As the presenting sponsor this year at the Palm Springs Health Run and Wellness Festival, the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation will spotlight two community partners and grantees that are advancing health and wellness across the Coachella Valley.

Desert Physicians Medical Group Health (DPMG) will receive the Community Health Influencer Award during festival programming Jan. 27 at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs. For more than a year, DPMG Health has operated and managed the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation's mobile medical clinic.

With the leadership of Dr. Gemma Kim and Dr. Tae Kim, the clinic delivers healthcare services to traditionally underserved valley residents. Its crew of dedicated physicians and medical residents regularly visits homeless encampments, school campuses, farms, and other communities in need.

DPMG Health will soon launch a second mobile clinic, which the District and Foundation approved in 2023 to provide behavioral health, a pharmacy, and other services. The District and Foundation purchased both mobile clinics with funding support from the Coachella Valley Resource Conservation District.

The other festival honoree, OneFuture Coachella Valley, will receive the Community Wellness Advocate Award. Three years ago, the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation started a scholarship program with OneFuture to support Black and African American students across the valley who are pursuing careers in health professions.

The program was designed to increase equity in higher education and to support growing the local healthcare workforce. The scholarships are awarded annually to graduating high school seniors and/or students already enrolled in college or university. Sheila Thornton, president/CEO of OneFuture Coachella Valley, will receive the award.

"On behalf of the Healthcare District Board and staff, I congratulate both honorees," said Evett PerezGil, Board president. "We are fortunate to support and work with many nonprofit organizations, and they all are worthy of recognition. What I deeply appreciate about OneFuture Coachella Valley and DPMG Health is they are great examples of how collaboration can have a valley-wide impact."

The Palm Springs Health Run and Wellness Festival will take place at 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at Ruth Hardy Park, 700 Tamarisk Road, Palm Springs. Learn more.

About the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation

The Desert Healthcare District is a local government agency formed in 1948. Its mission is to achieve optimal health at all stages of life for all District residents. The District includes more than 400,000 residents and encompasses the entire Coachella Valley. The District and Desert Healthcare Foundation, together, are one of the largest funders in the valley. These funds are used to assist residents — especially the underserved — in accessing vitally needed resources, such as primary and behavioral healthcare. Learn more: dhcd.org.