Desert Healthcare District and Foundation awards over $1M in grants

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - Desert Healthcare District and Foundation awarded more than $1 million in grants to five nonprofit organizations in the Coachella Valley designed for mental and behavioral health services and programs, along with a pair of other unrelated grants.

On Tuesday, the District and Foundation Board approved $1,039,139 to five out the 19 organizations that applied to a request for proposals titled, ``Empowering Resilient Youth and Families: Advancing Mental and Behavioral Health Support.''

District officials revealed Thursday the organization's names and their uses for the grants.

Olive Crest, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing child abuse and offers 24/7 crisis response, was awarded $249,865 to support key Crisis Response Team staff, who provide case management, trauma-informed therapeutic support and coordinated care among young people and families.

Boys and Girls Club of Cathedral City was awarded $140,732 to support partial salaries of five key staff positions, on-site clinical counseling though a subcontract with Jewish Family Services of the Desert, trauma-informed training and essential program infrastructure.

El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center provides bilingual behavioral health services, peer support, housing and other services was awarded $248,565. The funds will be used toward supporting six positions and cover a behavioral health consultant.

Oak Grove Institute Foundation was awarded $248,055, which will be used to support the partial salary of a case manager, items related to medical and mental health expenses and up to 600 sessions with a consultant mental health therapist.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Desert was awarded $151,922. Funding will support staff and essential training and materials, community workshops and peer-to-peer groups among other items.

In addition to the grants, the district and foundation board awarded $326,000 to Desert Cancer Foundation and $200,000 to Vision to Learn.   

The total awarded came out to  $1,565,139. All nonprofit organizations have a project period from Jan.1 to Dec. 31, 2027.   

``In many ways 2025 has been a rewarding year for the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation,'' CEO Chris Christensen said in a statement. ``It is especially gratifying for the board and staff to respond to the Coachella Valley's needs through our grants program, whether we're funding essential mental and behavioral health services or supporting the staffing and programmatic needs of a great organization like the Desert Cancer Foundation.''