf

Coachella Valley Rescue Mission Development DIrector

Making A Difference

Every day I see people who are in different stages of rebuilding their lives, having been broken, shattered, needing help when they have been at their most vulnerable. To be a part of the process that assists them in achieving victories, both private and public is the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my professional life. It is a privilege to be part of a team that saves lives one life at a time.

Jake Wuest

FirstBank California Market President

Making A Difference

Since becoming FirstBank’s California Market President in 2020, Jake has been instrumental in bringing the bank’s ‘banking for good’ mission to life. He has led FirstBank’s partnership with Desert Community Foundation to create Coachella Valley Giving Day on March 1, 2023. This annual 24-hour day of giving aims to increase awareness of nonprofits and personal giving in the community.

He is focused on elevating the community through service and philanthropy and regularly encourages employees and community members to get involved. Jake serves on the Executive Committee for the College of the Desert Foundation Board and on the Finance Committee for the City of Palm Desert.

Changing the Odds for More Students

New Executive Director of Philanthropy Katie Roth Combines Philanthropic Leadership with Education Needs

Think Together, which operates afterschool and expanded learning programs in Palm Springs Unified, has welcomed Katie Roth as Executive Director of Philanthropy. Roth will spearhead growing Think Together’s individual philanthropy program, while connecting more intentionally with the philanthropic interests of the Coachella Valley.

Roth joins the Think Together team after 15 years experience with education nonprofits. Starting as a middle school math teacher for Teach for America, Roth continued her career in education, most recently as the executive director of PowerMyLearning.

“I’m excited to engage with community and business leaders who have a passion for providing children with expanded opportunities for a brighter future,” said Roth. “There is so much need in our communities and I look forward to bringing more excellent programming to schools through partnerships with our board and supporters.”

After two years of pandemic-related school disruptions, students are experiencing a great need for rich afterschool and expanded learning programs like the ones Think Together offers. Educators know that students are going to need support within and outside of the school day to regain the learning students lost. Students need

access to arts curriculum, sports and STEM programs. They need supportive adults that can provide them the guidance needed to understand the complicated world around them.

Think Together started its work with Palm Springs Unified School District in 2017 with its school improvement division, Orenda Education. In 2020, the organization expanded its reach to provide afterschool and expanded learning programs to more than 1,600 students across 21 schools.

Throughout the state, Think Together operates at more than 500 school sites across more than 70 school districts and charter management organizations. You can help Think Together serve more students, train staff to deliver high quality programs, and purchase curriculum and materials needed to provide robust academic and enrichment content.

Learn more about Think Together at thinktogether.org.

KATIE ROTH

EXPERIENCE EVENTS WITH LOCAL FLAVOR

With an ideal location in Indian Wells amid the lovely Coachella Valley, the newlyrenovated Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa is the perfect place to hold your next event. Impress your attendees with more than 213,000 square feet of unique indoor and outdoor event space. Here you’ll find space for every occasion — from elegant grand ballrooms with crystal chandeliers, modern accouterments and dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows, to stunning landscaped lawns surrounded by beautiful gardens, mountain vistas and waterfall landings. Our expert on-site coordinators will ensure the event of a lifetime, from state-of-the-art audio visual equipment to cuisine expertly prepared by our in-house culinary team. Entertain your guests with inventive customized menus or enjoy private dining in one of the many restaurants the resort has to offer. From welcome receptions, locallyinspired food and beverage breaks and cocktail hours, to banquets, buffets and coursed-meals, we will gladly assist you with all the details. See your vision come to life at our Indian Wells Resort.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CATERED EVENTS AT THE RENAISSANCE ESMERALDA RESORT & SPA, PLEASE CONTACT DARYN BENTON AT 760-773-4697 OR EMAIL DARYN.BENTON@RENAISSANCEHOTELS.COM

www.renesmeralda.com

Old Town Artisan Studios will hold its Color the World Gala on Saturday, Jan. 14 • 6:00p.m.

Hosted by Emmy-award winning anchor Peter Daut of KESQ TV, the event will raise much needed funds to continue the organization’s mission of providing positive art experiences for area residents regardless of age, ability, or financial circumstances, and to ensure that art remains a vibrant part of the creative fabric of the Coachella Valley. OTAS offers fee-exempt classes for underserved groups, including youth and those with special needs. Over the last two years, the organization has provided over 68,000 art experiences throughout the entire Coachella Valley.

The evening, designed and produced by Palm Springs based Momentous, will begin with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and the program. The gala will include a special performance by Victory Brinker, a classical singing sensation best known as the first ever Group Golden Buzzer winner and finalist on America’s Got Talent, as well as the Guinness World Record’s Youngest Opera Singer; and also the Boys of December ’63, a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons tribute show.

