Grant Helps Complete FIND’s Expansion, Disaster Resiliency and Educational Programs    

INDIO, Calif., Jan. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bank of America has awarded a $500,000 grant to FIND Regional Food Bank to help complete its capital campaign for a new 40,000 square-foot warehouse on its Food Security Campus. The largest food bank and distribution center in the region, FIND Regional Food Bank’s new facility provides nearly three times the space to meet record-level demand.

Announced at FIND’s annual State of Hunger address for major stakeholders, the BofA grant helps fund a state-of-the-art facility that will house extensive cold storage for fresh produce, and a fully sustainable rooftop solar array that together serves as a key part of FIND’s disaster response and resiliency plan. This grant, which also helps fund workforce development training in the new warehouse, is in addition to nearly $200,000 in grants from BofA to FIND over the past 5 years.

“Today’s food banks provide so much more than a meal. Organizations like FIND Regional Food Bank are community hubs for wellness, wrap around services and even workforce training that collectively help people overcome barriers to economic mobility,” said Sherri Anderson, BofA Inland Empire president. “Our support helps FIND grow the space it needs to serve more neighbors, while building the resilience required to keep fresh food flowing during emergencies, when communities are at their most vulnerable.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Bank of America for their generous support of FIND Regional Food Bank,” said Debbie Espinosa, President & CEO of FIND Regional Food Bank. “This grant not only completes our capital campaign for our new warehouse and Workforce Development Training Center, but it also strengthens our ability to provide fresh food, educational programs, and critical disaster-resilient infrastructure to the communities we serve. With this support, we can continue to meet rising demand to serve the over 100 nonprofit community organizations, and ensure that every person in need across our region has access to nutritious food and the resources to build a healthier, more stable future.”

Nearly 11% of Inland Empire residents experience food insecurity, including one in six children in San Bernardino County and one in seven in Riverside County. As demand for its services tripled during the pandemic, FIND outgrew its current facility, exceeding its storage capacity by 80%. Its initial operations included a 35,000 square foot space and three additional leased warehouses across a 100-mile radius.

The newly opened second warehouse with expanded cold storage and refrigeration enables FIND to increase fresh produce distribution by 60% – meeting rising demand while eliminating remote storage costs and ensuring emergency food supplies remain local for rapid response in future crises.

Today, FIND provides over 20 million pounds of food annually to the region’s major soup kitchens, food pantries, religious organizations, and nonprofits, collectively serving 125,000 people each month through a network of 155 distribution sites.

Bank of America has supported FIND Regional Food Bank and its parent Feeding America nonprofit for decades. Most recently, BofA committed $250 million to help address hunger nationwide, including grants and employee volunteer hours to help local food banks meet rising demand.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,600 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

Reporters may contact

Colleen Haggerty, Bank of America
Phone: 1.213.621.7414
colleen.haggerty@bofa.com

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation

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FIND Food Bank received a $37,000 donation generated by Tuscan Friendsgiving, a sold-out culinary fundraiser hosted at Miralon in Palm Springs. The funds are expected to help provide more than 150,000 meals for local families during the holiday season.

Organizers said planning for the event began in February, when Jamie and Lance Huante, working alongside Jeri Wilson, coordinated efforts to bring the fundraiser to Miralon. Months of planning and tireless work followed, ultimately culminating in an event centered on food, culture and community giving.

The fundraiser featured renowned Italian chef Sandra Lotti, founder of the Toscana Saporita Cooking School in Tuscany, Italy. Organizers said they were fortunate to have Lotti travel to Palm Springs to lead the hands-on culinary experience, bringing an authentic taste of Tuscany to the Coachella Valley.

One hundred guests attended the cooking event at Miralon’s Demo Kitchen and Pavilion inside The Miralon Club. After the class, guests gathered at the MiraBar and The Hub, where they sampled and purchased specialty olive oils from Temecula Olive Oil Company. Many attendees were first-time visitors to Miralon, traveling from areas including Orange County, and some had previously attended Lotti’s cooking school in Italy.

