Press

1,000 EAST VALLEY CHILDREN RETURN TO CLASS WITH BACKPACKS AND MORE

Mecca, CA – (August 27, 2019) – An estimated 1,000 children from the East Coachella Valley began classes last week with a brand new backpack filled with school supplies for the 2019-20 school year. As families lined the entrance to the Galilee Center on August 14, volunteers were filling each donated backpack with the much needed supplies for each K-12 child.

For the ninth consecutive year, this annual event has helped countless underprivileged students of the Coachella Valley School District begin their school year with supplies that are critical to their confidence and learning. Explains Galilee Center Co-Founder Claudia Castorena, “We are grateful to all donors and volunteers who helped made this special event possible.”

Individuals and business partners alike contributed to this community-centered event, and included BIGHORN Cares, Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa and Palm Desert Rotary.

Recently celebrating its ninth year, Galilee Center in the East Coachella Valley is recognized for its wide-ranging services to many of the area’s overlooked. The center relies largely on the generosity of the public to sustain its ability to provide clothing, food and shelter to all ages from its service-focused building in Mecca. The Galilee Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that fulfills the needs of local underprivileged and disadvantaged families, children and farmworkers. Led by co-founders Claudia Castorena and Gloria Gomez, Galilee Center is located at 66101 Hammond Road in Mecca. For more information and to donate throughout the year, please call Galilee Center at 760-396-9100 or Donate Online.