The Tribe’s 38^th Annual Thanksgiving Outreach gave 15,000 turkeys to 120 nonprofit organizations to provide holiday meals to families, seniors and veterans in need.

MORONGO INDIAN RESERVATION – The Morongo Band of Mission Indians gave away 15,000 free turkeys this week to non-profit groups, churches and charities across the Inland Empire and Southern California as part of its 38^th Annual Thanksgiving Outreach program.

The turkeys donated this year will provide nearly 300,000 holiday meals to families, seniors and veterans in need from the Coachella Valley to Los Angeles. Over the course of the program’s history, Morongo has contributed almost 215,000 turkeys, which have helped provide an estimated 4.1 million holiday meals.

“The roots of Morongo’s Thanksgiving Outreach program stretch back decades to a time when our tribe sought to help others even as we ourselves faced adversity,” said Morongo Tribal Chairman Charles Martin. “This year, we continue our Tribe’s legacy of giving to others by providing tens of thousands of holiday meals to those who are struggling across the region.”  

Tribal members and volunteers gathered at the Morongo Community Center on Nov.18 and Nov. 19 to distribute the 15,000 Thanksgiving turkeys to 120 nonprofit organizations, including food pantries, churches, senior centers, schools and veteran groups from across the Inland Empire and Southern California. Groups receiving turkeys hailed from Banning, Beaumont, Riverside, San Bernardino, Moreno Valley, Temecula, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, Redlands, Los Angeles, and other communities.

The groups will use the turkeys to provide hot holiday meals to those in need or will distribute the birds in holiday meal gift baskets with additional side dishes to help feed thousands of people who otherwise would not have been able to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Family Services of the Desert in Desert Hot Springs received 300 turkeys to help families in the Coachella Valley this holiday.

“Morongo’s donation of 300 holiday turkeys truly exemplifies the Tribe’s constant commitment to uplifting our community,” said Dana Johnson, Director of Family Services of the Desert in Desert Hot Springs. “This generosity enables our organization to bring joy and the spirit of the holiday season to over 600 families who are facing challenges. By giving these dinners to families, we’re doing more than just providing food, we’re fostering hope at a time when it’s most needed.”

Pastor Victor Archuleta of Victory Outreach Church in Banning said the 300 turkeys provided by Morongo will help struggling families enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner together.

“Morongo’s generous support has made a remarkable difference in our community, and we are truly grateful,” Archuleta said. “The holiday turkeys we receive from the Tribe not only provide nourishment but also bring joy and warmth to the families we serve, helping to create cherished moments during this festive season.”

Participating groups submitted applications to the Tribe and were notified over the summer that they had been selected. For organizations interested in receiving turkeys next Thanksgiving, applications for next year are due in Spring 2025.

Nation’s first-ever EMS-tribal partnership reduces emergency response times by 60%

In a groundbreaking achievement, the Morongo-AMR Air Ground Tribal Alliance — a pioneering partnership between American Medical Response (AMR) of Riverside County and the Morongo Reservation Fire Department, on behalf of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians — has been honored with the 2024 California Ambulance Association Service Excellence Award for Innovation.

This partnership, the first of its kind between a tribe and an EMS provider in the U.S., has reduced response times by an impressive 60%, dramatically improving access to emergency care for tribal members and the surrounding community.

Morongo’s Chief Administrative Officer Jason Carrizosa initiated the collaboration to address the challenges of providing EMS coverage in the rural Morongo Reservation. “This partnership has been instrumental in ensuring our community receives faster, more efficient emergency care,” Carrizosa said. “By bringing together the expertise of the Morongo Fire Department and AMR, we’ve developed a model that can transform EMS response in underserved regions.”

The alliance features a ground ambulance stationed on the reservation and staffed by Morongo Fire Department employees. It works alongside Morongo’s first responders, significantly enhancing the speed and quality of care. The partnership also includes an air ambulance dedicated to serving the San Gorgonio Pass region, with plans to relocate it onto tribal land for even greater impact.

Morongo Tribal Chairman Charles Martin emphasized the lifesaving benefits of the collaboration.

“The historic partnership between Morongo and AMR is saving lives on our reservation and across the San Gorgonio Pass by delivering immediate emergency medical care to the injured and ill,” said Martin. “We are humbled that the California Ambulance Association has recognized this collaboration, which we believe can serve as a nationwide model for future partnerships between tribes and forward-thinking EMS providers like AMR.”

The California Ambulance Association Service Excellence Award recognizes ambulance operators across California for excellence, innovation and resourcefulness in four categories: Community Impact Program, Clinical Outcome Project, Innovation in EMS and Employee Programs.

To view the partnership announcement video, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xim6rspz7Ug