There will also be an exciting live auction with one-of-a-kind experiences and original artwork, and a “palette” raise to further solicit the funds needed to support OTAS’s outreach programs which, through collaboration with local organizations, provides art classes to children and adults with special needs, as well as seniors and veterans. Old Town Artisan Studios is committed to filling

OLD TOWN ARTISAN STUDIOS presents

the gap with art instruction in afterschool programs.

The organization’s Heart of the Community Award will be presented to the founder of OTAS, Victory and Richard Grund, who are being recognized for their outstanding commitment to the arts and this organization. Victory discovered firsthand the therapeutic and healing power of “hands-on” art after the loss of her parents. Witnessing budget cuts in school arts programs, she and Richard founded Old Town Artisan Studios to provide a place for the arts to always be available for all ages and abilities.

“Art has a healing power and allows us to explore our creative selves,” said OTAS Board President Betty Saidel . “Our efforts help keep art alive for our community residents.

Fiesta Ballroom at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage.

FEATURED IN PALM SPRINGS LIFE’S VISION PROFILE

Palm Springs Life has recognized our Founder, Norma Castaneda, as a Visionary in the Coachella Valley.

Castaneda speaks to her dynamic career as Chief Operating Officer of Fidelis Health Group, and an entrepreneurial leader as Founder of HR Advantage. The feature highlights Castaneda’s vast accomplishments:

“Recognized as an innovative business development and operations strategist, Norma Castaneda thrives on leading operational efficiency improvements, project planning, and generating rapid revenue growth for her roster of clients. She leverages a robust talent network, resolves mission critical issues, creates value for stakeholders, and develops emergent companies that span multiple sectors, quickly whisking them to new heights both in scope and earnings.”

As an entrepreneur, Castaneda founded HR Advantage in 2011 to help small-to-medium size companies maximize their potential and their bottom line. Since then, HR Advantage has morphed into a full-service business management company with an incredibly talented team of specialists and strategists who develop the HR, operations, marketing, accounting, and revenuegrowing backbone of our forwardthinking clients. Recently, HR Advantage was selected as a Top 10 HR Consulting Company by Manage HR magazine.

“Our HR Advantage consultants are innovative. They work with struggling businesses, innovative

start-ups, or owners looking to sell by offering HR outsourcing, talent acquisition, payroll, benefits, CPA services, workforce planning, business development, marketing, and revenue generation,” Castaneda explains. “HR Advantage’s sweet spot is companies with 10-300 employees.” Located in Palm Desert, HR Advantage maintains consultants based throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona.

“Growing a business is a challenging but exciting journey,” she adds. “But all too often, the fun is replaced by the intense set-up of operations, hiring, compliance, customer relations, and keeping the doors open. Soon, you’re looking for a lifeline that can help you manage and grow.” HR Advantage has become much more, due to Castaneda’s collective experience in executive coaching and operational management. She has led C-suite executives to achievements beyond their expectations across divergent industries including healthcare, hospitality, biopharma, medical groups, private aviation, casinos, real estate developments, and non-profit organizations.

“When I go into a company, I want to understand what the owners or management teams envision,” Castaneda says. “We align the operational road map with their goals and fine-tune their structure and processes so they can successfully set their wheels in motion and start to see the profits roll in.”

Congratulations, Norma! We are so proud of you!

Over 70 local nonprofit organizations have enrolled so far in Southern California’s first-ever Coachella Valley Giving Day (CV Giving Day), organized by FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on “banking for good,” and the Desert Community Foundation (DCF).

CV Giving Day is a 24-hour online giving event that will launch on March 1, 2023, to increase individual philanthropy and support local nonprofit organizations in the Coachella Valley.

“It’s inspiring to see how many community organizations have eagerly pledged to take part in this special campaign,” said Jake Wuest, California Market President at FirstBank. “CV Giving Day is an excellent opportunity to make a positive difference, and we hope that FirstBank and the Desert Community Foundation’s efforts will inspire others to join us in giving back to causes that make Coachella Valley a great place to live.”

FirstBank and Desert Community Foundation invite community to participate in 24 hours of giving on March 1, 2023, to support local nonprofits

Presented by:

Coachella Valley Rescue Mission Celebrates 52nd Anniversary with

The Coachella Valley Rescue Mission invites the community to help celebrate “Over Five Decades of New Beginnings” with CVRM’s 52nd Anniversary Jeans and Jewels Gala and Silent Auction, to be held on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells.