FIND Regional Food Bank, the Coachella Valley’s regional food bank, distributes food through a network of community partners and sources supplies through donations, purchased goods and federal nutrition programs such as TEFA, The Emergency Food Assistance Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In a statement provided to News Channel 3, FIND Food Bank addressed the broader context of food insecurity and federal nutrition support:

“We are thankful for lawmakers working together to reopen the government and ensure stability for our neighbors facing hunger. With the President expected to sign the legislation, today’s vote brings us closer to ensuring that federal employees will receive their paychecks and critical nutrition programs like SNAP/CalFresh, WIC, and TEFAP can continue supporting families who rely on them to put food on the table. While we’re relieved that individuals at risk of starvation are much closer to counting on their benefits again, this remains a very challenging moment for neighbors navigating continued uncertainty and rapidly changing information. Food insecurity continues to impact too many of our community members, and FIND Regional Food Bank remains committed to providing essential food access and connecting people to programs like SNAP/CalFresh to help stabilize their households.”

Miralon, developed by Freehold Communities, is a 309-acre master-planned “agrihood” in Palm Springs that emphasizes sustainability, community engagement and access to fresh food. A signature feature of the development is the transformation of a former 18-hole golf course into working olive groves, community gardens and walking trails throughout the neighborhood.

Organizers said the success of Tuscan Friendsgiving shows how collaboration and community-driven events can translate into meaningful support for families facing food insecurity across the Coachella Valley.

For more information on A Tuscan Friendsgiving, visit this link. For more information on FIND Regional Food Bank, and how you can help families in the Coachella Valley, visit this link.

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Due to the intense heat and seasonality of the region, the desert community faces increased challenges as many working families experience job losses and children are home for summer break, losing access to school meals. Amazon’s annual partnership supports FIND in providing vital food resources to individuals and families experiencing summer hunger.

To help fill the summer meal gap, Amazon employees from sites across Southern California collected and donated more than 14 pallets of fresh and frozen food and household items to FIND. Beyond these employee-led donations, the company also leverages its vast logistics network to help deliver food supplies to FIND’s 225 homebound neighbors, making it easier for FIND to focus on deploying food and services to its 155 distribution sites.

“In the fourth year of our partnership, Amazon remains committed to supporting the 120,000 individuals that FIND serves on average each month,” said Debbie Espinosa, president and CEO of FIND Food Bank. “The Coachella Valley embodies the spirit of community, where people come together to ensure that no one is left behind. Amazon, as a corporation, along with the individuals who contribute to its success, is an integral part of that community, ensuring that everyone is taken care of.”

Following the unloading of the Amazon van and check presentation, a team of 30 Amazon operations staff dedicated the remainder of the morning to volunteering. The group, comprised of employees from four local Amazon sites, packed 400 senior boxes for distribution to FIND’s nearly 100 nonprofit community partners and directly to families in need.

“At Amazon, we believe in showing up for our communities in ways that truly matter,” said David Ambroz, Amazon’s head of community engagement for Southern California. “Partnering with FIND Food Bank means more than just a donation — it’s about meeting urgent needs with care and commitment. Our $25,000 contribution will help provide 100,000 meals, but just as importantly, our employees have stepped up to donate essential items that support families beyond the dinner table. The dedication of FIND’s team and the passion of our Amazon volunteers continue to inspire us as we work hand-in-hand to fight hunger in the Coachella Valley.”

Illustrating a shared commitment to ending local hunger, in attendance were elected officials from the offices of congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz, supervisor V. Manuel Perez, and assemblymember Greg Wallis and the cities of Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, La Quinta, and Palm Desert.

“This event is an excellent example of public-private partnership,” said councilmember Dr. Toper Taylor of Indian Wells. “[Partnerships like Amazon and FIND] are an efficient way to give back to the community…We are very grateful to Amazon for their donations and [for volunteering] to make sure that food gets into the hands of those who need it.”

Amazon is committed to addressing hunger and has shown great support of FIND’s hunger relief work in the greater Coachella Valley and High Desert communities. The company has contributed to the organization through this annual partnership event, freight support, financial assistance, and volunteer service.

To learn more about FIND Food Bank, or to find volunteer opportunities and information about donations, visit findfoodbank.org.

