Every quarter Birba and F10 pairs up with a non-profit to bring awareness to the issues impacting our local community and the organizations that support them. Our Piece of the Pie initiative supports non-profits by donating 100% of profits after cost when Birba patrons purchase the charity pizza. The ingredients chosen for the charity pizza are handpicked by each organization with love and care. This quarter we are partnering with Well in The Desert, a grassroots organization whose mission is to help our community members through intervention, advocacy, and poverty prevention with a focus on providing access to hot, nutritious meals - quality service and access to quality food are two missions we here at F10 are proud to stand behind.

Well in the Desert offers emergency food assistance, weekly supplemental food distribution, and a wide array of services through advocacy to those affected by poverty, including the working poor, the homeless, seniors, veterans, the handicapped, and others in the western end of the Coachella Valley. We sat down with Arlene Rosenthal, President and ED of Well in the Desert to learn about the organization and how we can help support them!

F10- Tell us a little bit about Well in the Desert?

AR - We are a grassroots organization whose mission is to make sure people do not go hungry, to help avert further poverty, to make sure those homeless have fuel for their bodies (good nutritious foods) so they can make better decisions in their lives. We believe that good hot meals keep the brain and body healthy.

F10 - What sets your organization apart from other organizations in our community?

AR - We are a grassroots organization, dedicated to service, not profit, nor power over anyone. We believe that kindness and caring help an individual more than punishment. We have rules to follow, but we lead with kindness and respect. We do not have a high-paid administrator, rather one that takes little, and the Board is all hands-on in all aspects of Well in the Desert.

F10 - What do you want our readers to know about your organization?

AR - We would like them to know that we are totally transparent, have no alternative motives individually or collectively, only the desire to make people’s lives better through food and services.

F10 - Is there a particular program or service at your organization you’d like to highlight?

AR - Our food programs are stunning, hot nutritious/delicious meals daily, home delivery every Friday to those not able to be out, emergency food boxes, and 2 food distributions on Saturday for those in homes.

F10 - How can people best support your organization?

AR - They can make clothing and hygiene product donations (soaps, shampoos, razors, etc) along with food and snacks. Additionally, we have two fundraisers every year that are open for public attendance and lastly financial donations.

F10 - How has COVID impacted your organization and the people it helps?

AR - It made life a lot harder, but we all have gotten through it, with very few cases of covid, and we could not have our fundraisers.

F10 - What Birba pizza did you choose for your charity and why?

AR - We chose a vegetarian pizza, and it is delicious. We had dinner there the other night, and you could not stop eating it.

F10 - What is one of your personal favorite items on the Birba menu?

AR - The tri-colore salad, the cauliflower salad, the vegetarian pizza, and your very unique whiskey sour.

F10 - Do you have any upcoming events you’d like us to share?

AR - Yes! Please join us on Sunday, April 24th at the Renaissance Esmerelda in Indian Wells for our Broadway under the Stars event featuring performances by the incomparable Jamie Chamberlin and Cedric Berry! (see flyer for more details, book tickets here)