The celebration reception will begin with hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, and a silent auction. The Dinner and Program will follow, and music by entertainer Frank DiSalvo and his live band. A special video presentation showcasing the successes of CVRM graduates who have changed their lives will be a highlight of the night. Patrick Evans from KESQ News Channel 3 Meteorologist and Eye on the Desert will host this year’s Gala. All proceeds benefit the operations of CVRM. Make your reservations at https://www.cvrm. org/gala/.

The Rescue Mission was founded in 1971, offering food, clothing, and safe shelter to anyone in need. CVRM is the only emergency shelter between Blythe and San Diego that offers over 320,000 meals and 10,000 bed nights of shelter with wrap-around services, including long-term residential programs. CVRM’s success rate for those entering residential programs and emerging employed and have housing is 80 percent.

To learn more about the Rescue Mission or to donate, visit www.cvrm.org

DCN SPOTLIGHT DCN SPOTLIGHT

DAVID AMBROZ

When it comes to lifting up communities, we look to leverage our scale for good and use our ability to innovate quickly to strengthen communities around the world where our employees live and work. Amazon’s culture is built around solving impossible problems, which is why we’re able to take a different, more handson approach than most. We work side-by-side with community partners to find solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges and build long-term, innovative programs that have a lasting, positive impact.

David Ambroz serves as the Head of Community Engagement for Amazon in the Inland Empire. Serving in that role for one year, David has worked to engage the community by leading Amazon’s philanthropic efforts, volunteerism,

MEN IN PHILANTHROPY (CONTINUED)

Alex Aguilar

Jewish Family Service of the Desert Director of IT and Operations

Making A Difference

I am a reflection of the Coachella Valley community.

Being part of Jewish Family Service of the Desert, a non-sectarian agency founded on the Jewish principle of Tikkun Olam (“Healing the World”), serving and embracing our entire community, I work with a diverse group of staff, volunteers, and leadership, working together as colleagues, collaborating with other reputable organizations, inside and outside the Valley. We strive to create or improve innovative ways to provide services that nurture us, that make us more prosperous, vibrant, and resilient, whether through mental health counseling, emergency financial assistance, or socialization and support for our seniors.

Don Escalante Consider it Don Principal

Making A Difference

Everyone has a story. Those involved in the thriving Coachella Valley nonprofit sector – creators, beneficiaries, and those who quietly work behind the scenes on causes about which they are passionate – deserve to have their stories heard. It is a privilege to interact with and share caring motivations of those who make a difference, and those who are touched by the goodness of others. The results? The priceless rewards of a stronger, healthier, and happier community. Community heroes who make it possible rarely seek the limelight. But they should not, and need not, remain anonymous. Tell your story! (98).

James Manalad

Jewish Family Service of the Desert Director of Finance, Accounting & HR

Making A Difference

It is such a great honor to be part of an amazing nonprofit agency in the Coachella Valley. JFS of the Desert has been serving the valley since 1982. Our pledge is to provide for the social service needs of the Jewish and general community throughout the greater Coachella Valley with a commitment to promote the well-being of people of all ages, incomes, and lifestyles. We have dedicated teams in case management (financial emergency assistance); b) mental health counseling; and c) “Let’s Do Lunch” and Café Europa socialization programs for the senior members and holocaust survivors, respectively.

Teaching, Helping, Inspiring and Nurturing Kids Together since 1997

For 25 years, Think Together has grown into one of California’s leading afterschool and expanded learning providers. Think Together partners with schools to change the odds for kids by providing academic support to help them succeed, enrichment to broaden their minds, and the conditions to prepare them for college and career.

Learn how you can support students in the Coachella Valley at thinktogether.org/PalmSprings

www.thinktogether.org/palmsprings

Funds raised support ACT for MS’ free programs including strength training and mobility aids for our clients. ACT for MS is known for its fun-loving, casual events that do so much good for the community. Founded by Gloria Greer in 1999 after her daughter Norma was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the charity pays for activities that help clients’ quality of life. All funds raised stay here to help residents of the Coachella Valley.

FIRST EVENT: NEW FUNDRAISING/ FRIENDRAISING GOLF TOURNAMENT! So, don your golfing cap and shoes and join us on MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023 AT THE CLASSIC CLUB. Come for a day filled with fun, food, camaraderie and play!

Continental breakfast will start off your day, followed by Scramble golf rounds, box lunch, and celebrations following: silent auction, raffle prizes, cocktails, awards buffet dinner and…awards! Yeah Team!! Only $250 per player. At press time sponsors were Fiesta Ford, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Zach’s Fitness, Walter Clark Legal Group and GolfBalls. com

SECOND

GALA IS ON APRIL 5, 2023 AT 6 PM AT THE RENAISSANCE ESMERALDA HOTEL IN INDIAN WELLS. Tickets range are $325 and include hosted cocktails and appetizers, gourmet dinner and great entertainment! Sponsorships range from $1,500 to $20,000. Gala committee members are Richard DeSantis, JoAnn Horowitz, Bill Marx, Michael Monachino and Susie Morales.