Click here to read the full Palm Springs Life coverage.

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Amazon employees also delivered food collected from sites across Southern California and volunteered to help FIND sort and distribute supplies.

The donations come at a critical time. During the summer, many families face increased food insecurity due to seasonal job loss and the absence of school meal programs. The partnership helps fill that gap and ensures more people have access to food when they need it most.

Video: FIND Food Bank and Amazon Partner to Fight Food Insecurity.

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More than 100 restaurants across each of the nine desert cities are participating, to see the restaurants and their prix-fixe menus, head to DineGPS.com.

Restaurant week provides an opportunity to experience new menu items, explore local restaurants and most importantly, support FIND Food Bank. For every reservation booked through this DineGPS.com, $1 will be donated to FIND Food Bank.

Restaurant week is open to the public and does not require purchasing tickets or passes to attend. All you have to do is choose a restaurant at DineGPS.com and make your reservation.

Click here to watch the full KESQ story.

Click here to watch the full NBC Palm Springs story.

Click here to learn more.

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FIND Food Bank was in attendance teaching local youth the importance of recycling and composting food waste, how to give back to the community by donating unopened, nonexpired food items, and sharing additional food and community resources. FIND’s California Conservation Corps fellows also helped youth and other community members plant their own bell peppers to take home.

More than 10 organizations and community partners set up booths and interactive stations for attendees of all ages.

Kids made crafts and learned the importance of sustainable practices. They planted peppers with compost, created upcycled crafts, bird feeders, and more.

Meanwhile, adults had the opportunity to learn about sustainable foods, like microgreens and date farming.

Document shredding, e-waste disposal, and item donation drop-offs were also available.

The event wrapped up at noon, but organizers say they were pleased with today’s turnout and are excited for a bigger event next year.

Stay with News Channel Three to hear from organizers and attendees on the importance of learning sustainable practices this Earth Day.

Click to watch the KESQ Report.

Click to watch the City of Rancho Mirage Report.

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For the 12th straight year, all U.S. Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations are launching the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, including right here in California’s Southeastern Desert Region.

The goal of the annual cause marketing campaign is to provide people facing hunger with access to the food and resources they say they need to thrive. Here’s how it works:

The campaign will run in stores and online from March 1 – March 31, with three ways for shoppers to participate:

– By donating at check-out in stores or clubs or round up at Walmart.com and the Walmart app.

– By purchasing participating products* in-store or online at Walmart.com or SamsClub.com. For every purchase of a participating product, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent** of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America partner food bank at Walmart and five meals ($0.50) at Sam’s Club, up to applicable limits. See specially marked packages for full details.

– By donating at Feeding America’s Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign donation site at either www.feedingamerica.org/walmart or www.feedingamerica.org/samsclub.

Since its inception in 2014, the campaign has generated more than $206 million and helped secure 2 billion meals* for the Feeding America network of local food banks.

“For our community, here in the desert, 1 out of every 6 people are at risk of being food insecure,” said Debbie Espinosa, FIND Food Bank’s President and CEO. “At FIND Food Bank, we want to ensure that each one of our community members know where their next meal is coming from.”

Everyone needs nutritious food to thrive, and in every community in America, people are working hard to provide for themselves and their families. Yet in 2023, 47.4 million people experienced food insecurity in the U.S.

Those are the highest numbers in a decade, underscoring the need for more charitable food assistance in Coachella Valley and beyond.

“For the past 20 years, Feeding America, Walmart and Sam’s Club have worked together to fight hunger and help people live better in the communities we serve,” said Julie Gehrki, president, Walmart Foundation and senior vice president, philanthropy at Walmart. “During the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, we invite our customers and members to join us in providing access to food for our neighbors by supporting FIND Food Bank.”

