Thanks to the generosity of donors and community partners, DAP Health filled a great need among disenfranchised populations in the Eastern Coachella Valley this holiday season.

Just 30 minutes from the bright lights and luxury of Palm Springs’ resort corridor lies another world, one many longtime desert locals have never seen. In the unincorporated communities of Oasis, Thermal, Mecca, and North Shore, thousands of families live in aging trailer courts where winter nights turn bitterly cold, arsenic-laced tap water is unsafe to drink, and the average household survives on less than half the income of the rest of Riverside County. Most are farmworker families, the very people who rise before dawn to pick the produce that fills our holiday tables, but who struggle to afford enough food to fill their own.

It is here, among these communities too often overlooked, that DAP Health’s Winterfest — an annual Saturday afternoon celebration historically held at the community health center’s Oasis clinic — became a beacon of relief and joy. During the last few Decembers, free toys, blankets, and bicycles were distributed to needy families in the East Valley, alongside a free hot meal.

But this year, due to escalating anti-immigrant activity and residents’ increasing fear of leaving their homes, DAP Health made the difficult decision not to hold this Yuletide fiesta. Instead, the organization reimagined Winterfest completely, transforming it into a compassionate door-to-door humanitarian operation to protect vulnerable residents while still delivering the essentials they depend on.

With the help of generous donors and community partners, a group of DAP Health team members fanned out across East Valley mobile home parks, personally delivering groceries, warm blankets, and toys to families facing another winter of scarcity.

“As difficult as it was to postpone our traditional Winterfest out of an abundance of caution, the compromise of personally delivering vital nutrition, warmth, and joy to these families was more than a win-win,” says DAP Health CEO David Brinkman. “My tremendous gratitude goes out not only to our team members who stepped up to be our version of Santa’s helpers, but to our bighearted donors who did not have to be asked twice to help subsidize this worthwhile endeavor.”

A Season of Need, a Community of Givers

On December 3 and 10, 2025, a team of more than two dozen drivers and “delivery elves” distributed more than 900 toys, 700 blankets, and 800 bags of groceries to more than 650 homes in five East Valley trailer court communities.

For many families, these deliveries did not provide holiday extras but essentials. In the East Valley, trailers frequently lack insulation and heat. Power outages are common. Bottled water is a necessity due to contamination. Wages are unstable and low. In winter, warmth and food are luxuries.

Here are just a handful of DAP Health team member testimonials:

Internal and Executive Communications Manager Elizabeth Peterson

My best bittersweet memories include one little boy who asked if he could return his toy for a second blanket since the nights can get so cold where he lives. Two preteen girls were overjoyed when they each got a microscope. Sounds like some future doctors to me! A tiny girl — maybe 2 or 3 years old — was so happy and thankful to see us that she insisted on painting my nails as a thank you. Then she did a little celebration dance for me.

Regional Operations Director/Central West Ana Hernandez

Going into a community to hand off items to homes versus having a drive-by and/or event gave us all a different perspective on how people live in today’s times. A gentleman approached us after we had already delivered items, wanting to confirm we’d not missed his home. I said, “No, of course not. Please check your doorstep. The items were left there, including a bag of food and a blanket. If we missed it for any reason, please come back to us.” He went, came back, and said, “Thank you.” His gratitude that we in fact had not skipped his house made my heart happy. This Christmas event was such a humbling and unique experience. It was definitely not like any other I have participated in.

Clinic Manager Maria Alvarez

A little girl approached me asking if she could have an additional bag of food because her family sometimes has very little to eat. Just seeing the faces of the people and how thankful they are brought warmth to my heart. The experience was humbling and worthwhile. 

Clinical Care Coordinator Paloma Rochin

A lot of people were hesitant to open their doors. I recall an older lady who was just watching what was happening, unsure of what we were doing. I approached her with a bag of food and explained what DAP Health was up to. Her stare was almost blank, but the moment I gave her the bag of food and a blanket, her face lit up. “May God bless you,” she said, “and give you much more than what you are giving us.” It was my first time volunteering for this event, but it won’t be my last.

Associate Chief Operating Officer Nedy Terrazas

Talk about a roller coaster of emotions! Each home we visited carried its own story, its own needs, its own priorities. At one stop, my heart warmed as I watched a 7-year-old girl light up with joy when she received a Barbie doll. Moments later, at another home, I found myself fighting back tears. Another little girl, also around 7, quietly walked back to our van, not showing much excitement for the toy. She asked, almost shyly, “Who gets blankets?” We explained we were giving out one per household. “OK, we already got one,” she said, and started walking away. I realized she wasn’t looking for another toy at all. What she truly needed was warmth. I followed her and handed her a second blanket. Her reaction was immediate and unforgettable. She brought the blanket to her face, smiled deeply, and said, “It gets really cold at night.” Her joy mirrored the first little girl’s excitement over Barbie. Winterfest is the kind of experience that grounds you, one that reminds you of the real needs within the diverse communities we serve and the significant impact of even the simplest act of kindness.

Regional Operations Director/East Heidi Galicia

This year Winterfest looked different, but it became more meaningful than ever. After an ICE raid in the area, fear kept many families inside, even for essentials like clean water. One resident told me, through tears, “I would rather drink toxic water than risk leaving my home and being taken away.” These are families who wake up before dawn to work in the fields. They return to overcrowded mobile homes with no heating. Children battle respiratory illnesses because warmth is a luxury they cannot afford. Thanks to FIND Food Bank, local market Chapala, Tim Rogers, and many anonymous donors, we reached hundreds of homes with not just supplies, but hope. We did more than drop off food, toys, and blankets. We showed them they are seen, valued, and never alone. That we stand with them. We are here for them. We are one of them.

This is why it matters to meet people where they are. This is why DAP Health shows up.

To support DAP Health’s mission so that events like these can continue, please click here.

DAP Health team members in action: Top L to R: Centro Medico Cathedral City Clinic Manager Daisy Cervantes, Chief Operating Officer Corina Velasquez. Bottom L to R: Centro Medico Cathedral City Medical Assistant Supervisor Susan Machado, Clinical Care Coordinator Paloma Rochin, Medical Case Management Supervisor Gilbert Ramirez, Desert Hot Springs Medical Center Clinic Manager Maria Alvarez, Stonewall Medical Center Patient Services Representative Victoria Herrera, Medical Case Manager Alejandro Contreras.

DAP Health team members in action: L to R, Centro Medico Oasis Clinic Administrator Destiny Lopez, Chief Operating Officer Corina Velasquez, Clinical Care Coordinator Paloma Rochin, Community Advisory Board Member Dakota X.