Early on the morning of Jan. 30, the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa in Indian Wells welcomed 150 supporters and friends to FIND Regional Food Bank’s The Guardians: Major Stakeholder Annual Breakfast.
The event opened with a simple breakfast, which, along with the room, was donated by the Renaissance. Trisha Pearce, FIND’s board chair, greeted everyone, followed by the event’s emcee Katie Boer, meteorologist from KESQ News Channel 3.
Boer introduced the guest speaker, Elizabeth Knowles, director of community engagement for Intersect Power, a corporate partner with FIND. Knowles shared her experiences of growing up in a lower-middle-class home, where food was plain and available, but not abundant. However, looking back, she now realizes some of her neighbors and schoolmates probably did have real food security issues.
As she said: “It’s easy to forget about what challenges others may be facing when your own social class doesn’t include people who have food insecurity.”
Following her remarks, Knowles shared the stage via video with Ami McReynolds, chief advocacy & community partnerships officer of Feeding America, which serves as the umbrella organization for FIND as well as 200 other food banks across the country. Knowles and McReynolds hosted a Q&A session for the audience, in which the gathering learned of the many people and organizations across the nation benefiting from Feeding America.
But along with the benefits, the challenges for many people are still significant. “Often people have so many other struggles they’re contending with, food insecurity is just one of them,” McReynolds said.
The goal of both Feeding America and FIND, ultimately, is to end hunger in America. To this end, Indio-based FIND was founded in 1983 and today has expanded to reach the needs of those experiencing food insecurity throughout eastern Riverside and southern San Bernardino counties, as well as the High Desert and Joshua Tree, the Coachella Valley to Anza and the Salton Sea to the Arizona border. FIND currently feeds an average of 120,000 individuals, including families, children and seniors each month. The organization currently has 130 distribution sites, including nearly 100 community nonprofits, such as food pantries, soup kitchens and religious groups as well as 22 free Community Mobile Markets, who serve food in low-income areas.
Of course, the world of food insecurity relief cannot run on financial support alone. The number of volunteers needed at every stage in the herculean process of gathering and distributing food, including delivering to far-off locations, cannot be overstated. And FIND knows how valued and trusted some of these heroic volunteers are to the organization. At this fifth annual Hunger Hero Awards celebration, FIND honored two heroes for their deep commitment to fighting hunger and advancing FIND’s mission. The 2025-2026 FIND Regional Food Bank Guardians Hunger Hero Individual Award went to long-time FIND supporters Robert Cooper and Allen Katz.
Along with individuals who support the food bank, businesses also play a crucial role in helping develop the capacity and quality of the operation. This year’s Hunger Hero Business Award went to Impact Through Golf Foundation/The American Express. Pat McCabe, executive director of The American Express, accepted the award, noting that both these businesses have joined together to form a foundation that actively promotes FIND’s mission. Part of their efforts include digital channels, community events and an annual Community Service Day that brings volunteers and staff together to support everyone’s food distribution efforts.
The capstone moment of the morning saw Sherri Anderson, president of Bank of America Inland Empire, present FIND with a $500,000 check donated by the financial institution. Debbie Espinosa, FIND’s president and CEO, graciously accepted the generous gift while keeping the focus on why these volunteers and business leaders give so much of their time and money: “We are all dedicated to making sure our community is safe — all of us together can end hunger.”
The goal of these dedicated volunteers, donors and community leaders remains always at the forefront of their efforts. As they each will tell you: “No one should ever have to wonder where their next meal is coming from.”
A donation from The Hideaway Golf Club
On Feb. 4, members of The Hideaway Golf Club in La Quinta presented the food bank with a check for $200,000. Their continued dedication to hunger relief has helped provide nearly 2 million meals since 2020.
To learn more about FIND Regional Food Bank or to make a donation, visit findfoodbank.org.
Marilyn Jones relocated to Palm Springs from Los Angeles. A native of Newport Beach, Jones earned her B.A. in English at UC Irvine and her Masters and PhD at UC Davis. She has worked as a professional writer, editor and magazine journalist. Before retiring, Jones worked as program director for an educational NGO, which took her across the U.S., Africa and parts of Asia. Today Jones’s interests revolve around her grandson, Archer, as well as photography, painting, writing and her newest avocation, poetry.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: FIND Food Bank holds annual Hunger Hero Awards, receives grants
Reporting by Marilyn Jones, Special to The Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
