The seventh edition contains 25 stories celebrating health, community, innovation, and the people behind DAP Health’s mission.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — [September 29, 2026] — DAP Health has released the seventh edition of its annual DAP Health magazine, unveiling the largest issue in the publication’s five-year history.

Seven departments. Twenty-five stories. 124 pages. Hundreds of people whose work, experiences, generosity, and ideas are represented within them. Together, they form something larger than any individual article: a portrait of a community health center network connected to those it serves by the belief that high-quality, compassionate health care is not a privilege but a basic human right that belongs to everyone. Issue Seven was edited by Senior Communications Manager Daniel Vaillancourt.

At the heart of Issue Seven is a cover story celebrating longtime CEO David Brinkman, who marks his 20th anniversary at the helm of the nonprofit this year. The extensive profile not only looks back at more than two decades of Brinkman’s leadership, during which time both the organization and the communities it serves have undergone extraordinary change, but sheds light on the CEO’s vision for the future.

25 Stories, Seven Ways of Looking at Community

Since its inaugural issue in 2021, DAP Health magazine has evolved into a printed expression of a mission built around the belief that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and affirmed.

This year, that story is told on a larger canvas than ever before. For the first time, the magazine’s 25 stories are organized into seven distinct departments, allowing readers to explore DAP Health and the broader community through different lenses.

Feature Stories The human side of DAP Health

• “Becoming Thalia Hayden,” a profile of the beloved NBC Palm Springs personality, who hosts “DAP Health Explains” segments online and on TV
• “Homeless to Hopeful,” a profile of patient and Vista Sunrise I resident Brenda Bermudez
• “Put a Little Love in Your Heart,” a profile of Revivals Palm Springs team member Hector Guerrero
• “The Men Who Showed Up,” about the founding of Revivals Thrift Stores as told through the eyes of early volunteer Thom Muller
• “Leading the Way: David Brinkman’s 20 Years as CEO”          

Living Well Patient-friendly health education and prevention

• “A Checkup Is a Checkup,” about the importance of preventive care
• “Beyond Blood Sugar,” about living well with diabetes
• “PrEP Is for Her, Too,” about HIV prevention for women
• “How To Keep Your Medi-Cal Coverage”

Family & Children’s Health For parents and guardians

• “We Know You Love Your Newborn. We Do, Too,” about the benefits of well-baby visits
• “Why Well-Child Visits Matter”
• “Fluoride Varnish and Children’s Health”

Community Impact We’re all in this together

• “Every Desert Breath You Take,” about improving desert air quality
• “Meeting Patients Where They Are,” about DAP Health’s mobile community health efforts          
• “A Taste of Togetherness,” about a fundraising partnership with Perry’s Fine Wine & Liquors
• “DAP Health’s Stonewall Complex,” about the various services available at this Cathedral City institution        

Voices & Ideas Thought leadership and community perspectives

• “Never Forget,” about DAP Health’s recent discovery of priceless Holocaust artifacts
• “The Art of Disagreeing Well,” or how conflict can yield positive results
• “Changing Lives Is More Than a Mantra,” wherein 15 team members talk about their connection to DAP Health’s mission

Leadership & Innovation How DAP Health is growing and evolving

• “A Commitment to Service,” a profile of Board Member Jordan Hall
• “Pharmacy, Reimagined,” about the benefits of using a DAP Health-owned drugstore
• “The Center of It All,” about the upcoming DAP Health’s Oceanside Sexual Wellness Clinic and Pharmacy coming soon to San Diego’s North County

Philanthropy & Support Donors, supporters, and volunteers

• “All In for DAP Health,” a profile of major donors and spouses Walter Gendell and Jack Fitzsimmons
• “In Memory of My Brothers,” about why Palm Springs realtor Melissa Lundgren is a Super Ambassador for annual HIV/AIDS foodie fundraiser Dining Out For Life
• “The Future of Giving Looks Brighter With the DAP Health Foundation,” in which Chief Philanthropy Officer Chris Kiser speak to the advantage for benefactors

Together, the seven departments reflect the extraordinary breadth of a modern community health center — and the many ways health is influenced by where and how people live.

A Magazine Created by Many Eyes and Voices

The new edition brings together the work of 20 freelance writers and six photographers who represent a range of genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, cultural backgrounds, and geographic locations. Graphic designer Tes Schaff was responsible for art direction.

“DAP Health Magazine reflects that health care is a human story,” says DAP Health Chief Marketing Officer Steven Henke. “Behind every appointment is a patient seeking hope, behind every gift is a donor who believes in a healthier future, behind every volunteer shift is a person choosing to make a difference, and behind every clinical outcome is a medical professional who cares deeply about the people they serve. That’s why this magazine focuses on stories rather than statistics alone. Our team members, patients, donors, volunteers, and community partners are people first, and it is their compassion and commitment that bring DAP Health’s mission to life. Through these pages, we celebrate the humanity that connects all of us and reminds us why empathy wins.”

More Than a Magazine

The result is a magazine intended for everyone connected to DAP Health’s mission: patients and their families, team members, donors, volunteers, community partners, elected officials, and anyone interested in creating healthier communities.

With each edition, the magazine extends DAP Health’s voice beyond clinic and office walls, demonstrating not only what the organization does, but why that work matters. Complimentary copies of Issue Seven will be available for the next year at all 23 DAP Health fixed locations, all three of its Revivals thrift stores, and at 200 newsstands throughout the desert. Readers can also access the digital edition at daphealth.org, where it will remain available indefinitely.

To take a look at Issue 7 online, please click here.