Thanksgiving 5K Returns to El Paseo as Rescue Mission Urgently Seeks Holiday Food Donations

If you are spending Thanksgiving in the Coachella Valley, one of the longest-running holiday traditions is returning to El Paseo. The 19th annual Martha’s Village and Kitchen Thanksgiving 5K begins at 8 a.m. Thursday, inviting runners, walkers and families to start the holiday with community spirit and purpose.

The event raises awareness and critical funding for Martha’s Village and Kitchen, which provides food, housing support, and essential services to individuals and families experiencing hunger and homelessness across the region. Registration is still open, with entry fees starting at $45.

As the community prepares for the holiday, the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission is sounding an alarm about low food supplies. Mission leaders say donations have dropped sharply in recent months, leaving their pantry at one of the lowest levels they have ever seen. At the same time, the need for assistance continues to rise heading into the colder months.

The mission expects to serve more than 40,000 meals this Thanksgiving and will distribute more than 700 holiday food boxes to families throughout the valley. A community Thanksgiving dinner will be served next Wednesday and Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Rescue Mission on Van Buren Street in Indio.

Donations of turkeys, plant-based alternatives, stuffing, potatoes, canned vegetables, and other traditional holiday staples are urgently needed. Monetary contributions can also be made online at CVRM.org, helping the mission restock supplies and meet the growing demand.

Thanksgiving in the Coachella Valley is a time of tradition, generosity and community support, and both Martha’s Village and Kitchen and the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission are asking residents to help ensure every neighbor has a warm and hopeful holiday.

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