Holiday Spirit

Brentwood Academy student Gyna Monroy and reading tutor Evelyn Chan-Cox read an "Elephant and Piggie" book together in 2017 during their weekly reading period at the East Palo Alto school as part of the All Students Matter volunteer program. File photo by Veronica Weber.

Posted November 16, 2018

Weekly launches annual Holiday Fund charitable drive
Campaign celebrates lives transformed by grants to local nonprofit agencies

by Palo Alto Weekly staff

Inside a quiet East Palo Alto elementary school classroom last year, student Gyna Monroy and tutor Evelyn Chan-Cox huddled over a picture book from the "Elephant and Piggie" series practicing Gyna's skills at reading out loud during their one-on-one time.

After sounding out the letters in "idea," Gyna strung the whole word together, excitedly.

Meanwhile, over at Palo Alto's Mitchell Park Library, 31-year-old Todd Cerf was helping customers at Ada's Cafe, a workplace established to employ and train people with disabilities in the food-service industry.

While the espresso machine hummed, Cerf explained how he likes to joke with his customers.

"If they ordered a big drink order, I just tell them, you know, 'Sounds like someone needed to get their buzz on,'" he said with a shy grin. "I can joke with them in a way that makes them want to come back."

Todd Cerf and Gyna Monroy are but two of the people whose lives have been changed for the better through local nonprofits supported by the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund, which is launching its annual charitable-giving campaign this week.

Last year, community members in the Palo Alto area donated a record-breaking $403,000 to the Holiday Fund, enabling grants to 60 nonprofits helping children, families and others in need.

Established in 1993, the Holiday Fund has as its goal the transformation of lives through strategic partnerships with nonprofit organizations. Among the successes that the Fund's grants have enabled: Kids struggling with literacy have turned into confident readers, unemployed adults with disabilities have become productive and proud workers, and the dreams of a future generation have been ignited through a hands-on science program that remakes classrooms into planetariums and ordinary materials into lessons on kinetic energy.

Other services funded range from medical care for the homeless and arts programs for disadvantaged youth to parenting training for teen mothers and environmental education for youth and adults.

In the Holiday Fund's 25 years, it has raised $6.3 million for nonprofits and child care centers.

Because the Palo Alto Weekly and its partner, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, pay for all of the costs of running the charitable drive, 100 percent of every donation — which is tax deductible — is distributed directly to a nonprofit serving Palo Alto and East Palo Alto.

As in years past, the 2018 campaign got its kickstart through the proceeds from the Weekly's annual Moonlight Run in September, which was supported by 10 corporate sponsors. In addition, major donations to the fund have already been pledged by the Hewlett, Packard, Peery and Arrillaga foundations, which are contributing matching grants so that every donation to the fund by a community member is automatically doubled.

The Holiday Fund's goal this year is $350,000.

"I'm so grateful that the community, year after year, steps up to give so generously to these well-run nonprofits," Palo Alto Weekly Publisher Bill Johnson said. "These organizations are serving thousands of Midpeninsula residents who are struggling amid the high costs of living, those who work in our community and are part of the fabric of life here. I'd like to invite everyone who shares the Holiday Fund vision — of a unified community that offers opportunities and support for everyone — to donate this year."

One local leader whose nonprofit is a beneficiary spoke at the April reception for Holiday Fund grantees about the impact of the public's support for the families living in Palo Alto Housing, the city's low-income-housing program. The $4,000 Holiday Fund grant for the newly started "Family Reading Club" enabled Palo Alto Unified School District librarians and teachers to spend time leading creative and educational activities for children and their parents living in the apartments.

"We're making family reading time fun. We're making interacting with teachers cool — giving (residents) tools and a safe place to ask questions," said Kate Young, vice president of resident services.

"Through your donations and this grant, we have the chance to mentor and partner with and nurture the families who live with us," Young said. "Thank you all so much for your support."

More information about the impact of the Holiday Fund, including stories about funded nonprofit agencies and instructions for donating online, can be found here.

Apply for a Holiday Fund Grant

Nonprofits serving children and families may apply for funds by downloading our Grant Application Guidelines and Grant Application Form. Application deadline: 11:59 p.m. on Friday, January 12, 2023.

