Thirty-one years ago, Fr. Don asked me if I could help a family in need during the Christmas season. The father of the family of three, with another one on the way, was a field worker, and the mother, because of a heart condition and pregnancy, had to stop working as she awaited her upcoming surgery. I was happy to help and bought a few groceries, and some toys for their 3-year-old and was able to get Sun World to donate fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Christmas for the needy in our valley has grown. We’ve helped hundreds of families and thousands of children over the past 30 years and have been blessed with many volunteers, some of whom have been with me since the beginning. Last year in 2022, we had 40 families which included 117 children, also because of Covid-19 restrictions we were still able to have the families come to the church in Coachella and have a drive-thru event. Our families come from our local churches, and schools, and by word of mouth from people who know the program. We receive raffle items and receive monetary donations to provide each family with a gift card from a local grocery store along with toys, bikes, non-perishable foods, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

Along with our generous business monetary donations, people have donated raffle prizes, and gift cards for the teenagers. Sun City Palm Desert Bike Club for their bike and toy donations, Primetime International for donating toys, and to Fr. Francisco Gomez S.T. from Our Lady of Soledad Church for their support over the past years. We hope to continue working together for many more years to come.

Contact: Rena Agoot Baskets of Love Coordinator

Phone: (760) 275-0029

Email: ragoot@primetimeproduce.com