Thank You BVEF for $35,000 Supporting Borrego Families

The Borrego Ministers Association received a $35,000 grant from the Borrego Valley Endowment Fund to support its food coupon program in 2026. The grant was presented by Anna Abatzoglou, MBA, Executive Director of the Borrego Valley Endowment Fund, and David Garmon, president of the BVEF board, at the BVEF Grant Awards Luncheon on March 18, 2026. BMA Treasurer Karan K. Kyzer accepted the grant on behalf of the organization, with BMA Director, Fr. David Madsen in attendance. The funding supports a long-standing community effort to address food insecurity in Borrego Springs and builds on a program that distributed more than $140,000 in food coupons in 2025.

Statement from the Borrego Ministers Association

There is a wonderful community of organizations in Borrego, with different individual histories and boards, diverse networks of supporters, and distinct visions of their missions. Yet they are brought together by care for neighbors in need.


The Borrego Valley Endowment Fund (BVEF) is an acknowledged leader in supporting the well-being of Borregans, as its mission affirms. Its generosity has been directed toward healthcare, a major concern in Borrego Springs, including recent funding for improvements at the Borrego Clinic. BVEF has also supported other nonprofit groups working for the benefit of young people and education.


For almost 15 years, the faith communities of Borrego have been joined through the Borrego Ministers Association (BMA). Spearheaded by the Revs. Laura Brecht and James Brooking, clergy and lay members formed a network to assist neighbors in need. This includes temporary help with utilities, rent, transportation for medical appointments, auto repair, and loans for air conditioning units during extreme summer heat.


Given the high level of food insecurity in the Borrego Valley, the BMA began, around the time of the COVID lockdown, providing food coupons for Center Market and Desert Pantry. The owner of one of these stores has matched BMA coupon purchases, increasing the reach of the program. In 2025, the BMA purchased and distributed more than $140,000 in food coupons to Borrego residents in need.


Thus, the BMA board and members decided to apply to the BVEF for a significant grant to fund the food coupon programs and the grant was approved for $35,000 for 2026. The board of and the members of the BMA want to express our sincere gratitude for this generous grant. Alongside the five food banks that are open monthly, this grant goes a long way to easing food insecurity here.


— The Rev. Michael Plekon, PhD
BMA Co-Chair


2026 BVEF Grant Award recipients gather following the luncheon at Coyote Steakhouse at The Palms in Borrego Springs.

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