This month Lift to Rise will recognize key individuals and organizations making meaningful contributions to the collaborative work of increasing housing stability and economic mobility in the Coachella Valley through a new celebratory event: The Community Investment Awards.
More than 250 people are expected to attend the inaugural Community Investment Awards, taking place Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert. The theme for the evening is “For the Love of Each Other,” an expression of the core value that drives Lift to Rise and partners to invest time and energy toward improving our community. Lift to Rise is excited to make the Community Investment Awards an annual event.
“We created the Community Investment Awards to recognize the love and care of leaders and organizations working at every level to build opportunities for residents of the Coachella Valley amid the challenges of inequity we see and experience in our community every day,” said Lift to Rise CEO Heather Vaikona. “Each honoree in this inaugural group believes investing in community brings unfathomable, priceless returns, and we are thrilled to give them this well-deserved recognition.”
Since its inception five years ago, Lift to Rise has worked to improve the lives of Coachella Valley residents by partnering with diverse stakeholders and combining their expertise to create bold and impactful solutions. This approach is often referred to as a collective impact model, and today Lift to Rise is proud to have more than 70 partners contributing to its strategic work.
The recipients of the 2023 Community Investment Awards are:
The Arc of Justice Award – honors exemplary persistent leadership in promoting a more fair and just future
Gene Sperling
The People’s Champion Award – recognizes a person who goes above and beyond their formal role to right for community priorities, critical investment, and human dignity
Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia
The Historical Impact Award – salutes a person or group whose steadfast leadership over time has worked to right historical wrongs
Pearl Devers and Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors
The Advocate of the Year Award – acknowledges someone who inspires others to make a difference by engaging their community and decision-makers in promoting better outcomes for their community
Flor Tolley, Wells Fargo Foundation
The Changemaker Award – celebrates trailblazing leadership that, in the spirit of change, transformed community well-being in the Coachella Valley
Mary Ann Ybarra, Coachella Valley Housing Coalition
The Community Anchor Awards – pays tribute to the leadership and/or organizations that nurture community connection and stability while also catalyzing growth
Desert Healthcare District and Foundation
RAP Foundation
The Public Partner of the Year Award – applauds a public sector leader or agency that transcends the traditional role of local government for the well-being of its constituents
Riverside County Housing and Workforce Solutions