May 6 Daily Briefing: Small city’s big effort to help Palm Springs homeless, a unique schools celebration, and more

Welcome to a new week, everyone, where we’re taking time to read through some of the coverage of Holocaust Remembrance Day, an annual observance to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. If you haven’t seen the stories of some of the survivors who live in the Coachella Valley that appeared in The Desert Sun over the weekend, we’d encourage you to read them here. Also worth a read is how the stories came to be — an effort dating back two years — which you can read here.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Days are gone” by HAIM

LEADING OFF

Unhoused in Palm Springs benefit from Catalina Island’s generosity

A small town with a big heart spent the past two weekends working to help the homeless in Palm Springs.

Driving the news: The City of Avalon, located on Catalina Island, selected Well In The Desert as the beneficiary of its annual clothing drive this year, collecting enough donations to fill a 40-foot shipping container for the Palm Springs-based homeless services provider.

Looking back: On April 27, members of the Avalon Rotary, City Council, Mayor Anni Marshall and other city officials participated in the collection effort. The city’s youth program, organized through the Rotary, assisted in boxing up the donated clothes for transport.

Zoom in: The clothing was placed on a barge, which docked in Long Beach. It was then trucked to Palm Springs this past Saturday where Avalon Councilmember Michael Ponce accompanied a delivery crew to oversee the unloading of the clothes. 

• In all, 7,000 pounds of clothes were collected. Well In The Desert said the donated clothing will be distributed to its homeless clients in the coming weeks.

Why it matters: With only one small thrift store on the island, Avalon officials said the drive was necessary to keep unwanted clothing out of the landfill while also supporting those in need. The effort aimed to help the homeless while also protecting the environment.

What they’re saying: “The outreach from the Avalon community is overwhelming,” said Matthew Naylor, who heads the Well  in the Desert board of directors. “A town of 3,500 wanted to help the homeless in any way they could, knowing what we do here.”

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IN OTHER NEWS

🚉 While the plan for passenger rail service between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley takes shape, which mid-valley city will land a station? Tom Coulter breaks it all down. [Yahoo News via The Desert Sun]

📽️ Manny the Movie Guy is celebrating 20 years as a local fixture. Read what he has to say as he looks back at the start of his career here. [NBC Palm Springs]

💍 Comedy icon Amy Poehler officiated a wedding ceremony filled with meaningful moments recently at a boutique hotel nestled in the heart of Palm Springs. [Palm Springs Life]

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Mon Petit Salon
5 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
Experience world music with a French accent at Mon Petit Salon, hosted by violin virtuoso Jeremie Levi Samson. ($10)

AAPAC End of Year Celebration
6 p.m. | Palm Springs High School Performing Arts Center
Join the Palm Springs Unified School District’s African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC) as it celebrates the class of 2024. The event will feature academic awards, the presentation of kente cloths for all seniors, and a keynote speech by AAPAC President and Board of Education Member Charlie Ervin.

Monday Men’s Coffee
6 p.m. | Gre Coffeehouse
Come have coffee and chat with other men about issues that are on your mind. No RSVP required — just drop in!

Fabulous Bingo
7 p.m. | Kings Highway at Ace Hotel
Join Bella Da Ball for a night of fabulous bingo. (Must spend $30 at Kings Highway to participate.)

SAVE THE DATE

• Harvey Milk Breakfast on Thursday at the Palm Springs Convention Center.
• Miralon Blood Drive on May 17. Sign up today!
• Communities’ Finest Dance Showcase on May 18 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
• Community Outreach for Parks and Recreation Master Plan on May 22 at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center.
• Palm Springs Firefighters Association Fish Fry on June 1 at Ruth Hardy Park.
• Palm Springs International ShortFest from June 18 -24.

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AND FINALLY …

Some unsung heroes among the 2,000 employees of the Palm Springs Unified School District received special recognition Friday.

Driving the news: Members of the Nutrition Services staff at all school sites received lunch with gratitude expressed for all they do to serve students breakfast, lunch or other meals every day.

• At the district’s Central Kitchen, PSUSD Nutrition Services Director Sarah Phelps was on hand to surprise and thank team staff there with lunch from Aspen Mills.

Behind the scenes: The first Friday of May is set aside as School Lunch Hero Day, honoring each person responsible for providing food to millions of children across America.

• In the PSUSD, nearly 20,000 students are served breakfast, lunch, and other meals by roughly 160 members of the Nutrition Services staff.