H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation and News Channel 3 Give to Local Nonprofits
Palm Desert, Calif., (December 16, 2021) – The Coachella Valley Spotlight program has reached a total of $4 million in charitable grants to local nonprofit organizations. The partnership with the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation and News Channel 3 has also contributed about $1.2 million in broadcast airtime presented to the charities selected for this award and recognition. Members of the Berger Foundation board presented a $25,000 grant check to Guide Dogs of the Desert, marking the $4 million milestone, on special edition of the New Channel 3’s community affairs show Eye on the Desert.
“The board and I could not be happier to reach this milestone of giving to nonprofits in the valley,” said Christopher McGuire, President and Chairman of the Board of the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation. “Each time we reach a million dollar mark with this special grant program, it’s a reminder of how many people and different types of organizations that have been touched by the Coachella Valley Spotlight.”
Since its inception, the Coachella Valley Spotlight has been awarded to 110 different 501(c)3 organizations; only 22 nonprofits have received the award more than once. Past recipients include organizations that support children, seniors, veterans, the homeless, uninsured and underinsured residents, people living with debilitating medical conditions, animals, education, the arts, and more.
“The Coachella Valley Spotlight partnership with News Channel 3 is so valuable to local nonprofits because they receive a $25,000 grant from the Berger Foundation, plus media exposure from News Channel 3, which often leads to more donations and volunteers,” said Catharine Reed, Vice President of Charitable Programs for the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation. “It’s such a nice package of the two things nonprofits need most – funding and exposure.”
In addition to the grant funds, beneficiaries of the Coachella Valley Spotlight are featured on News Channel 3’s Eye on the Desert, in public service announcements, and on the station’s website, www.kesq.com. Guide Dogs of the Desert is being featured on the show and in PSAs throughout December. For more information about Guide Dogs of the Desert visit www.gddca.org. To learn more about the Coachella Valley Spotlight go to www.kesq.com.
“It’s exciting to celebrate this milestone with the Berger Foundation and past Spotlight recipients,” said Jerry Upham, General Manager of Gulf California Broadcast Company, which owns and operates KESQ News Channel 3 and KPSP CBS Local 2. “We’re looking forward to continuing this partnership into 2022, so we can reach even more deserving charities in our area.”
