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Contributions to the Pleasanton Weekly's 5th annual Holiday Fund hit the $85,000 mark today with just a few weeks to go to reach this year's goal of $150,000.

Eight nonprofits have been selected as this year's recipients:

•Axis Community Health

•Hope Hospice

•Open Heart Kitchen

•Pleasanton Partnerships in Education (PPIE) Foundation

•Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley

•Tri-Valley Haven

•Valley Humane Society

•The Emergency Room expansion program at ValleyCare Medical Center.

Last year, the Holiday Fund exceeded its $100,000 goal, raising $112,419 in direct contributions and matching funds. Each of the targeted nonprofit organizations serving the needs of the community--six in all--received $18,737 to help them continue their work this year.

"We're seeing a stronger economy this year, yet the needs by the charitable organizations are greater than ever," said Gina Channell-Allen, president of the Pleasanton Weekly. "For that reason, we have raised our sights again with a goal for this year's Holiday Fund of $150,000."

One of this year's recipients is Pleasanton Partnerships in Education (PPIE) Foundation, an organization that invests in the education of students in the Pleasanton Unified School District.

Debi Covello, PPIE's executive director, is grateful to be included in this year's Holiday Fund.

"When it comes to schools, there are all those budgetary challenges that we read about throughout the state," she said. "Pleasanton's no different. There's always a need."

Twice a year, PPIE invites students to apply for grants to fund extra-curricular educational projects. They also give educators a chance to earn grant dollars once a year.

"There are programs and needs that would not be funded elsewhere," Covello said. "The neat thing about students' grants is that these are what students come up with."

While from the outset, funding flag football at Walnut Grove Elementary School may not seem to mean much, Covello said the idea was raised because students were getting hurt playing contact football on the playground and a student wanted to provide an alternative.

The latest round of student grant awards, in its eighth year, was recently announced. Grants must be student-authored with a teacher as sponsor and approved by the principal. From pedometers monitoring student steps to marketing materials for celebrating cultural holidays, PPIE provided a total of $3,160 this round.

When asked if she considered money donated to PPIE an investment, Covello said: "Absolutely! The grant program is two-fold. One, we can financially assist these great projects. The other is to offer the students an educational opportunity in the grant writing process."

She added that even with supportive parents, teachers often have to fund projects out of their own pockets.

"There is more and more need and we hope to be a part of assisting in those needs," she said.

Contributions to the Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund are being doubled thanks to a matching gift from the Tri-Valley Community Foundation. That means that for every $1 contributed, another $1 will be given to these local organizations.

Unlike most other fundraising drives by individual organizations, the Holiday Fund has no administrative expenses or other overhead. The Pleasanton Weekly donates all the support services so all money raised can support local non-profit groups.

All funds are held in trust by the Tri-Valley Community Foundation and are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

David Rice, President of the Tri-Valley Community Foundation, said giving to the Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund this year is more important than ever.

"Sure, the economy is strong, but not everyone in Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley are seeing the benefits," he said. "Some have found themselves over-extended in the loans they took out on homes a year or two ago that they really couldn't afford and never should have bought. Others work for companies that have significantly increased employee contributions to meet the rising costs of group health care, and some firms have dropped health care coverage altogether."

"Although Pleasanton is ranked as one of the wealthiest cities its size in the nation, there are thousands who rely on these six organizations for individual and family assistance, emergency aid when they're suddenly without jobs and health care," Rice added. "Not everyone is wealthy here, not everyone has a job, not everyone has health insurance," he added. "These are the people who need our help."

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE:

To contribute, send a check made out to "The Holiday Fund" to Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Pleasanton, CA 94566, or drop your contribution off at our offices any time from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 925-600-0840.