Visit actforms.org for more info, or call 760-773-9806.

GREAT EVENT: ACT for MS Spring Gala with American jazz musician Diane Schuur honoring philanthropist Suz Hunt.

Suz Hunt

Diane Schuur

Tools For Tomorrow Gala to Honor The Roost Lounge Co-owners

Celebrating its 23rd year of inspiring children through the arts, Tools For Tomorrow’s board president Judith Antonio announced that A Night at the Moulin Rouge dinner show February 27 will honor The Roost Lounge’s coowners Jeff McDonald and Charles Thomas.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

February 9

In 2021 and 2022, The Roost organized Christmas in July brunches, wreath auctions and dinner concerts to benefit Tools For Tomorrow’s free after-school and online arts literacy program for children ages 8 to 11, helping TFT to expand its program from 14 programs in 13 schools to 20 programs in 17 Coachella Valley schools. Exposure to art, creative writing, music and theatre inspires the children’s art appreciation, creativity and ability to express their feelings. Through Jeff and Charles’ passion and the generosity of their patrons, The Roost also raises funds for Rio Vista Elementary School, Boys and Girls Club of Cathedral City, Cathedral City Senior Center, Angel View, Desert Cancer Foundation, Stonewall Ministries, Animal Samaritans, Martha’s Kitchen, Palm Springs Animal

Cocktail party at Steve Chase-designed private home for VISIONARIES Picasso-level supporters and prospective members

February 27

A Night at the Moulin Rouge Dinner Show at Agua Caliente Resort Casino

March 3 – 6

La Quinta Art Celebration benefitting Tools For Tomorrow

PALM

Scene from prior Three Pianos, Six Hands: top to bottom: Scott Cuellar, Even Lin, Vijay Venkatesh

The Palm Springs International Piano Competition, formerly The Waring, is proud to announce tickets are now on sale for Variations on Three Pianos, Six HandsTM at the McCallum Theatre on Monday, March 20, 2023. This 7th rendition features PSIPC artistic director laureate John Bayless, 2013 Waring Solo Winner and concert pianist Scott Cuellar, concert pianist Norman Krieger and concert pianist Lisa Nakamichi. This will be a cross over musical event with solos, duos, and trios performing on three pianos. Composers include Bach, Chopin, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, arranged for 3 pianos, Ravel and John Phillip Souza. Event chair for this event is JoAnn Wellner. This concert marks the first event in the City of Palm Desert by the new team of Artistic Director Robert Koenig and Board President Joe Giarrusso.

Concert starts at 5:30 PM and concert only tickets range from $45 to $150. VIP seats that include both the concert and a gourmet dinner at a private club are $750.00 and $500.00 each. Sponsorship opportunities range from $1,000 to $10,000. For more information, call 760-773-2575. To buy concert only tickets, visit www.mccallumtheatre.com or call the McCallum Theatre box office at 760-340-2787. Sponsors at press time for Three Pianos, Six Hands TM include the City of Palm Desert, Palm Springs Friends of the Philharmonic, the California Arts Council and Eisenhower Health. Funds raised by this concert fundraiser support PSIPC’s engagement outreach to local schools and the 2024 Competition.

John Bayless on stage

IMAHelps has donated various medical supplies, including surgical supplies, medicines, and pediatric care, to the House of Ukraine of San Diego. Donated funds to IMAHelps in dedication of Ukraine went towards such supplies. During these challenging and tragic times, IMAHelps strives to help as many citizens of the world as possible and will continue to do so.

To see what has been donated, please visit House of Ukraine’s website. www. houseofukraine.org

We, the members of House of Ukraine, Inc., are organized to offer hospitality to all people of Ukrainian birth or descent, as well as to foster and cultivate a spirit of understanding, goodwill, and cooperation among the various national groups represented in the House of Pacific Relations, International Cottages, Incorporated (HPR), and to exert continuous efforts to bring Ukrainian culture to the attention of thousands of California residents and tourists every year.

Join Make-A-Wish at The Desert Underground, a speakeasy featuring exotic cocktails, secret passwords, and entertaining music at the beautiful Imago Galleries in Palm Desert. In addition to experiencing multiple secret bars, guests will also be treated to heartwarming wish stories and an exclusive auction to help create-life changing wishes.

