Galilee Center

The mission of Galilee Center is to fulfill the needs of the underprivileged and disadvantaged by providing food, clothing, and other emergency services and to affirm their dignity with love, compassion, and respect.

On July 29, 2010, Gloria Gomez, Claudia Castorena, and 12 energetic volunteers stationed themselves under the shade of a tree in Thermal, California, to hand out food baskets. To their amazement, they served approximately 100 families on that very first day. Since then, Galilee Center has continued to evolve, helping over 12,000 people each year, among them 5,500 children. The Center now aids our community with a weekly food distribution providing canned and fresh food to over 300 local families throughout the year. In addition, it assists families with rental assistance, utility assistance, infant supplies, senior services, clothing, blankets, jackets, backpacks, new toys, and more.

The Our Lady of Guadalupe Shelter, part of Galilee Center, provides shelter for migrant farmworkers who would otherwise have nowhere to go. 

Each holiday season, Galilee provides special Thanksgiving and Christmas food distributions to families in need. Perhaps the most blessed event, the annual toy distribution, brings toys, bikes and stuffed animals to children who would otherwise go without. Other important annual events include new shoes for children on Epiphany Day and backpack distribution in August, where over 1,000 children receive supplies they need for school.

With the generous support and donations of community members and a dedicated and tireless staff, the Galilee Center is continually expanding and always ready to meet the growing needs of our community. To learn more about Galilee Center, please visit www.galileecenter.org.