2023-24 Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund begins

A tradition close to our hearts, the 22nd annual Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund is now underway as our news organization turns its attention toward generating financial support and community awareness for 10 nonprofit beneficiaries in the Tri-Valley this holiday season.

Looking to build upon the momentum of last year’s campaign, which received more than 250 donations and raised over $83,000 in total, the 2023-24 Holiday Fund will continue through mid-January and benefit Axis Community Health, CityServe of the Tri-Valley, Culinary Angels, Goodness Village, Hope Hospice, Open Heart Kitchen, Pleasanton Partnerships in Education (PPIE), Sunflower Hill, Tri-Valley REACH and Valley Humane Society.

“As we embark on our new future as a journalism nonprofit in 2024, we are proud to again support organizations who provide vital safety-net services in the Tri-Valley through our annual Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund — and we are excited to bring Culinary Angels and Goodness Village into the fold as beneficiaries this year,” said Gina Channell Wilcox, president and publisher of Embarcadero Media’s East Bay Division.

“So we ask our readers, local businesses and community partners to consider our Holiday Fund as you look to donate to important causes on Giving Tuesday next week or throughout the winter holiday season. Your contributions are so humbling and so inspiring,” Wilcox added.

Every dollar raised will be given away in grants to these 10 organizations, who will evenly split the campaign’s closing total, as the Weekly covers all administrative expenses and donates all of the advertising related to the Holiday Fund.

The program is being managed this year by our Embarcadero Media Foundation, which means that 100% of the money raised will go directly to the designated beneficiaries with all donations fully tax deductible as well as eligible for corporate matching where applicable thanks to our foundation’s own nonprofit status.

Please consider donating to our giving campaign this holiday season, via PleasantonWeekly.com/holiday_fund.

Get to know more about our 10 beneficiaries here:

Axis Community Health

Committed to providing “accessible and high-quality health care for all individuals, irrespective of their socio-economic status or background,” Axis Community Health serves more than 14,000 residents at five facilities across the Tri-Valley.

CEO Liz Perez-Howe said money raised during the Holiday Fund will be crucial toward advancing that mission, including a particular focus on “bridging the gap” in the growing demand for behavioral health services locally.

“At Axis, we are committed to breaking barriers and promoting health equity, and this contribution will enable us to expand our capacity to meet the growing needs of individuals who lack insurance or are underinsured. The focus on behavioral health counseling aligns seamlessly with our dedication to creating a healthier, more resilient community for all,” Perez-Howe said.

CityServe of the Tri-Valley

Motivated by a vision “to mobilize mercy and practical compassion,” CityServe of the Tri-Valley is a growing nonprofit that supports people in the region “through care coordination, outreach efforts to underserved communities, and to inspire community engagement — this mobilization is designed to humanize the human services.”

CEO Christine Beitsch-Bahmani told the Weekly, “CityServe is humbled and honored to be selected as a recipient of the Holiday Fund. This acknowledgment underscores the importance of our mission and the impact we aspire to make. We extend our deepest thanks for this recognition, which empowers us to continue serving our community with renewed dedication and purpose.”

Culinary Angels

A Holiday Fund beneficiary for the first time, Culinary Angels is a volunteer-driven organization that focuses on providing organic, nutrient-rich meals and nutrition education to patients in the Tri-Valley experiencing cancer. Uniquely, the nonprofit also offers nutritious meals to the patients’ caregivers, in recognition of their vital role in their loved one’s healing journey.

“We are incredibly excited and honored to have been chosen for this timely gift opportunity,” said Executive Director Lisa McNaney, who founded the nonprofit in 2016.

“The need to provide nutritious meals to people going through cancer only increases year after year and we depend on community support as one of our main sources of funding. It has been an unusually difficult year for us financially and as a result, we have had to make adjustments to our budget,” McNaney added.

Goodness Village

A new addition to the Holiday Fund beneficiary list, Goodness Village has hit the ground running since establishing its tiny-home community in Livermore near CrossWinds Church in recent years to offer new residential opportunities and support for formerly unhoused people in the Tri-Valley.

“We are more than a house; we are a proactive housing program that provides 24-hour, wraparound supportive services to those who have been unsheltered for a significant amount of time and might benefit from some extra support and a hand up,” according to Goodness Village. “Our village is a vibrant and joyful space of recovery and reconnection.”

Board President Lisa Brown said, “I am humbled by the outpouring of support the Pleasanton Weekly has given to Goodness Village; being chosen for your Holiday Fund warms my heart and allows us to continue to do important work. It is inspiring to see the strength and resilience that our Goodness Village neighbors show every day. The world can feel very dark these days and I am just so proud to be a part of an organization and a mission that is a beacon of light for our residents and our communities.”

