Rebuild Palm Springs closes fund, makes final grants a year after bombing

The grassroots fund tied to last year’s fertility clinic bombing raised nearly $160,000 and is sending its remaining balance to health grants, a police equipment purchase and emergency prep workshops, its organizers announced late last week.

Rebuild Palm Springs, a community fund created after the May 17, 2025, car bombing at American Reproductive Centers, is officially closing after distributing $87,000 directly to affected businesses and individuals, organizers said in a statement Thursday.

The fund was established four days after the bombing by a coalition of small business owners — Bob Smiland of Desert Hand Car Wash, Liz Ostoich of FARM, Tac/Quila and Clandestino, Willie Rhine of 849 Restaurant and Lounge, Bill Sanderson of Townie Bagels and Gregory Goodman of My Little Flower Shop — to help families and businesses facing structural damage and repair costs not covered by insurance.

The bombing struck the fertility clinic in the 1100 block of North Indian Canyon Drive, leaving nearby small businesses with uninsured losses tied to a gap in terrorism insurance coverage.

With all parties who sought assistance now accommodated, organizers said they are closing the fund and distributing its remaining balance in three allocations: $34,000 for grants supporting reproductive health care for clients with financial need, $34,000 to the Palm Springs Police Foundation for the purchase of a mobile command unit, and $5,000 for emergency preparedness workshops for small businesses in Palm Springs.

The Desert Business Association and Palm Springs Pride served as the fund’s administrative and fiscal partners. In the statement, the organizations said the money raised was “entirely independent of other local initiatives,” adding that no administrative fee was charged, no staff members were compensated and no public funds were used to manage the fund.

Two other recovery efforts operated separately from Rebuild Palm Springs, according to the statement. The city of Palm Springs assisted affected business owners through its Palm Springs Recovery Fund, supported by a $50,000 allocation from the Palm Springs City Council in July 2025.

The Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce also administered a separate $125,000 “Palm Springs United” fundraiser in partnership with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

“Thank you for standing with Palm Springs when it mattered most,” the organizations said in the statement.

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