PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) A community cooking event months in the making is now helping put food on tables across the Coachella Valley.

FIND Food Bank received a $37,000 donation generated by Tuscan Friendsgiving, a sold-out culinary fundraiser hosted at Miralon in Palm Springs. The funds are expected to help provide more than 150,000 meals for local families during the holiday season.

Organizers said planning for the event began in February, when Jamie and Lance Huante, working alongside Jeri Wilson, coordinated efforts to bring the fundraiser to Miralon. Months of planning and tireless work followed, ultimately culminating in an event centered on food, culture and community giving.

The fundraiser featured renowned Italian chef Sandra Lotti, founder of the Toscana Saporita Cooking School in Tuscany, Italy. Organizers said they were fortunate to have Lotti travel to Palm Springs to lead the hands-on culinary experience, bringing an authentic taste of Tuscany to the Coachella Valley.

One hundred guests attended the cooking event at Miralon’s Demo Kitchen and Pavilion inside The Miralon Club. After the class, guests gathered at the MiraBar and The Hub, where they sampled and purchased specialty olive oils from Temecula Olive Oil Company. Many attendees were first-time visitors to Miralon, traveling from areas including Orange County, and some had previously attended Lotti’s cooking school in Italy.

НАЙТИ Regional Food Bank, the Coachella Valley’s regional food bank, distributes food through a network of community partners and sources supplies through donations, purchased goods and federal nutrition programs such as TEFA, The Emergency Food Assistance Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In a statement provided to News Channel 3, FIND Food Bank addressed the broader context of food insecurity and federal nutrition support:

“We are thankful for lawmakers working together to reopen the government and ensure stability for our neighbors facing hunger. With the President expected to sign the legislation, today’s vote brings us closer to ensuring that federal employees will receive their paychecks and critical nutrition programs like SNAP/CalFresh, WIC, and TEFAP can continue supporting families who rely on them to put food on the table. While we’re relieved that individuals at risk of starvation are much closer to counting on their benefits again, this remains a very challenging moment for neighbors navigating continued uncertainty and rapidly changing information. Food insecurity continues to impact too many of our community members, and FIND Regional Food Bank remains committed to providing essential food access and connecting people to programs like SNAP/CalFresh to help stabilize their households.”

Miralon, developed by Freehold Communities, is a 309-acre master-planned “agrihood” in Palm Springs that emphasizes sustainability, community engagement and access to fresh food. A signature feature of the development is the transformation of a former 18-hole golf course into working olive groves, community gardens and walking trails throughout the neighborhood.

Organizers said the success of Tuscan Friendsgiving shows how collaboration and community-driven events can translate into meaningful support for families facing food insecurity across the Coachella Valley.

For more information on A Tuscan Friendsgiving, visit this link. For more information on FIND Regional Food Bank, and how you can help families in the Coachella Valley, visit this link.