COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – The Agua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians Tribal Council distributed 2,000 turkeys to ten different organizations across the Coachella Valley on Monday as part of their annual turkey donation.

The effort helps hundreds of local families receive a traditional holiday meal.

Organizations that received turkeys were:

Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs

Food Now

Father’s Heart Ranch

Farmworker Services Coalition of Imperial Valley

American Legion Auxiliary Owen Coffman Unit 519

Olive Crest

Martha’s Village & Kitchen

Riverside County Office of Education

Coachella Valley Rescue Mission

Well in the Desert

Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Margaret Keung says of the donation, “The energy is really high. The kids have been doing arts and crafts, drawing turkeys, coloring turkeys. So last week has been all about turkeys. So we’re really excited about today and having the opportunity to reach out to so many families that are coming in to pick up their gift.” 

Well in the Desert President Matt Naylor says, “Typically we feed 250 meals a day in Palm Springs, and we feed 120 families on Saturdays. And so the turkeys really go a long way for feeding those with major food insecurities that we have here in our desert. . . I’d like to thank the tribe for the continued support of us for many years, for over 20 years, and the food does go to a good cause of feeding people. And it’s amazing how many people need food, and the tribe is such a big player that it helps so much, and we are very thankful that they’re here to be a partner with us.”

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