COACHELLA VALLEY – The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert will honor the founders of The L-Fund with The Center’s Legacy Award at its annual gala, Center Stage, on Friday, Oct. 16.
For more than 20 years, The L-Fund has awarded grants ranging from $100 to several thousand dollars to help lesbians and queer-identifying women stay housed, flee domestic violence, pay for emergency medical care, build their education and careers, and pursue their artistic visions. Its founders are being recognized for their tenacious commitment to supporting lesbians in need and for helping create a stronger, more connected LGBTQ+ community in the valley.
The Legacy Award honors the six women who came together to establish The L-Fund: Betty Berrysmith, Barbara Carpenter, Ruth Debra, Sharon Siegel, Kate Ullman, and the late Bobreta Franklin, who passed away in 2013. The award will be accepted by the five surviving founders.
The L-Fund got its start in 2012 when the founders began meeting regularly and passing a basket to collect small donations that were pooled for modest grants to lesbians struggling to pay for things like medications, car repairs, and utility bills. In July, The L-Fund merged with The Center and continued its grant programs as The L-Fund at The Center.
“The L-Fund has played an important role in making sure lesbians and queer women are seen, supported, and connected,” said Center CEO Mike Thompson. “For so many people, The L-Fund’s support has meant not just financial assistance but knowing that their community is there for them. The founders and their spirit of generosity, connection, and community is at the heart of what The Center’s Legacy Award is all about.”
Center Stage will take place Friday, October 16, at the Palm Springs Air Museum, with the theme “Building Belonging, Celebrating Impact.” Tickets and sponsorship information are available online through The Center’s website at thecentercv.org/centerstage.
The evening will feature an exciting auction and a live performance by the talented and powerful singer Marisa Corvo. All funds raised through Center Stage benefit The Center.
Event Details:
Date: Friday, October 16, 2026
Time: 5:30-9 p.m.
Time: 5:30-9 p.m.
Location: The Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 N Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs
Tickets available at thecentercv.org/centerstage
Tickets available at thecentercv.org/centerstage
Presenting Sponsor: Eisenhower Heath
Visionary Sponsors: David Hood and George Sellers; Steve Tobin, Johnny Krupa and The Grace Helen Spearman Foundation
About The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert (The Center)
With a mission of creating vibrant community by helping LGBTQ+ people along their way, The Center’s work stretches across the Coachella Valley. From its McDonald/Wright Building in Palm Springs to The Center Coachella, the Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic, and the Community Food Bank, The Center offers an astounding range of programs and services to people of diverse ages, races, and identities. Named one of America’s Most Admired nonprofits for its impact and workplace culture, The Center focuses its work on ending isolation and loneliness, connecting people to resources and community, and enriching our individual and collective experiences. More information is at thecentercv.org or on social media @thecentercv and @thecentercoachella.
With a mission of creating vibrant community by helping LGBTQ+ people along their way, The Center’s work stretches across the Coachella Valley. From its McDonald/Wright Building in Palm Springs to The Center Coachella, the Scott Hines Behavioral Health Clinic, and the Community Food Bank, The Center offers an astounding range of programs and services to people of diverse ages, races, and identities. Named one of America’s Most Admired nonprofits for its impact and workplace culture, The Center focuses its work on ending isolation and loneliness, connecting people to resources and community, and enriching our individual and collective experiences. More information is at thecentercv.org or on social media @thecentercv and @thecentercoachella.
