Desert Palm Received an MLK
Diversity Award
Photo by Tempe photographer Gordon Murray
The Desert Palm United Church of Christ was one of the founding groups working at Paz de Cristo, and has for 21 years served meals to the homeless every month. Members continue to work with the issue of homelessness and hunger by hosting IHELP enrollees every two weeks for overnight by serving meals and providing shelter at the church. Members also work with Humane Borders in delivering water to approved locations in the southern Arizona desert to prevent migrant deaths. The church offers space for Al-Anon meetings and other self-help ministries, shares its building with a small start-up Korean church, and offers space to a school for autistic children. Desert Palm UCC has for many years welcomed and included many members of the gay, lesbian and transgendered community into active church membership, and has a policy of being Open & Affirming.