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Advancing Community wellness in the Coachella Valley

Desert Healthcare District funds scholarships to grow Coachella Valley's healthcare workforce

Colorful wooden block, each with a black letter facing skyward, spells out "Funding." Stock Photo
April 1, 2025 - District Staff

The Desert Healthcare District & Foundation Board voted on March 25 to fund a scholarship program that assists Coachella Valley students who are pursuing careers in healthcare.

The Carreón Foundation, founded in 1991 by now-deceased Dr. Reynaldo Carreón, will receive a $86,250 grant from the District & Foundation.


"Support like this is vital for our organization," The Carreón Foundation Executive Director Ricardo Loretta said to the Board at its monthly meeting. "We have been in a growth mode for the last five to seven years, and it's because of support from people like you that we are able to help more and more people."


The grant award is the District & Foundation Board's most recent effort supporting The Carreón Foundation's work of creating educational opportunities for valley students. Since 2017, the foundation has received five mini-grants, valued at $5,000 each, from the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation. A $50,000 full grant was awarded in 2023. Including this year's grant, the District & Foundation has awarded a total of $161,250 to the scholarship program.


A part of the District & Foundation's objective in contributing to the scholarship fund is to help increase and strengthen the local healthcare workforce.


"As the Coachella Valley community continues to grow, it is imperative for the Healthcare District that we have the doctors, nurses and other health professionals our residents need," said Chris Christensen, Desert Healthcare District & Foundation CEO. "These scholarships and educational programs we are supporting align with our strategic plan, which prioritizes collaborating with culturally competent training programs to expand primary care residency and nursing programs with required retention initiatives."


The positive impact is already being seen at some organizations. Mr. Loretta of The Carreón Foundation said, "The good news is most of those people that we're helping come back to the Coachella Valley."


About the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation


The Desert Healthcare District is a local government agency formed in 1948. Its mission is to achieve optimal health at all stages of life for all District residents. The District includes more than 400,000 residents and encompasses the entire Coachella Valley. The District and Desert Healthcare Foundation, together, are one of the largest funders in the valley. These funds are used to assist residents — especially the underserved — in accessing vitally needed resources, such as primary and behavioral healthcare. Learn more.