Desert Health Care District raising funds for overnight homeless shelter

A local organization is raising funds to provide overnight shelter for the homeless in the western Coachella Valley.

The Well in Desert day center is an escape from the summer heat, especially for those who are homeless in the west valley.

“A lot of us don’t have places to go and not have to wander around or walk around and try to find a cooling spot or some kind of shade or what not,” Brian Taub, who uses day center, said.

Once the day center closes, it’s back to the streets, but starting next week overnight shelters will become available.

“It would be really nice to have another shelter come through here in Palm Springs. It will really be nice,” Taub said.

To help fund the shelters, the Desert Health Care District and Foundation created the Summer Homeless Survival Fund. It would supply some of the $280,000 needed to have an overnight shelter in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and Desert Hot Springs through the summer. City governments and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments will also pitch in separately.

So far about $7,000 has been raised in about a week.

“It would be nice though to raise $100,000 to $150,000 of private money, public money, philanthropy to supplement that program,” Dr. Les Zendle, Desert Health Care District and Foundation Board President, said.

The people staying at the day center will get the chance to be transported to the overnight shelters, providing places to stay for the whole day.

“The whole thing is wonderful that we will have a place for people to be out of the elements for the summer months,” Arlene Rosenthal, President, and CEO of The Well in the Desert said.

A secure place that these people can rely on.

“Kind of a nice touch for us to be somewhere safe instead of all over the city,” Taub said.

Anyone interested in donating to the fund can click here to do so.