A good year for the Holiday Fund A good year for the Holiday Fund (January 20, 2006)

Readers of the Voice dug deep into their pockets this year, helping the annual Holiday Fund drive achieve its best result ever.

More than $23,000 was contributed from readers this year, an 8 percent increase. One hundred and seventeen individuals or private groups participated, from St. Timothy's Episcopal Church to "MV Moms' Cookie Party." Doug and Shirley Pearson donated $1,500, one of the largest gifts.

With the expected dollar-for-dollar matching grants, the Holiday Fund will award $46,000 to six nonprofit groups that serve the local community.

The matching funds come from the Wakerly Family Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The Peninsula Community Foundation oversees distribution of the funds, which will be dispersed next month or in early March.

Each of the nonprofits listed below is expected to receive a $7,600 grant:

* The Community Services Agency of Mountain View and Los Altos

* The Community Health Awareness Council

* The Mountain View Rotacare Clinic

* The Day Worker Center of Mountain View

* The Support Network for Battered Women

* The Community School of Music and Arts

Each year, during the weeks of December, the Voice supports the Holiday Fund drive by publishing a coupon and information about the fund, as well as stories about each of the nonprofits that will benefit. And each year since its inception three years ago, readers have increased their donations, from $13,000 in 2003-04 to more than $23,000 this year.

Publisher Tom Gibboney said he and the Voice staff are grateful to the readers who contributed, and thanked them for their generous gifts.

"We were not certain about what impact hurricanes Katrina and Rita would have on the level of giving to our local nonprofits," Gibboney said. "Luckily, this community has a big heart and did not forget those in need who are close to home."

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