BRAVO

Children in Music Honors

Musician Jimi “Fitz” Fitzgerald

Joey English as Mistress of Ceremonies

Steinway Society of Riverside County’s (SSRC) Bravo – Children in Music fundraising event honors singer/songwriter/musician/radio personality Jimi “FITZ” Fitzgerald on Sunday, Feb. 19, 11:30 a.m. at The Classic Club.

“Voice of the Desert” singer/entertainer/talk show host Joey English will be Mistress of Ceremonies.

Cost for the event is $160 or $1800 for a VIP table of 10. Tickets may be purchased online at www.steinwayriverside. org or call 760-341-4130.

“We are delighted to honor jimi ‘FITZ,’ one of the desert’s most respected musicians and music event promoters. For years, his work to create and promote opportunities for local artists has put the spotlight not only on recognized musicians but encourages our local youngsters to pursue their music careers,” said Ruth Moir, SSRC founder and CEO.

“And we are thrilled to have as our mistress of ceremonies, the dynamic radio, TV and stage entertainer Joey English – whose ‘wear red and eat chocolate’ mantra describes her outlook on life.”

Fitz’ eclectic recording and performing career is only one part of his life as a music Renaissance man, which includes successful stints as an award winning radio and TV personality, concert promoter, producer and director for NBC Radio and Television, Showtime Cable Network, Lifetime Television, MTV, ABC Radio Network, Sony and Westwood One among others. Together with his wife, Wendy Jane, the songwriting duo has produced numerous TV specials, concert events, records and albums the latest of which is his jimi FITZ “NO EASY WAY OUT”. The new full-length album of eight original songs includes their “WHO ARE WE,” a self-reflective patriotic song, and marks a creative breakthrough for this well-traveled artist.

“I’m encouraged to see more and more young people discovering and responding to the greats of early rock like Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Bob Dylan,” said Fitz. “They’re creating music the way it used to be made, singing important lyrics that demand to be heard and responded to. I’m honored to receive this recognition from The Steinway Society and to call attention to the wonderful work they do to inspire and motivate up and coming musicians.”

To the end, the Palm Valley School awards up to $1 Million annually to qualified students who wish to attend our school. We employ the Financial Aid model for all students who apply and qualify. Students with demonstrated financial need pay a tuition price that fits your family’s ability to pay. 40-45% of our current student body receive financial assistance in some form. Our values -- individual attention to students; inspiring, passionate, and innovative teaching; inquiry and exploration; academic, artistic and athletic growth; trust, respect, and partnership - responsibility to self and others.

We are grateful to the generous donors who have helped sustain the museum through its closure and throughout the last 22 years. Our future depends on your support. A large-scale campaign is launching to engage donors, corporate partners, sponsors and the community. Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert has been an institution in the valley (in two different locations) for three decades. Reopening CDMoD will take long-term planning and commitment from its staff, board of directors and greater Coachella Valley community.

If you would like to be a part of the reopening of the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert and for media inquiries please contact Cindy Burreson at exec@cdmod.org or visit www.CDMoD.org

celebrating the good news of remission, she also felt a need for support to work through long-term mental, emotional and psychological changes where cancer had left its long-term mark. Moraga soon discovered she was not alone in facing struggles during survivorship, and she set her mind on doing something meaningful to help others carry on after cancer.

“Shay and her other ‘warriors’ are working to fill a need for people after they have won a battle with cancer,” said Catharine Reed, Vice President of Charitable Programs for the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation.

By partnering with medical and wellness industry professionals Shay’s Warriors will host its 2nd annual 4-day, 3-night retreat for survivors June 8-11, 2023. Because of the Coachella Valley Spotlight grant and other generous support, the nonprofit plans to offer 40 scholarships to cancer survivors and thrivers to attend the retreat. Nominations for attendance are now open at https://www.shayswarriors.org/i-am-hope. Additionally, throughout the year, Shay’s Warriors also organizes and hosts several educational and networking events – both in-person and virtually. Blogs, podcasts and a 24/7 online resource support group keep more than 5500 actively growing survivors and their families connected and caring for one another.

“Shay’s Warriors provides survivors with connections, resources and tools for healing as they navigate life after cancer,” said Jerry Upham, General Manager of Gulf California Broadcast Company, which owns and operates KESQ News Channel 3 and KPSP CBS Local 2.

Through the Coachella Valley Spotlight partnership with the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation and News Channel 3, Shay’s Warriors was featured on News Channel 3 programming, in public service announcements and on kesq.com throughout the month of November. For more information about receiving support from Shay’s Warriors or contributing, call 760-895-1705 or visit www.shayswarriors.org.