Hope Hospice

Hope Hospice and Health Services is the Tri-Valley’s leading nonprofit provider of compassionate services for patients at the end of life and support for their caregivers and families, including a range of educational opportunities such as its one-hour grief workshop “Handling the Holidays” due for a second installment in 2023 on Dec. 14.

“Hope Hospice has been an essential Tri-Valley resource since 1980. The generosity of our community has enabled us to grow outstanding supportive programs that make a heavy season of life feel a little lighter for families across the East Bay,” CEO Jennifer Hansen told the Weekly.

“Hope is a leader in our region in dementia care education, family caregiver support, and bereavement care — services that are funded by donations from people who value our vision of a thorough hospice program that prioritizes people over profits,” Hansen added.

Open Heart Kitchen

Hunger and food insecurity are ever-present, but these problems can be exacerbated during the winter season. Open Heart Kitchen strives to address the need by serving prepared, nutritious and free meals to residents in the Tri-Valley.

Executive Director John Bost said, “For an individual, a family, or a senior experiencing food insecurity during the holidays, Open Heart Kitchen provides a place of welcome where folks can connect with others and enjoy a hot meal. With the gifts from the Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund, we are able to meet the increased demand for food assistance during the holiday season.”

In line with its mission, “Equitable access to nutritious food today, while building a food secure tomorrow,” the nonprofit is also working to fund its Open Heart at Vineyard project and its new Open Heart Kitchen Food Bank — both in Livermore.

PPIE

The Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation works to galvanize community, business and education leaders to enhance the learning experience of students across the Pleasanton Unified School District.

Following the mindset of “it takes a community to grow strong schools and raise leaders of the future,” PPIE focuses on staffing support and program grants to benefit the education of students in Pleasanton. Holiday Fund money will go toward mental health programming for middle and high schools, as well as increasing student, teacher and competition grants.

“PPIE is honored to again be chosen for this wonderful program facilitated by the Weekly and supported by so many generous donors in our community. PPIE is proud to serve the students of PUSD and grateful for the ability to do so thanks to the giving spirit our community embodies,” PPIE Board President Robin Dias said.

Sunflower Hill

Sunflower Hill works to co-develop affordable housing communities and create programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) “so that they can live, work, learn and thrive as part of the greater community.”

“We are thrilled and honored to be chosen as a Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund beneficiary,” Executive Director Jen Lenard-Benson said. “The Pleasanton Weekly has been so supportive of Sunflower Hill over the years, and the outpouring of support from the community during this time of year is heartwarming.”

“Sunflower Hill depends almost solely on donations to provide life-changing programming for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities at our Garden and at Irby Ranch,” she explained. “Gifts made to the Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund support our programs and classes, from our Hands-On Garden Programs to the many enrichment activities at Irby Ranch for residents and the community alike. These programs build life skills, lifelong friendships, and a sense of community for our folks, many who have felt like they never fit in before.”

Tri-Valley REACH

With a mantra of “The Key to Independence”, Tri-Valley REACH aims to offer affordable residential opportunities for adults with I/DD to live independently within existing neighborhoods in the region in a shared housing model that “promotes inclusivity at its best.”

“Affordable housing is a pressing concern for individuals with I/DD since most are classified in the extremely low-income bracket,” said Kay King, board chair for Tri-Valley REACH. “That is why our rents are based upon income and are as low as $350 per month.”

“REACH strongly believes housing is the key to independence and we are pleased to share that eight new REACH residents will soon live in safe, accessible, and affordable housing. REACH’s newly acquired Livermore property, is currently undergoing accommodations. Construction is also underway for two new accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in Pleasanton.”

Valley Humane Society

It has been another busy year for Valley Humane Society in its efforts to support the needs of pets and strengthen the relationships between animals and their human companions. The nonprofit has coordinated more than 500 adoptions so far in 2023, and since its Phil Scholz Veterinary Surgery Center opened in Pleasanton in February, has performed more than 4,500 spay and neuter procedures.

“For more than 35 years, Valley Humane Society has been committed to transforming lives in the Tri-Valley,” President Melanie Sadek said. “We look forward to continuing our impact in 2024, thanks to the support of our generous community of supporters, donors, and volunteers.”

Donations to the Holiday Fund will help Valley Humane provide care to long-stay pets in its shelter, as there has been a notable uptick in the amount of time it takes these animals to find their new forever home.