Desert Charities News - Jan-Feb-Mar 2025

. M EN IN PHILANTHROPY - A LPHA O RDER PAGE 6 DESERT CHARITIES NEWS SPOTLIGHT ARISTOTLE D. MCDANIEL The Story of Aristotle McDaniel and GPL-Grandparents Love Aristotle McDaniel is the heart and soul behind GPL-Grandparents Love, a nonprofit born from a deep well of compassion and gratitude. His journey began with Jim and Marie McDaniel—his beloved grandparents—who stepped in with unwavering love to raise their daughter’s children. Aristotle’s grandfather, Jim, faced the daunting task of raising three toddlers alone after the passing of Aristotle’s grandmother. This heroic act of selfless love left an indelible mark on Aristotle’s heart, sparking a lifelong commitment to honor these everyday heroes. One of Aristotle’s most cherished memories was their weekly “Grandfather’s Break”—a morning at Denny’s, sharing pancakes and co ee. During these moments, Aristotle witnessed firsthand the challenges his grandfather faced, from financial strains to emotional hurdles, and began to ask: Why isn’t there more support for grandparents who step up in times of need? That simple question became the seed that grew into GPL-Grandparents Love. After eight years of saving every spare dollar, Aristotle turned his dream into reality, o§cially launching GPL on May 1, 2022. Today, even while serving as Regional Manager for Direct Source Distributing, Aristotle dedicates his heart and time to GPL’s mission. He extends his support to other nonprofits like Coachella Valley Rescue Mission (CVRM), Variety, OneFuture, and NPO Centric, o ering discounted promotional and printing services to amplify their impact. Aristotle’s commitment goes beyond GPL—he also serves on the Alzheimer’s Advisory Council in Palm Desert, lending his voice and experience to yet another cause close to his heart. Though his grandparents never got to witness the birth of GPL, their legacy of love fuels his mission every day. Aristotle D. McDaniel President Grandparents Love “GPL” 41550 Eclectic St. Palm Desert, CA 92260 (951) 346-6020 aristotle@gpl-grandparentslove.org www.gpl-grandparentslove.org RODNEY MIKER The Ranch Recovery Centers, Inc. COO/Vice President Making A Di erence Rodney is honored to help continue Rick Mesa’s legacy of compassionate care and recovery services for men and women at The Ranch Recovery Centers, Inc. Rodney began his career in 1997, working for a nonprofit that provided residential substance treatment services in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. This work led him to a 20-year tenure with Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health. Although he was steadily advancing in county government, Rodney was drawn to the extraordinary program at The Ranch, where he has a direct and meaningful impact on people’s lives. DOUG MORIN Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine Executive Director Making A Di erence As the Executive Director of Volunteers in Medicine, an organization that provides free healthcare to underserved populations, I have a deep commitment to community service. I am passionate about ensuring everyone has access to quality medical care. I love this role because it allows me to lead an impactful mission, collaborate with dedicated volunteers, and make a tangible di–erence in people’s lives, empowering individuals and fostering healthi- er, more inclusive communities. PETER MORUZZI Palm Springs Modern Committee Founding President Making A Di erence I’m the founding president of the Palm Springs Modern Committee (PS ModCom), a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation and preservation of Desert Modern architecture and design. We accomplish this through education, advocacy for threatened buildings, promotion of heritage tourism, and the annual celebration of successes in preservation and adaptive reuse. We believe that our custom-designed school programs are the most powerful way to build awareness among students about the Valley’s rich architectural heritage. We also reward preservation and architecture-minded students with generous scholarships. GREG MURPHY The Joslyn Center Director of Development & Marketing Making A Di erence Philanthropy makes the desert go round and I am grateful to be living and working in the Coachella Valley with such a thriving charitable community. Not only are there 1,000+ nonprofit organizations, there are countless individuals, foundations, and businesses making a di–erence by supporting local charities. Wheth- er a fundraiser or a donor, making a di–erence means showing up. It means caring, due diligence, adding value, networking, volunteering, writing checks, serving on boards, providing counsel, stewarding donors, mentoring colleagues, and working for the greater good, all of which contributes to a better quality of life for us all. ROBERT NAVA California State University San Bernardino/Palm Desert Vice President University Advancement & Executive Director CSUSB Making A Di erence Robert Nava serves as the Vice President for University Advancement for CSUSB and the Palm Desert Campus. As the Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of the CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation he leads and manages the division comprised of 60 advancement professionals committed to promoting the value of higher education and generating philanthropic and corporate support for the Palm Desert and San Bernardino campuses. JACK NEWBY JackinPS Enterprises LLC Nonprofit Consulting Making A Di erence Jack Newby is a skilled non-profit professional with a wide range of experience in developing grant funded programming and services, organizational management, program development, and government a–airs. Previously he established the Public Policy Department at Desert AIDS Project and served as Director of Development at Mizell Center. He served as Executive Director of The Joslyn Center in Palm Desert for over seven years. Since retiring in July, 2024, Jack has founded JackinPS Enterprises Nonprofit Consulting. This is an opportunity to make a di–erence with smaller nonprofits and work with them on developing fundraising strategies, strategic plans, and program development. Helping to strengthen the smaller nonprofits in our community supports the greater nonprofit sector by making it more dynamic and diverse.

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