The Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs was recently featured in the Desert Scene.
Kate Franco, Executive editor of The Desert Sun, shared the following update on the Desert Scene and Giving section, saying, “Because of the generosity of organizations like the Inland Empire Community Foundation, and that of other nonprofits, businesses and individuals, we were able to raise enough money to bring back our beloved Giving/Scene section. The return of Giving/Scene has been so well-received in the valley, with many offering testaments to how crucial this content is in advancing the causes of the many nonprofits and philanthropies across the Coachella Valley.”
A little over a year ago, The Desert Sun put out a call to the community asking for help in bringing back the newspaper’s weekly Desert Scene and Giving section, which had a long and storied history of providing essential coverage of our local philanthropies and nonprofit organizations across the desert.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds, Bank of America Foundation and the CIELO Fund – along with many caring individuals – answered that call, recognizing how important this coverage is to our community, and proving once again that the philanthropic tradition is alive and thriving in the Coachella Valley.
We knew that in order for the nonprofit organizations to continue to thrive, it was essential that we resume our on-the-ground reporting of the important work they do, get the word out about upcoming activities and events and publicize fundraising events through our calendar. Many of these organizations have little to no communications budget, and without Desert Scene and Giving, they have little hope of reaching the broader community.
Thanks to you, we made it happen. And the response from the community has been both overwhelming and affirming.
Together, we have helped people get involved …
“We are so happy for the coverage you have given us and hope this helps us in our mission. We’ve already received three inquiries from people who want to get involved with us. … We really appreciate your support and look forward to more interactions in the future.” — Ray Biller, Cake4Kids
“… Thank you so much for your support! We have had many inquiries from our listings in the Desert Sun, so it’s working!” — Priscilla Kubas, Alzheimers Coachella Valley
Together, we have helped mobilize the community …
“Thank you so much for placing Anita’s article about Desert Hort’s Garden Tour in such a prominent location. We hadn’t had a tour since 2019, so I was hoping for about 500 to show up. Instead, we had 798! It was successful beyond my highest hopes. It helped to replenish our scholarship fund for our newest student and put us back on the map! Without your vital work and participation in the community, we would all be the poorer. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” — Kai Kushen, Desert Horticultural Society
“Thank you for the beautiful article on The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival. The article was informative and I’ve gotten so many positive responses since it was online and printed. There was a tremendous boost in ticket reservations the day it came out, and I have continued to increase my sales since the article. It really made a huge difference for me. Again, thank you for supporting us and sharing with your readers. I really appreciate it. With thanks” —David Youse
Together, we have helped raise awareness …
“… I felt it was important to send you an email about the coverage The Desert Sun has been providing our charity for the last several years. This is also an opportunity to say THANK YOU to the newspaper and you. … The coverage you’ve provided has shone a bright light on Angel Light Academy and we’ve seen a difference in the awareness of our charity, support with volunteers and financial support. This matters greatly to us! We are a 100% volunteer organization that relies solely on donations. We just celebrated 25 years and are thriving and growing!” — Michelle McLaughlin, Angel Light Academy
Together, we have uplifted organizations from Desert Hot Springs to Thermal and beyond …
“It has been awesome to work with you. … A collaboration like we have had has been a true treasure. The power your Sunday section has on this valley is exceptional.” — Theresa Maggio, formerly with National Philanthropy Day
Returning Desert Sun Philanthropy Editor Winston Gieseke recently offered some reflections on the community:
Margaret Mead famously said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
I think that’s nowhere truer than here in our wonderful Coachella Valley. It’s no secret that there are a lot of incredibly generous people living here. People who mobilize to make change, who selflessly give of their time, their resources, their expertise and their love in order to help others. And it’s something I think this community is rightfully very proud of.
That’s where The Desert Sun’s Desert Scene and Giving sections come in. What started out as a society column that reported on the comings and goings of the local elite has evolved into a section about the generous spirit of all our locals. There remain plenty of high-profile, glamorous events, but here in the valley they’re often fundraisers for a nonprofit, raising much-needed funds for cancer research or providing safe places for kids to go after school. It’s no longer about who went where or who wore what. It’s about who gave and who benefited. Society for a purpose.
While there remains much divisiveness in our world, I think we can all agree on the importance of giving back and the positive ripple effect that comes from celebrating it. And I feel honored to be the one bringing the celebration to you via Desert Scene and Giving.
Brie Griset Smith, CSPG, Chief Development Officer for IECF said, “I was touched to receive this heartwarming update from Kate Franco. We’re delighted to see the impact of our fundraising and support, through which we’ve been able to elevate and uplift our dedicated nonprofits and their inspiring stories.”
The CIELO Fund at IECF recently renewed their grant to the Desert Community News Fund. The award will underwrite the writing and publication of stories about Latino-led and Latino-serving organizations in the Coachella Valley. We invite you to contribute to the continued publication of noteworthy community journalism by donating any amount to the Fund – either one time or on a recurring basis.
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