The 24 participating suppliers for Walmart include: B&G Foods, Inc., Bush Brothers & Company, Celsius, The Coca-Cola Company, Conagra Foods, Dole Packaged Foods, LLC, Ferrero USA, General Mills, Hershey Salty Snacks, Kellanova, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Kodiak, Kraft Heinz, Lipton Tea, Ben’s Original, Materne, Mondelez International, Olipop, Pepsi-Cola Advertising & Marketing, Inc., Hidden Valley Original Ranch, The Hain Celestial Group, WK Kellogg Co, Unilever and Utz Quality Foods

The six participating suppliers for Sam’s Club include: Kellanova, Kodiak, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, Nestlé and Unilever

For more information, visit: feedingamerica.org/campaigns/fight-hunger-spark-change

*Currently, $1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local partner food banks.

** For every purchase of a participating product, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America partner food bank at Walmart and five meals ($0.50) at Sam’s Club, up to applicable limits. See specially marked packages for full details.

Click to read more.

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Indio’s very own Abi Carter kicked off the 2025 Telethon by advocating for FIND’s mission to end local hunger today, tomorrow, and for a lifetime and calling for donations to help support the 125,000 people FIND feeds on average each month.

“Last year FIND raised over $300,000 to help those in the Valley who are food insecure, but I think we can beat it this year,” the American Idol winner said—and, by the end of the evening and through the weekend, FIND did indeed exceed its previous Telethon total.

Between inspiring performances by other local artists, like the Palm Desert High School Professional Theatre Students, Jeff Hobson of Marvyn’s Magic Theater, and In Movement Dance, the community came together to raise the funds to ensure FIND can continue distributing 20 million pounds of nutritious food annually to its 10,000 sq. mile service region throughout California’s Southeastern Desert Region.

“It was such an amazing night…the community really showed up to let everyone experiencing food insecurity know that they are not alone and there are people willing to help,” said Debbie Espinosa, President and CEO of FIND Food Bank. “[Because of our desert community’s generosity], FIND can lift and launch our new expansion warehouse to ensure we never have to turn food away when it’s donated to us. Together, we are giving those struggling through uncertain times a lot of hope, as they know there is a community here to support them and help them not just survive but thrive.”

Elected officials including Congressman Raul Ruiz and Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, along with representatives from Cathedral City, Coachella, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and Rancho Mirage, contributed by taking donations over the phone during the hour-long broadcast.

KESQ’s very own Karen Devine, Garrett Hottle, Blake Arthur, and others participated by sharing the need and encouraging viewers to call in.

This year’s major sponsors included the Houston Family Foundation, City of La Quinta, Food Security Donor, Intersect Power, Ellan and George Batavick, State Farm, Visit Greater Palm Springs, Desert Oasis Healthcare, and the Desert Care Network.

Thanks to the support of city and government officials, KESQ News Channel 3, sponsors, donors, volunteers, local performers, and friends, FIND Food Bank can continue to serve those experiencing food insecurity.

To help support FIND’s expansion and food programs, call 760-775-3663 or donate online at findfoodbank.org.

Read the full article here.

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Update 4/7/25

FIND Food Bank surpassed $350,000 raised!

Original Report 4/4/25

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Friday’s FIND Food Bank Telethon and fundraiser had raised $347,000 nearing the end of the night, surpassing last year’s total of $300,000.

The funds raised will go toward continuing FIND Food Bank’s mission to provide nutritious food to individuals and families facing food insecurity. The money raised this year will also contribute to the completion of FIND’s new expansion warehouse and workforce development center, helping to increase their capacity to serve more people and strengthen local communities.

This incredible fundraising event is a critical part of FIND Food Bank’s mission to serve those in need across our region. And you can make an impact any time – donations are always accepted. Call 760-775-3663, or donate online at findfoodbank.org to help support FIND’s essential services and programs.

All contributions make a direct impact, ensuring that FIND can continue to provide food, services, and programs that lift up those in need.

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With a four-day experience that will feature a diverse selection of mouth-watering eats, premium wines, hands-on cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, and much more.

This year’s event features celebrity chefs Antonia Lofaso, Aarti Sequeira, Brooke Williamson and more.

The event, produced by Palm Springs Life magazine, is in the El Paseo shopping district in Palm Desert Premier chefs from near and far will share cuisine and beverage advice and taste tests throughout.

As the event is celebrating its 13th year, all attendees are also helping to support the FIND Food Bank.

To learn more and watch the full video report: click here.

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