CIELO grant gives Galilee Center a boost
“I just love seeing everybody’s expressive faces and experiencing their sense of gratitude,” says Claudia Castorena, CFO and founder of Galilee Center in Mecca. “That’s my payoff. Plus, we are helping people.”
Many people, in fact. Founded in 2010 by Castorena and Gloria Gomez, the vigilant nonprofit organization strives to fulfill the food, clothing and basic needs of east Coachella Valley’s disadvantaged children, families and farmworkers. Though many of its services make an impact, its weekly food baskets distribution stands out, serving more than 350,000 meals annually.
“Volunteers come and help us, and I love seeing more people have an opportunity to do good in the community,” Castorena says. “I’m proud that Galilee Center helps people but also provides that platform for people who want to do good. They get involved and it’s gratifying.”
The non-denominational, non-discriminating nonprofit offers numerous services. For instance, its Infant Services arm offers formula, baby food, diapers and baby wipes to families with babies. Senior services are also offered, providing adults 55 and over supplemental drinks, such as Ensure or Glucerna, as well as Depends and crock pots. Meals are also provided for inbound seniors.
From its Farm Work Center, which offers access to showers and restrooms and food distribution to families in need, to its Rental Assistance program and Thrift Store Voucher program, Galilee Center’s reach extends far and wide.
Helping children also factors into the organization’s impressive mix.
Recently, Galilee Center was a grantee of the CIELO Fund through Inland Empire Community Foundation. The grant helped the organization with its popular Back-to-School Backpacks program, which distributes school supplies to school-aged children in August. Another arm of the same division offers new toys and bicycles to children up to 14 years of age on Christmas Day.
And every year on Jan. 6, Epiphany Day, the organization distributes new tennis shoes, socks and blankets to children. “The backpack program is designed to help those from kindergarten to high school,” Castorena says. “We distributed supplies according to grade. For the high school students, in addition to the backpack, we were able to give everybody a binder and more supplies that a high school kid would need.”
Another standout program at Galilee Center is its Shelter Expansion project, which will add 6,000 square feet, basically doubling its capacity for overnight stays. The emergency shelter will allow the nonprofit to satisfy the need for “a bed for every head.”
Having now achieved its $2 million fundraising goal, the nonprofit can fol
low through on its belief that every individual — from the working poor to homeless families — should have a safe place to stay.
With all the good the organization offers, Castorena is occasionally taken aback that some locals in the region may not know about it.
“When we go around and give presentations, sometimes I’m surprised that there are some people who have never heard about Galilee Center before,” she says. “We’ve been in the east Coachella Valley for 13 years. It tells me that we still have a lot of work to do to make known what we do, and that comes with more exposure.”
Looking ahead, Castorena says the new shelter will play a vital role for the region. As such, the organization is always on the lookout for intrepid volunteers who would want to offer their time for good causes.
“We will have many more opportunities to volunteer,” she adds, “and give an opportunity for people to give monetary donations. People can check our website for that.”
And mark your calendars. The organization’s annual picnic, typically held in July, will assist low-income families in need of food and basic supplies. Donations will go directly to the nonprofit’s various programs — the shelter, Food Baskets, Infant Care Services, Rental and Utility Assistance program, and Senior Services.
Learn more at galileecenter.org. Visit iegives.org.