Here’s a quick look at what’s happening with some of our local nonprofits.
Desert Arc recently hosted a press conference in collaboration with Desert Healthcare District & Foundation to announce that a recent grant received allowed the organization to purchase 63 automated external defibrillators to equip its transportation fleet. Desert Arc maintains a fleet of buses, smaller buses, vans and service vehicles to take its 700 clients to and from their homes, job sites and other outings.
“According to our research, Desert Arc may possibly be the first in the Coachella Valley and possibly the first in the country to install these automated external defibrillators in its entire transportation fleet,” said Richard Balocco, the nonprofit’s president and CEO. “Our organization is not required to do this, but we are taking a leadership and proactive approach for the safety of our clients, who receive curb-to-curb, round-trip transportation service from home to our programs and to employment Monday through Friday.”
Research shows that adults with disabilities are three times as likely to have heart disease, as compared to adultswithout disabilities.
Do The Right Thing – Greater Palm Springs (DTRT) held its 14th monthly award ceremony May 15, where it gave out $27,500 in scholarships to 22 graduating high school seniors as part of its scholarship and student assistance project.
More than 600 students from throughout the valley have been nominated and recognized to date by the DTRT program, and 68 students have been selected for “special recognition,” attending a ceremony at the police department and receiving a plaque, certificates of commendation and a prize package valued at more than $500.
DTRT’s program was recently honored with the Riverside County 2024 “Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program” award and a Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation Power of Community grant.
The next DTRT award ceremony will take place June 12.
Idyllwild Arts’ famed series and fundraiser “Jazz in the Pines” will return June 30-July 13 in celebration of its 30th and final year. For three decades, Idyllwild Arts has brought legendary jazz giants from across the United States to perform for eager audiences, and the final event promises an exciting lineup, taking place on the art school’s 250-acre Idyllwild campus.
Curated by festival co-founder Dr. Marshall Hawkins, the two-week festival will include a headlining appearance by John Daversa, performing songs from his Grammy Award-nominated album “Kaleidoscope Eyes: Music of the Beatles.”
“The 30th anniversary will mark the conclusion of the festival, but we pass the torch on to the educators and performers of Jazz in the Pines student clinic as they continue on,” said Pamela Jordan, president of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation. “We are forever indebted to the talented Dr. Hawkins for his vision, his love for his students and his generosity to our community.”
Guests can purchase tickets by visiting idyllwildarts.org/jazz-in-the-pines.
On May 1, the Palm Springs Air Museum (PSAM) announced it had been selected as a 2024 California Nonprofit of the Year by 47th District State Assemblyman Greg Wallis, R-Bermuda Dunes. The museum is one of more than 100 nonprofits to be honored by their state senators and assemblymembers for outstanding contributions to the communities they serve.
According to “Causes Count,” a 2019 report commissioned by CalNonprofits, the nonprofit sector is the fourth largest industry in California, employing more than 1.2 million people. Each year, the state’s nonprofits generate more than $273 billion in revenue, bringing in $40 billion in revenue from outside California. The unpaid labor contributed by nonprofit volunteers is equivalent to 330,000 full-time jobs annually.
Now in its ninth year, the Californian Nonprofit of the Year initiative gives each California state legislator a chance to recognize a nonprofit organization doing outstanding work in their district. The program will culminate with a celebratory luncheon at the capitol on June 5, California Nonprofits Day.
Another season, another successful charity golf tournament, this one benefiting the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission. These bunch of “gorillas” have been playing ball together in one way or another for 36 years. The tournament was started by Tom and Mary Hartigan, who had a son and wanted to keep him happy and out of trouble, so they started a little league boys baseball team in Culver City. That small effort turned into a tradition for these young men of today, who now bring their sons and daughters to play. This annual event is held every first Saturday in May at the Rancho Las Palmas Country Club in Rancho Mirage. Michael Hartigan now runs the tournament in honor of his mother and father and was joined by his son Clark and other family and friends.
This year, the group of 86 players raised $2,330 for the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission.
The Palm Springs International Film Society announced May 15 that it had been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $25,000. This grant will support both the ongoing Palm Springs International Film Festival and Palm Springs International ShortFest.
Dedicated to captivating audiences across the desert landscape and nurturing emerging talents in the realm of media arts, this grant will provide vital support to both festivals as they expose the community to the cinematic endeavors of U.S. and international artists. Examples in practice include events such as Student Screening Day at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, which features screenings paired with panel discussions between esteemed filmmakers and local high school students from the Coachella Valley.
The endowment will also enhance events like the ShortFest Forum, where industry professionals engage in workshops, panels and roundtable discussions. Topics covered include pitching, funding, film composition, short film strategy and more, offering invaluable guidance to budding creatives and festival attendees.
Madeline Zuckerman (Desert Arc) and Mary Swink (Gorilla Tournament) contributed to this report.
