Coachella Valley Rescue Mission awarded $1K grant
It’s a statistic we unfortunately hear all too often. The number of our neighbors experiencing homelessness is growing. Dramatically. The need for shelter and food and clothing is ongoing. But luckily for our community, we have many nonprofits dedicated to help.
One that has been assisting this crucial need since 1971 is the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission (CVRM).
Located in Indio, this important resource helps 100,000 locals a year.
“We provide over 30,000 meals each month,” Kristen Crawford, CVRM’s development coordinator says. “That works out to be two meals for the public a day and three meals for our residents a day. Every day.”
It’s an enormous outreach but one they do with faith, pride and compassion. And that’s just the beginning. There is a lot more that CVRM provides for our community.
“We provide shelter, counseling and safety for struggling women with children,” Crawford says. “We provide recovery, education and vocational training for those seeking stability.”
They make sure they address the many needs of those in need every single day. “We provide emergency shelter for over 300 men, women and children a day.”
It’s such an impressive accomplishment for a challenge that is looming larger every year. There are many reasons and circumstances that create the need for this kind of community support. Many are in need of recovery due to the loss of a job or a home. Many have had health issues or substance abuse problems and find themselves unhoused.
The dedicated staff and volunteers at CVRM serve more than 340,000 meals annually and provide shelter to thousands. The goal is to help clients build self-sufficiency.
Such important and caring work defines the very nature of our valley.
It’s this inspired mission and commitment to helping our neighbors in need that has inspired us to award CVRM this week’s Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation Power of Community $1,000 grant.
CVRM has many important initiatives throughout the year to help raise crucial funds for their outreach as well as an annual toy drive that provides holiday gifts for local children.
Congratulations to CVRM. May you continue your blessed and compassionate mission to help change the lives of those in need. To learn more about the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission or to make a donation, visit cvrm.org.
Sandie Newton is an award-winning broadcast journalist who began her career in Los Angeles as cohost of the nationally syndicated show “PM Magazine.” She went on to host many local and national shows like “Hollywood Insider” before becoming one of the original anchors for E! and a regular on Hallmark Channel’s “Home & Family.” In 2017, she moved to the desert, creating and hosting NBCares for six years. She is currently the host of “Desert Chat,” a half-hour lifestyle show spotlighting all the good people, events and news in the Coachella Valley. Watch it Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on KESQ, at 10:30 p.m. on FOX 11 and noon Mondays on CW5.