A nonprofit that has quietly housed families near Desert Regional Medical Center for more than two decades is putting five Coachella Valley residents in the spotlight this fall. Hanson House Foundation will recognize La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans, longtime McDonald's franchise owner Dick Shalhoub, restaurateur Gerald Keller, PositiviTEE Foundation founder Oliver Jack, and volunteer Sherman Tam at its 23rd Annual Gala on October 24.
The event, themed “An Evening at COPA: Where Rhythm Meets Philanthropy” and inspired by the glamour of the Copacabana, will run from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Palm Springs Air Museum, according to MyNewsLA.com. The evening includes dinner, entertainment, silent auctions and recipient stories, with organizers aiming to raise $200,000 for families in crisis. Admission runs $225 per person, and the gala is sponsored in part by Desert Care Network. The Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce detailed the theme and venue timing.
A Home Away From Home Near the Trauma Center
Located less than a block from Desert Regional Medical Center, Hanson House operates 8 private casitas and 8 additional private rooms, along with shared kitchens and laundry facilities, taking families strictly through referrals from hospital nurses, social workers, and chaplains rather than walk-ins, per the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation. Desert Regional houses the Coachella Valley's only Level I Trauma Center and Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, making the nonprofit's proximity especially significant for families facing sudden medical crises.
The nonprofit helped more than 1,100 individuals in 2025, providing over 4,400 room nights that year, according to MyNewsLA.com's reporting on the upcoming gala. Hanson House charges a nominal room fee of $35 to $70 per night and turns no families away for inability to pay, the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation notes, a model that matters given how cost-prohibitive extended hotel stays in Palm Springs can be for families managing an ICU stay or cancer treatment. Organizers say the foundation helped families save an estimated $633,600 in lodging costs last year.
“Hanson House recognizes individuals who lead with generosity and purpose,” said Ivonne Moreno, per MyNewsLA.com's account of the gala announcement. Mayor Linda Evans, one of this year's honorees, echoed that sentiment, describing Hanson House's mission as providing a “home away from home.”
Founded on Christmas Eve by a Trauma Director and a British Industrialist
Hanson House traces its origin to Christmas Eve 2003, when it was founded by the late Dr. Frank R. Ercoli, then trauma director at Desert Regional Medical Center, alongside British industrialist Lord James Hanson, according to the Greater Palm Springs Business Insider. Dr. Ercoli envisioned the facility as a sanctuary for families coping with medical emergencies close to the hospital doors.
Dr. Ercoli worked at Desert Regional Medical Center from 1989 and served as medical director of its trauma center beginning in 1993, treating victims during major regional incidents including the 2016 Palm Springs police shooting, before his death in June 2020 at age 67, KESQ reported at the time. This year's gala will present the Dr. Ercoli Impact Award, named in his memory, to volunteer Sherman Tam for his service and dedication to Hanson House's work.
The Honorees' Roots in Coachella Valley Business and Health Care
Beyond her role as La Quinta's mayor since 2014, Evans serves as Chief Strategy Officer of Community Advocacy for Desert Care Network, which operates Desert Regional Medical Center, JFK Memorial Hospital, and Hi-Desert Medical Center, according to the City of La Quinta. She has worked in hospital administration.
Shalhoub is an Inland Empire business owner and philanthropist. Keller is among this year's honorees, and Lulu California Bistro is catering the gala.
Jack is identified with the PositiviTEE Foundation.
Serving a Region Larger Than Some States
The need behind Hanson House stretches well past Palm Springs city limits. Families from across the United States and abroad need temporary housing near critical care. Long-distance medical travel puts significant strain on families during extended ICU or cancer treatments, which is part of why the nonprofit's affordable lodging and resource navigation services remain in demand two decades after its founding.
Additional information about the October 24 gala, including ticket details, is available at Hanson House's own event page, hansonhouse.org/2026gala.
