The Palm Springs Art Museum is always a smart, classy venue for an upscale event, and this year’s “An Evening at the Museum” benefiting Jewish Family Service of the Desert was no exception.
The event began with a 5 p.m. pre-reception for VIP guests. Kraig Johnson, JFS’ executive director, and Cheryl Scarlett, director of major gifts and fundraising, were on hand to make sure guests had plenty to eat and drink while DJ Modgirl spun tunes and kept everyone’s feet tapping.
This first part of the evening took place upstairs and was masterfully planned down to the last detail by Frank Goldstin and his team at Momentous Events. Food and drinks, prepared and managed by Eight4Nine Fine Catering & Events, included roast beef and salmon plus pasta and turkey with baby potato cakes and sweetly roasted vegetables. Stations were set up around the room, and guests went from one to the other to see variations which included green salads, shrimp cocktails and fresh tuna. Eight4Nine’s pastry chef, Albert Gonzalez, helped finish the delicious meal by providing exquisite desserts.
After two hours of catching up with one another, guests were escorted downstairs to the theater for the program. Johnson began by talking about the work of Jewish Family Service and thanking everyone for their generosity.
The evening’s honorees were Joanne and Myron Mintz, two native New Yorkers who met in San Francisco in 1968 at a Jewish Federation mixer. (They also served as this event’s presenting sponsors.) The pair had the crowd in fits of laughter as they playfully bantered back and forth with each other; this generous couple truly deserved the award of the night for their support and donations to causes close to their hearts.
Next came a dimming of the lights as attendees were treated to an hour of the melodious sounds of Chris Ruggiero. Nostalgic memories of the 1960s and ’70s flooded the theater as his mellifluous vocals soared over timeless hits from those bygone eras.
So many people contributed to help make the evening a success. Maggy Simon was the theater sponsor, Barbie Rogers and Gary Geske were wine and spirits sponsors, Aviva and Ron Snow were dinner reception sponsors, Lee Erwin and Dr. Tim Jochen were champion matching sponsors and Robyn and Norm Brooks were invitation sponsors.
Steve Tobin and Johnny Krupa of the Grace Helen Spearman Charitable Foundation served as entertainment sponsor while The Auen Foundation was the event’s platinum sponsor.
Jewish Family Service of the Desert does not discriminate and is open to people of all faiths. Here are some highlights of the organization’s giving last year: In 2025, JFS provided $196,089 in emergency financial help for rental assistance, overdue utilities, food, medications and medical equipment; 17,132 services to 4,045 unduplicated clients; and services to 1,740 seniors.
In addition, JFS partnered with 16 local agencies to provide clients with no-cost mental health counseling and adopted 15 local families into the family giving circle program while also offering $14,000 in scholarships to local youth to help them attend camp.
About Jewish Family Service of the Desert
The nonprofit’s mission statement is to provide for the social service needs of the Jewish and general community throughout the greater Coachella Valley with a commitment to promoting the well-being of persons of all ages, incomes and lifestyles.
Learn more by visiting jfsdesert.org or calling 760-325-4088.
Carole Stephen-Smith began writing in Scotland for a women’s weekly at the age of 15 and later covered American celebrities for the London Evening Echo. After relocating to the desert, she wrote for Desert Woman in the 1990s. Stephen-Smith focuses on charities that assist women, medical causes — especially breast cancer awareness — and all aspects of child abuse.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Jewish Family Service hosts An Evening at the Museum
Reporting by Carole Stephen-Smith, Special to The Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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