Make a donation
2023 Recipient Agency
Able Works$10,000

Acterra$15,000

Ada's Cafe$25,000

Adolescent Counseling Services$7,500

Art in Action$10,000

Art of Yoga Project$5,000

Aspire East Palo Alto
Charter School
$5,000

Bay Area Friendship Circle$5,000

Beyond Barriers
Athletic Foundation
$5,000

Big Brothers Big Sisters
of the Bay Area
$5,000

Blossom Birth and Family$5,000

Canopy$5,000

CASA of San Mateo County$5,000

Christmas Bureau of Palo Alto$7,500

Community Legal Services
in East Palo Alto
$10,000

Counseling and Support
Services for Youth (CASSY)
$15,000

Downtown Streets Team$15,000

DreamCatchers$15,000

East Palo Alto Academy
Foundation
$10,000

East Palo Alto Kids Foundation$15,000

East Palo Alto Razorhawks
Rugby Football Club
$5,000

Eastside College
Preparatory School
$7,500

Ecumenical Hunger
Program
$10,000

Environmental Volunteers $7,500

EPACENTER$25,000

EPATT (East Palo Alto
Tennis and Tutoring)
$20,000

Family Connections$7,500

Fit Kids Foundation$5,000

Foundation for a
College Education
$15,000

FRESH APPROACH$5,000

Fresh Lifelines for Youth$5,000

Friends for Youth$5,000

Friends of the Palo Alto
Junior Museum & Zoo
$10,000

Heart and Home Collaborative$10,000

Hidden Villa$10,000

Hope Horizon East Palo Alto$7,500

Jasper Ridge Farm$5,000

Kara$15,000

Lauren's House 4 Positive
Change
$5,000

Learning Home Volunteers$10,000

Mannakin Theater & Dance$5,000

Music in the Schools Foundation$7,500

My New Red Shoes$5,000

Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto$10,000

Palo Alto Art Center Foundation$10,000

Palo Alto Community
Child Care (PACCC)
$20,000

Palo Alto Players$10,000

Peninsula Bridge$10,000

Peninsula College Fund$10,000

Peninsula Healthcare Connection $10,000

Peninsula Volunteers$15,000

Pursuit of Excellence
Scholarship Foundation
$20,000

Ravenswood Classroom Partners$20,000

Ravenswood Education
Foundation
$10,000

Rebuilding Together
Peninsula
$7,500

REEL2e$5,000

Rich May Foundation$5,000

Riekes Center$5,000

Rise Together Education$15,000

Rosalie Rendu Center$5,000

Sager Family Farm$5,000

Science is Elementary$5,000

Silicon Valley Urban
Debate League
$7,500

StreetCode Academy$10,000

The Circuit EPA$5,000

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley$5,000

UNAFF (United Nations Association
Film Festival)
$10,000

Vista Center for the Blind
and Visually Impaired
$10,000

WeHOPE$15,000

WomenSV$7,500

Youth Community Service $25,000

Child Care Grants

AbilityPath$10,000

All Five$10,000

Children's Center of the
Stanford Community
$5,000

Children's Preschool Center$5,000

Covenant Children's Center$10,000

Grace Lutheran Preschool$10,000

Palo Alto Community
Child Care (PACCC)
$10,000

Palo Alto Friends Nursery School$10,000

Parents Nursery School$10,000

The Learning Center$10,000


As of December 7th, 162 donors have contributed $161,687 to the Holiday Fund.
* indicates amount withheld at donor's request

22 Anonymous3,820
Jan Thomson and Roy Levin250
Jerry & Linda Elkind250
Eileen & Rick Brooks1,000
Carol & Mahlon Hubenthal*
Peter & Beth Rosenthal 1,000
Linda & Steve Boxer*
Kate & Marvin Feinstein2,000
Nina & Norman Kulgein250
Alicia Newman50
Laurie Hunter & Jonathan MacQuitty1,000
The Havern Family10,000
Trish Mulvey100
Delle Maxwell1,000
Richard Johnsson5,000
Chris Logan100
Bruce & Jane Gee500
Ann and Don Rothblatt500
Lynn and Andrew Newman*
Robert & Micki Cardelli*
Boyce & Peggy Nute*
Diana Diamond500
Jean MacDonell100
The Ely Family1,000
Charles Smith & Ann Burrell*
Sally & Craig Nordlund500
Chris & Anne Saccheri5,000
Donna Bohling & Doug Kalish100
Margo Sensenbrenner*
David Kalkbrenner*
Daniel & Janis Tuerk*
Alan Cooper100
Roy & Carol Blitzer*
Barbara & Charles Stevens*
Susan Perry*
Elizabeth Salzer & Richard Baumbartner500
Betsy & George Bechtel200
Karen and Dick Olson500
Thomas Rindfleisch*
Bruce & Mary Beth Train500
Fran Codispoti250
Desmond Lee & Carl Jukkola150
Jane Paulson3,000
Michelle and Omar Baldonado100
Larry Hyde*
Jeanne Ware*
Judy Ousterhout*
Faith Braff500
Keith and Linda Clarke*
Tess & Eric Byler100
Bonnie and Bryan Street*
Kroymann Family250
Martha Shirk1,300
Charles Williams200
Jesse Dorogusker and Jennifer DiBrienza1,000
Arthur Keller500
Jean Dawes1,000
Marjorie Bridges25
Sallie and Jay Whaley*
Joyce & Gerry Barker*
Ed & Linda DeMeo500
Julie & Jon Jerome*
Leif and Sharon Erickson500
Cynthia Costell150
Veronica Tincher*
Chris Kenrick1,000
R Zuanich200
Judy & Tony Kramer*
Paul & Sarah Donahue2,000
Barbara Riper*
A.C. & Kathryn Johnston250
Steven Feinberg10,000
Bonnie Packer & Robert Raymakers1,000
Ellen Turbow500
Dan Pappas250
J. W. