Galilee Center receives $2M grant for shelter expansion

A local non-profit is getting a boost in funding from the state of California reaching its $2 million goal to help east valley families and migrants. Now, the Galilee Center has enough money to double the size of its shelter.

Center co-founder Gloria Gomez said it's been a work in progress over the past four years. They will be able to serve more families and refugees in need. 

"There's a lot of a lot of cities on the this side [of the valley] and there are very needy people and we are the only shelter," said Gomez. "We have not had a real shelter, it was just basically the community room was a shelter."

Assembly member Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) worked in collaboration with community partners to deliver funding for district priorities through the Legislature’s state budget process. The Galilee Center was one of the local nonprofits that received funding.

"This building has been here since the 1950s and we are trying to renovate it as much as we can-- some of the things that we have not renovated," said Gomez. "It will be a blessing for all the farmworkers and all the people who live around here."

The expansion project will add 6,000 square feet of emergency shelter for farmworkers and a new administration office helping increase wrap-around services for families in need, farmworkers, and asylum seekers.

The new expansion at the Center will separate men and women’s housing and will provide increased privacy and security. It will double capacity from 75 beds to 150 beds, the kitchen will be remodeled, and the community room will no longer act as shelter to be available for other use.

Construction will start in the coming weeks and the Center plans to finish the expansion by the start of next year.