Editorial Editorial (November 26, 2004) Holiday Fund drive begins 2nd year

Voice readers who want to support Mountain View nonprofit groups can double their money by donating to the paper's Holiday Fund during the next four weeks. It is a great way to insure that your charitable donations are working right here at home.
By matching donations from readers dollar for dollar, the Holiday Fund drive can provide more benefits for the five local nonprofit agencies supported by the Holiday Fund. Last year, Voice readers donated more than $13,000, which was matched and provided more than $26,000 to six nonprofit agencies.
Through a partnership with a group of area foundations, the Voice hopes to raise $25,000 this year to support the local agencies and the people who benefit from their services. Contributions of matching funds from the Packard and Wakerly foundations are already pledged, and more are expected. With matching funds, tax-deductible contributions will be doubled in size.
During the Holiday Fund campaign, which will run through Dec. 24, the Voice will publish articles about five agencies that serve Mountain View, urging readers to make donations. Contributions will be split evenly among the five agencies.
Each week, the Voice will publish a coupon to advise readers how to make a donation to the fund. And on occasion over the next few weeks, the names of donors will be published if they choose to make their contribution public. The Peninsula Community Foundation will process all donations to the campaign, and in February, will issue checks to each of the nonprofit organizations. No fees or other charges will be taken from any donations, meaning that your entire gift will not only be matched, but 100 percent of the total will go directly to the five nonprofit agencies.
This year the Voice Holiday Fund will help:
The Community Services Agency of Mountain View and Los Altos;
The Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC);
Mountain View Rotacare Clinic;
The Support Network for Battered Women;
The Community School of Music and Arts.
We hope you will join other Voice readers this year in supporting the Holiday Fund. With your help, we can give a major boost to the nonprofit agencies that work hard year-round to help the less fortunate in our community.
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