This is the story of how two organizations came together through philanthropy to do the right thing for the community.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened in the Coachella Valley — a special place that is known for its stunning natural beauty as much as its giving spirit — and it certainly won’t be the last.
But because of a collaborative effort between The Desert Sun and the Inland Empire Community Foundation, I am pleased to announce that Desert Scene and Giving, a long-running section in the Sunday Desert Sun, will be returning on Oct. 22. Tasked with reviving and nurturing this section is a familiar person to those in the community. Winston Gieseke has been rehired in the role of philanthropy editor and has been hard at work since the beginning of September to create a new and improved section that he is excited to debut.
For those who might not be familiar, Desert Scene and Giving is a place where we feature news about nonprofit donors and volunteers, and the important work they do in the community. We preview upcoming activities and events for a wide variety of organizations, regardless of their marketing budgets, in both story and calendar form. And we report on local grant and funding opportunities as well as changes in leadership at nonprofits.
Gieseke put it well: “’Giving’ is about so much more than donating money. People can give with their time or their expertise. Just showing up can make a world of difference for someone.”
Fittingly, this has been made possible because this community cares.
Staff cuts and a way forward
So, how did we get here? Let me back up a bit.
The Desert Scene and Giving section went on hiatus in December 2022 due to staff budget cuts. Knowing how important this section is to the community — and the volunteers, donors and organizations who operate in the philanthropic sphere — former Executive Editor Julie Makinen and I partnered with Brie Griset-Smith at IECF with a challenge in mind: to find a way to bring the section and its editor back and then work to ensure its future. Our guiding principle? Our hard work will serve to lift the voices of others’ hard work.
Over the course of nearly a year, Griset-Smith and I have had the privilege to talk with so many of you who feel as passionately as we do.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds, Bank of America, Ann Sheffer and the CIELO Fund @ IECF — along with many other individuals from across the community — answered the call, going on record that they believe in community journalism and the power of the pen in lifting up the stories of those who are doing good for their neighbor.
Eye to the future
But there’s a common refrain in the philanthropic community that applies here, too. Our work is not done.
The Desert Sun and IECF have a lofty goal of ensuring the future of this section beyond just a single season or a year or two years. And we’re not there yet.
We know there are more heroes in this community. Gifts to the Inland Empire Community Foundation to support this effort are tax-deductible and can be made to the Community News Fund @ IECF. A full list of IECF’s funds, including the Desert Community News Fund, can be found at https://inlandempire.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list?showlist=1. Donations to the Desert Community News Fund can be made through this link: https://tinyurl.com/35rbscwh. IECF also accepts contributions by check. Those may be addressed to IECF, with “Desert Community News Fund” in the memo field. The address is IECF, c/o Desert Community News Fund; 3700 Sixth St., Suite 200; Riverside, CA 92501.
Gifts directly fund the salary for the editing and management staff necessary to produce this weekly section.
“One of the things I most enjoy about working on the Desert Scene and Giving sections is the opportunity to put happy, uplifting stories in the paper,” Gieseke said. “With all the negativity in the world, it’s nice to publish stories that make people feel good.”
Now more than ever, we need a bright spot and some hopefulness.
Kate Franco is executive editor of The Desert Sun. Reach her at kate.franco@desertsun.com.
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