Dr. Richard Foy, left, examines Jennifer Salgado, 6, at the MayView Community Health Center in Mountain View on Nov. 25, 2019. MayView is one of the beneficiaries of the Voice's Holiday Fund. Photo by Sammy Dallal.
The Voice sets $85K goal for Holiday Fund charitable giving drive
Campaign will benefit local nonprofits that serve youth, families and others in need
The Mountain View Voice Holiday Fund campaign to support local nonprofits that provide critical help to those in need is kicking off this week, with the aim of raising $85,000 — every cent of which will be distributed to community agencies.
Through the generosity of local residents, local service organizations will be able to provide primary medical and preventive health care, bridge educational gaps, put hot food in hungry stomachs, step in with services when times are tough and more.
Recent grants from the Holiday Fund have ensured nonprofits were able to continue their important work of helping others during the pandemic. When local schools and businesses closed their doors due to COVID-19 in March 2020, the Community School of Music & Arts acted quickly to move its in-person art and music classes, lessons, camps and concerts to an online format.
Meanwhile, Community Services Agency quickly shifted to providing rent relief for those at risk of displacement, which meant the nonprofit rapidly hired staff and created a new system to handle a crush of requests. It also ramped up its food services, so it could provide more meals than ever to meet the increased demand.
Because the Mountain View Voice and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation are absorbing all administrative costs to run the fund, 100% of every donation will go directly to an agency for services. This year, funds will be distributed equally by seven nonprofits, listed below.
"Each of these organizations have done a tremendous job in fulfilling their missions to serve residents during the pandemic," said Bill Johnson, president and CEO of Embarcadero Media, the Voice's parent company. "We expect that this year's grants will aid them in the coming year as they determine their paths forward post-COVID."
Donors to the fund may make contributions in honor of someone special. All donors and their gift amounts will be published on the Voice's website unless anonymity is requested. Donations can be made online at siliconvalleycf.org/mvv-holiday-fund .
The Voice Holiday Fund is a donor-advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. A contribution to this fund allows donations to be tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
"Every year, donors to the Holiday Fund demonstrate their compassion and open hearts through their giving," Johnson said. "We hope they'll do the same this year."
The Holiday Fund campaign will run through early January. Here are the seven nonprofits that will receive support:
Community Health Awareness Council
CHAC serves Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and seven school districts. Among the services it offers are school-based counseling and programs to protect students from high-risk behaviors.
Community School of Music & Arts
The Community School of Music and Arts provides hands-on art and music education in the classrooms of the Mountain View Whisman School District.
Community Services Agency
CSA is the community's safety-net providing critical support services for low-income individuals and families, the homeless and seniors in northern Santa Clara County, including Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.
Day Worker Center of Mountain View
The Day Worker Center of Mountain View provides a secure place for workers and employers to negotiate wages and work conditions. It serves workers with job placements, English lessons, job skills workshops and guidance.
MayView Community Health Center
The MayView Community Health Center in Mountain View offers primary care services to low-income and uninsured patients in northern Santa Clara County. No patient is turned away for inability to pay for services, which include prenatal and pediatric care, cancer screenings and chronic disease management.
Mentor Tutor Connection
Mentor Tutor Connection matches adult volunteers who serve either as mentors with under-served youth in high school or as tutors to students in elementary and middle schools in Mountain View and Los Altos school districts.
YWCA of Silicon Valley
The YWCA operates a 24-hour bilingual hotline and a safe shelter for women and their children. It also offers counseling and other services for families dealing with domestic violence.
