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The Pleasanton Weekly team is proud to announce that our 2025-26 Holiday Fund distributed $44,250 among 10 critical Tri-Valley nonprofits – money donated by generous local residents, businesses and community groups during our annual giving campaign.
The grants, an equal share of the total raised, provide an important infusion of unrestricted funds this spring, a time in the year that is often slower for fundraising for nonprofits while the need for their services still remains high.
“It means so much to know that our community believes in our mission and stands with us,” said Liz Perez-Howe, CEO of Axis Community Health, one of our Holiday Fund beneficiaries.
“This past year, the healthcare safety net has faced unprecedented challenges, yet we continue moving forward in our commitment to care for everyone who needs us,” Perez-Howe added. “These funds will go directly toward supporting patients and families who are facing increased barriers to care, including rising uncompensated care and a growing number of uninsured and underinsured individuals.”
“This kind of support makes a real difference in the lives of the people we serve,” she concluded.
Joining Axis as a beneficiary this year were CityServe of the Tri-Valley, Culinary Angels, Goodness Village, Open Heart Kitchen, Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation, Sunflower Hill, Tri-Valley Haven, Tri-Valley REACH and Valley Humane Society.
These nonprofits are the lifeblood and lifelines of our community. Thank you to all of our 141 donors for helping us support them during this crucial time.
Your money is already making a real impact.
“We are very grateful for this timely support from the Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund,” said Olivia Christensen, programs manager for Sunflower Hill, which provides residential, vocational and experiential opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“Our Irby Ranch activities are growing in popularity,” Christensen added. “These programs support not only our residents but many other individuals with I/DD who live in the Tri-Valley. The grant will also help us execute our day camps this summer.”
The Holiday Fund supports Tri-Valley Haven’s own holiday programming each year.
“We serve nearly 3,000 local residents during the holiday season, families who are facing real economic hardship and, in many cases, would not have the means to celebrate at all without this support,” Executive Director Christine Dillman told us.
“Because of the generosity of Pleasanton Weekly readers and donors, parents can give gifts and stockings to their children, and families get to share a delicious holiday meal with dignity,” she said. “This funding is more than just financial support; it’s a powerful reminder to the families we serve that their community cares about them and wants them to experience the connection and hope that the holidays bring.”
And for John Bost, executive director of Open Heart Kitchen, the Holiday Fund serves as a vote of confidence from the community about the work that the organization’s staff and volunteers do day in and day out to support some of the most vulnerable people in the Tri-Valley.
“The Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund is confirmation that the work we do matters. It’s also a confirmation that we’re on the right track, and that Pleasanton Weekly readers want us to continue this vitally important work,” Bost told us.
“In a time when government funding is not always guaranteed, thank you, Pleasanton Weekly, for ensuring that no one needs to go hungry on our watch,” Bost said. “Your support ensures that our Community Meal program and Open Heart Food Bank can continue to meet the need while also looking for ways to shorten the line, so that one day we can live in a world where everyone has enough, and the scarcity mindset is no more.”
We are deeply grateful to our Holiday Fund donors for helping us raise money and awareness for all 10 of our nonprofit beneficiaries. Each of you is a neighbor who chose to invest in a stronger, more caring community. Together, we continue to build a better Tri-Valley.
