Coachella Valley Changemakers Collective To Hold Inaugural Meeting

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA — The Coachella Valley Changemakers Collective, an initiative spearheaded by the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce composed of 40 local businesses and organizations, will hold its inaugural meeting Friday.

The city's Chamber of Commerce CEO Katie Slimko-Tuvell said she intended to recruit 20 businesses and organizations, and instead 40 signed up.

"This is what Rancho Mirage and the valley looks like when it decides to show up," Slimko-Tuvell said in a statement. "We asked for 20 leaders and 40 raised their hands, and every one of them did it before there was a spotlight, a headline or a ribbon to cut. That tells you everything about the character of this business community. Our nonprofits have carried a lot for a long time. Today, 40 organizations told them: you are not carrying this alone anymore."

Participating founding members includes Animal Samaritans, California Bank and Trust, Cheers Coffee, Desert Bodywork, First Pacific Bank, Gulf California Broadcasting, Minuteman Press Palm Springs, Mission Hills Country Club, Pickering Events, The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage and Visit Greater Palm Springs.

The inaugural meeting will be held from 9-11 a.m. Oct. 23 at the City Council Chambers, located at 69825 Highway 111.

The meeting will gather nonprofit executive leaders from the chamber's membership to lay the groundwork for the collective.

Each founder has signed the Changemakers Pledge, built on five key pillars — give, serve, lead, connect and sustain — to best support nonprofits.

Following the meeting, the chamber will invite organizations and individuals to take the pledge in order to reach 100 changemakers in 100 days starting on Nov. 1

"These are the people who answer the phone when a nonprofit calls, who show up with a check, a truck, a ballroom, a microphone or a spare Saturday," Slimko-Tuvell said.

Businesses and community members who want more information can contact the chamber at RanchoMIrageChamber.org.