The L-Fund
at The Center
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Dr. Karyl E. Ketchum, Director
karyl@thecentercv.org - Open Office Hours: Wed & Fri, 11:30am-1pm
Founded by lesbians for lesbians in 2012, The L-Fund empowers cisgender, transgender, and queer-identifying lesbians in the Coachella Valley with financial assistance to get through an immediate crisis, as well as assistance in the areas of health and wellness, the arts, and education. In 2026, The L-Fund merged with The Center to expand its reach and ensure its programs can continue to aid lesbians in need well into the future.
L-Fund Financial Assistance Programs
The L-Fund at The Center has four programs to support lesbians in the greater Coachella Valley.
Assistance for housing, car repairs, food insecurity, and other high-risk situations
Support for medical, dental, vision, mental health, and other out-of-pocket costs
Assist artists in moving projects forward
Assistance for vocational school, certification classes, college and university tuition, books, and other educational expenses
The L-Fund Founders
The L-Fund’s story began in 2012 when a small group of friends gathering socially started chipping $20 into a basket with a shared mission: to help other lesbians in need. The organization was built by founders Barbara Carpenter, Ruth Debra, Sharon Siegel, Kate Ullman, and the late, beloved Bobreta Franklin, with Betty Berrysmith later grand-mothered in as a founding member. Today, that simple act of community care has grown into an expanding network of support across the region.
Recipient Stories
Lexa
Lexa is a 27-year-old EMT who recently became a paramedic. Lexa needed help paying for courses and county, state, and national certifications while waiting for her paramedic salary to kick in.
The L-Fund stepped in with $3,100 from [The L-Fund Educational Assistance Program (LEAP)] to cover car payments, car insurance, her cell phone, gas, and food. We know she’ll do great things!
Brina
Brina came to The L-Fund seeking help in purchasing a piece of equipment that helps wheelchair users get dressed and costs around $3,300. Through the [Health and Wellness Fund] The L-Fund was able to assistBrina with the purchase of the Pants Up Easy System, giving here a safe way to get dressed and increased independence.
Yvonne
A $1,000 award from The L-Fund’s [Debra I. Moore Grant for the Arts] program helped Yvonne produce and document “Being Seen,” an exhibition and performance by the Mojave Artists of Color Collective (MACC), an intergenerational BIPOC group based in the Morongo Basin. Under Yvonne’s leadership, the exhibition and performance were well-attended successes. In Yvonne’s words, “MACC and I are very grateful for this opportunity from The L-Fund.”
