VFW Post 1534 kitchen remodeled with Spotlight grant

Eye on the Desert’s Caitlin Thropay visited the Veterans of Foreign Wars Joseph L. Stone Post 1534 in Desert Hot Springs to see how they used their H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation’s Spotlight grant.

Four months ago the kitchen at the VFW post in Desert Hot Springs looked a lot different from how it looks today. There were broken nobs, handles and the cooking equipment hadn’t been replaced in over 20 years.

But thanks to the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation’s $25,000 grant, they were able to use the grant to refurbish their kitchen.

“Now our output has increased by over 75 percent to where when people come in for our private events or our regular dining experience, everything goes a lot faster and smoother,” Jeff Horton, the Post Commander and Executive Chef told News Channel 3.

Some of the appliances that were upgraded are the stove, shelving, deep fryers, a salad refrigerator, new cooking equipment including utensils and new flooring.

“The whole thing is brand new,” Horton said. “As the executive chef, it means a lot because then I know the equipment is efficient and that it’s not going to break down in the middle of cooking to where I have about 50 to 200 people outside my kitchen door that start yelling and throwing stuff,” he added.

Every week, 15 volunteers work in the kitchen to help bring hot meals to veterans, their families and the community.

“I’m very grateful for everyone stepping up and helping the veteran community because it doesn’t just help me, it helps the 55,000 plus veterans here in the Coachella Valley to be able to come here, do their claims, do a lot of different things and have a home-cooked meal,” he said.

If you work with a local nonprofit that could benefit from a Spotlight grant check, applications are being accepted on our website through September 9th.