Charles Thomas and Jeff McDonald are the owners of The Roost Lounge in the Cathedral City Town Center. “We designed a friendly place that folks love to frequent,” they said. It’s true. Many around town are calling The Roost the “Cheers” of the western Coachella Valley.

But what’s especially notable about The Roost as a business is that, since Thomas and McDonald bought the place in 2019, they’ve made it a crucial part of their mission to support individual patrons and deserving community groups who want to fundraise for causes vital to the valley’s well-being.

“We give back,” say these two public-facing businessmen, “and we’re proud to participate in and support our community in any way we can.” As evidence of that, their business just wrapped up its year of giving to the tune of $208,000.

In early December, The Roost hosted a fundraiser for Palm Springs Unified’s Keisha D Scholarship Fund, managed by the school district’s Foundation, which I’m privileged to run. At that event, patrons were inspired to give via a fun audience paddle-raise. Jeremy Hobbs’s Western Wind Foundation was on hand to match all donations dollar for dollar, and that night, $10,400 was raised for PSUSD scholarship students. As if that weren’t enough, The Roost’s owners then made a surprise additional donation of $20,000 of their own.

But The Roost’s generosity is wide-ranging, and funds raised and/or donated by Thomas and McDonald will go this year, in addition to support of the Keisha D Scholarship Fund, to Angel View, the Cathedral City Senior Center, Tools for Tomorrow, the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, the Cathedral City Boys & Girls Club, Martha’s Kitchen and the FIND Food Bank. Funds are raised in a variety of ways, from The Roost’s Christmas in July event and Easter Bonnet Parade to scavenger hunts and McDonald’s famous birthday bash.

Ellen Goodman is the Director of The Foundation for the Palm Springs Unified School District.