Everyone attending the gala will make a difference in impacting the lives of others through art.”

Title Sponsor is Fran & Bob Davidson. Presenting Sponsor is Sharon & Bob Miller. Platinum Sponsors include Lisa & Case Swenson and Gayle & Jeffrey Geldermann. Gold Sponsors are Sandra & John Leland and Margit E. Star & Claus Bergenser. Silver Sponsor is Betty and Gary Saidel. The Lead Media Sponsor is KESQ News Channel 3.

Tickets to the gala are $300 per person. Colorful cocktail attire is suggested. For more information on sponsorships, tables, and tickets, contact Development and Donor Relations Manager Katie Thornton at katie@oldtownartisanstudios. org or 760.777.1444. For additional information about Old Artisan Studios, visit www.oldtownartisanstudios.org.

Old Town Artisan Studios is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a warm and inviting place where people of all ages can reveal their creativity. Through collaboration with local organizations, art classes are available to children and adults with special needs, as well as seniors and veterans.

n PALM VALLEY SCHOOL Continued from page 5

n CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM Continued from page 12 n SHAY’S WARRIORS Continued from page 15

n OLD TOWN ARTISAN STUDIO Continued from page 29

Palm Valley School seeks to attract highly-qualified students and supportive families to join our school community. We are committed to ensuring that any child who qualifies for admission not be denied the opportunity to attend our school due to demonstrated financial need.

Before relocating to the desert, Jeff was a well-known Producer for some of the largest and most prestigious events in the San Francisco Bay Area including: Bammies (Bay Area Music Awards), Black & White Balls (SF Symphony), Landscape and Garden Show, SF Museum of Modern Art’s Annual Gala, “Tales of the City” by Armisted Maupin (6 Film Launches/Premier’s), San Francisco Bay to Breakers Footstock and the largest Oscar® party outside of LA – Academy of Friends, for which he sat on the board for 6 years.

He brought that expertise to the Coachella Valley and through his event production company, gives back to the community through his large-scale and unique events donating much-needed funds to underserved communities.

To ensure children have every opportunity to achieve stability, we match them with caring volunteers—called CASAs—who advocate for their best interests.

What is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)?

CONSISTENT PRESENCE

Children in foster care have experienced abuse and neglect. Once they enter the dependency system, their world suddenly includes court hearings, social workers, attorneys, and often new homes and schools. Amidst it all, a CASA is the one consistent, caring presence for a child.

PROBLEM-SOLVER

From helping a child get glasses to ensuring their records transfer to new schools, a CASA is an expert problem-solver who makes things happen. With resources provided by Voices for Children, CASAs work alongside social workers, caregivers, attorneys, and other professionals to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

ADVOCATE

At regular intervals, CASAs report on children’s progress and needs. A CASA is able to help the judge understand not only the child’s needs, but also what they like to do, what their favorite color is, or why they are struggling in school. This individualized advocacy helps judges make the most informed decisions for each child’s future.

CASA VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

For a child in foster care, their CASA often becomes the most consistent adult in their life. You can be that person.

www.speakupnow.org

CV Giving Day aims to unite the region as a community, generating funds and awareness for local nonprofits over the course of the 24-hour online giving challenge. FirstBank encourages individuals to give generously to nonprofits that strengthen the region and foster a flourishing community. Donation amounts start at $5, and contributors are encouraged to help in any way they can.

“We are overjoyed from the overwhelming response we’ve received from those who are joining our mission,” said Mary Panesar, Executive Director at the Desert Community Foundation. “Numerous organizations have committed to participating, covering nearly every aspect of Coachella Valley community enrichment, including youth development, animal welfare, health, the arts and culture, and social campaigning. We are excited to continue the giving momentum leading up to CV Giving Day.”

In addition to CV Giving Day, FirstBank is a corporate partner of Arizona Gives Day and Colorado Gives Day. There is no cost for nonprofits to participate in CV Giving Day. 501(c)(3) organizations, including eligible schools and churches within the Coachella Valley, can register to participate through February 1, 2023. To encourage registration, FirstBank and DCF are offering $30,000 in incentive prizes to participating nonprofits. For more information, registration, and to donate to your preferred nonprofit, visit www.cvgivingday.org.

and the company’s response to the unique challenges and opportunities that have arisen coming out of COVID19.

A national poverty and child welfare expert and advocate, David was recognized by President Obama as an American Champion of Change. Previously he led Corporate Social Responsibility for Walt Disney Television, and served as President of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission. After growing up homeless for twelve years, and entering foster care, he graduated from Vassar College and later UCLA School of Law.

