During her modest upbringing in the Southeast Los Angeles community of Bell Gardens, Lisa Middleton — the eldest of three born to an ironworker dad and stay-at-home mom — remembers one specific trip to the desert. “We took the tram when I was very young, in the ’60s, and that was neat,” she recalls. “My father did not like to attend anything that required him to have to pay for it. So, we got to do that only once. I didn’t grow up with all these Palm Springs memories of sitting by the pool.”
A community thrives when generous people and organizations who believe in its future share their time, vision, and resources. Throughout the Coachella Valley, an area rich in culture and possibility, the Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) works to strengthen...
When students have the right opportunities, they rise to the occasion. At Desert Hot Springs High School, Think Together partnered with its fashion design class to give teens the chance to present their creations at Fashion Week El Paseo, one of the largest fashion...
Generosity, volunteerism, and advocacy fuel an undeniable spirit of philanthropy in the Coachella Valley. That dedication to giving back takes center stage every fall at National Philanthropy Day in the Desert. On Nov. 7, at the 19th annual awards luncheon at Agua...
California State University, San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus (PDC) proudly celebrated the 2025–26 class of Rogers Scholars during its annual Rogers Scholarship reception on Sept. 30. A longstanding tradition, the event brings together recipients of the...
BIGHORN Golf Club can rightly claim it is the most philanthropic community in the Coachella Valley. Members and BIGHORN Golf Club Charities have gifted more than $400 million to local nonprofit organizations, cancer-related research, services and scholarships. The...
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Wanda Kling has spent the past few years volunteering with Food Now, a nonprofit community food pantry based in Desert Hot Springs. “It’s a wonderful organization,” Kling said. “They provide free food for people in need. We always have bags ready for the homeless if...
The Inland Empire Community Foundation announced a $4.5 million donation that will be shared by three organizations in the Coachella Valley and a public television station. The funds come from the estate of Jane Lykken Hoff, a Palm Springs horsewoman and...
The philanthropic spirit is alive and well within the Coachella Valley, manifesting through volunteering time, the sharing of expertise, and donation of resources to advance important causes and initiatives. On Nov. 1, at the 18th annual National Philanthropy Day in...
“Think Together is an education nonprofit that provides expanded learning opportunities throughout the Coachella Valley,” explains Katie Roth, the statewide organization’s executive director of philanthropy. “We believe that education opens doors for our students and...
Palm Springs Animal Shelter: More Than Finding “Furever” Homes
If cats and dogs ruled the world … Oh, wait, they do. We structure our lives around them. We buy whatever food they prefer. We give them Facebook pages and Instagram profiles. And if you’re Taylor Swift, you put them in your music video. Of the 2,077 creatures for...
Inland Empire Community Foundation Fights to End Food Insecurity
The Coachella Valley ranks high as a travel destination, but for all its fun-loving attractions and events, a silent hunger gnaws at the heart of the community. Over 120,000 residents, almost 40 percent of them children, grapple with food insecurity on a daily basis —...