David founded the non-profit, FosterMore.org to enhance the public action around children growing up homeless and in foster care and has dedicated his personal and professional life to advancing the betterment of communities like the ones he grew up on. His approach has always been community-focused, and powered.

Tools

with her fabulous band plus surprise performers.

For A Night at the Moulin Rouge Sponsorships, Tribute Ads and Tickets, visit toolsfortomorrow.org or call 760-601-3954. Volunteers are needed to assist in classrooms and help organize events.

n TOOLS FOR TOMORROW

n DAVID AMBROZ Continued from page 32

n CV GIVING DAY Continued from page 31

Shelter, Brothers of the Desert, Cake 4 Kids and the Keisha D Foundation. In addition, they recently formed The Roost Foundation.

For Tomorrow’s major fundraiser February 27, A Night at the Moulin Rouge, will honor Jeff McDonald and Charles Thomas with the Vision for the Future Award. The benefit will be held at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino Rancho Mirage, including a champagne reception, silent auction and dinner show featuring The Roost’s popular singer Gennine Francis

Join

English has appeared numerous times on such classic programs as “The Dinah Shore Show,” “The Merv Griffin Show,” and “The Mike Douglas Show.” A published writer, a sought-after speaker, radio talk show host and the emcee of many premier events in the Coachella Valley, she has earned the moniker, “Voice of the Desert.”

Special musical entertainment will feature Steinway’s “Ukesters” (youngsters on ukuleles), led by Jeanie Cunningham, Steinway’s school music program director, as well as piano performances by several of Steinway’s Festival Piano Awards winners – along with other surprise entertainment.

Other upcoming Steinway events are the Festival Piano Awards competition for junior and senior students, March 5 and 12 at Xavier High School. The Winners Concert will be in May at the Rancho Mirage Library, date to be announced.

Celebrating its 21st anniversary, SSRC has been providing free music education to all three Coachella Valley school districts since 2002, serving some 35,000 children each year. For more information and to donate, visit https://steinwayriverside.org or call (760) 341-4130.

Jeff is extremely active in the Coachella Valley and you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know him or hasn’t worked with him. The list of LGBTQ and mainstream organizations he is currently active with, represents programs that are on the leading edge of change: Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus, Gay/Straight Alliances in the school districts, LGBTQ+ Community Center of the Desert, DAP Health, Greater Palm Springs Pride, Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, United Way of the Desert and United Nations Association.

Hocker Productions just celebrated its 18th anniversary. In 2020 and as it’s executive producer, Jeff’s event and marketing company became a 501 © 3 tax exempt corporation.

Veterans participate in workshops that are based around the “Collaborative Horsemanship” modality. These workshops are designed to provide veterans with a supportive and therapeutic environment where they can learn new skills and build confidence. Participants in the program gain valuable hands-on experience working with the mustangs, and in the process, they find a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Veterans also receive life-skills training from various professionals and enjoy outdoor recreational time. The rural mountain setting gives veterans a chance to connect with nature and themselves. And, at the end of the day, they relax together and unwind at Camp Harris, their residential facilities that opened in 2022.

Air Force Veteran, Itzel Barakat shared about her experience at War Horse Creek, ”I didn’t have to say a word to anybody. I felt my heart healing, and that’s what I needed. War Horse Creek provided a sense of relief and peace that I haven’t been able to find.”

War Horse Creek is currently accepting participants for their 2023 Collaborative Horsemanship workshops. Veterans can sign up by filling out the form at: warhorsecreek.com/attend-a-workshop

n HOCKER PRODUCTIONS Continued from page 39

n STEINWAY SOCIETY Continued from page 38 n LIVING FREE Continued from page 9

Highlights of Miss Joey English’s career performing in nightclubs, theatres and on television include 28 years of singing as an opening act for such stars as George Burns, Bob Hope, Milton Berle and Rodney Dangerfield.

Editorial Contacts in This Issue

Act for MS - Page 34

Ms. Susie Morales, Managing Director 73710 Fred Wariing Drive Suite 201 Palm Desert, CA 92260 (760) 773-2575 susie@actforms.org www.actforms.org

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Page 20

Kate Anderson, Director of Public Relations 5401 Dinah Shore Drive Palm Springs, CA 92264 (760) 699-6925 kanderson@aguacaliente-nsn.gov www.aguacalientecasinos.com

California Indian Nations College Page 10

Adolfo Velazquez, Director of Development 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive Suite 222 Palm Desert, CA 92211 (760) 834-0593 avelazquez@cincollege.org www.cincollege.org

Children’s Discovery Museum Page 12, 38

Cindy Burrerson, Chief Executive Officer 71-701 Gerald Ford Drive Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (760) 321-0602 exec@cdmodorg www.cdmod.org

Coachella Valley Rescue Mission Page 32

Scott Wolf, Development Director PO Box 10660 Indio, CA 92202 (760) 347-3512 X 239 swolf@cvrm.org www.cvrm.org

DAP Health - Page 18, 19

Steven Henke, Director of Community Development 1695 N. Sunrise Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 (760) 656-8401 shenke@daphealth.org www.daphealth.org

David Ambroz - Page 32 Amazon

Head of Community Engagement, Inland Empire dambroz@amazon.com

Desert Oasis Healthcare - Page 8

Barry Dayton, Director of Marketing 275 N. El Cielo Road Suite D 411 Palm Springs, CA 92262 (760) 320-8814 ext 1504 Barry.Dayton@mydohc.com www.mydohc.com

FirstBank - Page 31, 40

Jake Wuest, California Market President 73000 Highway 111 Palm Desert, CA 92260 (760) 836-3522 jake.wuest@efirstbank.com www.efirstbank.com

Friends of Desert Mountains Page 14

Ms. Tammy Martin, Executive Director POBox 1281 Palm Desert, CA 92261 (760) 568-9918 emartin@desertmountains.org www.desertmountains.org

Hocker Productions - Page 39, 41

Jeff Hocker, President 2286 N. Indian Canyon Unit E Palm Springs, CA 92262 (760) 409-1530 jeffhocker@@gmail.com www.hockerproductions.com

IMA Helps - Page 27

Ms. Ines Allen, CEO, President PO Box 2727

Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (760) 898-2786 ines@imahelps.org www.imahelps.org

Living Free Animal Sanctuary - Page 9, 41

Ray Barmore, Executive Director PO Box 5 Mountain Center, CA 92561 (951) 659-4687 rbarmore@living-free.org www.living-free.org

Make A Wish - Page 37

Ms. Katelynn McDougall, Marketing & Communications Manager 3230 El Camino Real Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92602 (714) 573-9474 ext 214 kmcdougall@ocie.wish.org www.ocie.wish.org

Norma Castaneda - Page 30

HR Advantage Consultants 73161 Fred Waring Dr Suite 100 Palm Desert, CA 92260 (760) 206-8645 norma@hradvantageconsultants.com www.hradvantageconsultants.com

Old Town Artisan Studios - Page 29

Thomas Burns, Executive Director 78-046 Calle Varcelona La Quinta, CA 92253 (760) 777-1444 thomas@oldtownartisanstudios.org www.oldtownartisanstudios.org

Palm Springs Health Run & Wellness Festival - Page 13

Jeff Hocker, President 2286 N. Indian Canyon Unit E Palm Springs, CA 92262 (760) 409-1530 jeffhocker1@gmail.com www.hockerproductions.com

Palm Springs International Piano Competition - Page 36

Ms. Tracey Essex, Director of Operations 73710 Fred Waring Drive Suite 201 Palm Desert, CA 92260 (760) 773-2575 tessex@psipc.org www.psipc.org

Palm Valley School - Page 5

Ms. Kaira Nayfack, Director of Admissions and Marketing 35-525 DaVall Drive Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (760) 328-0861 knayfack@pvs.org www.pvs.org

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy Page 16

Ms. Erika Battke, Director of Operations 35-450 B. Pegasus Court Palm Desert, CA 92211 (760) 772-3057 erika@pegasusridingacademy.org www.pegasusridingacademy.org

Shay’s Warriors Life After Cancer Page 15, 38

Ms. Shay Moraga, Founder/CEO 42-215 Washington Street Suite A 389 Palm Desert, CA 92211 (760) 895-1705 shay@shayswarriors.org www.shayswarriors.org

Steinway Society of Riverside Page 38, 41

Ms. Ruth Moir Executive Director PO Box 3015 Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (760) 341-4140 sturumoir@aol.com www.steinwayriverside.org

Think Together - Page 27

Ms. Elaine Legere, Director of Marketing & Communications 2101 E. Fourth Street Suite 200B Santa Ana, CA 92705 (310) 293-3341 elaine.legere@thinktogether.org www.thinktogether.org

Tools For Tomorrow - Page 35, 40

Ms. Andrea Hecht, Operations Manager 42600 Cook Street Suite 203 Palm Desert, CA 92211 (760) 601-3954 andrea@toolsfortomorrow.org www.toolsfortomorrow.org

Voices For Children - Page 40

Ms. Brianna Miller, Philanthropy Manager PO Box 7219 Riverside, CA 92513 (951) 534-1043 brianna@speakupnow.org www.speakupnow.org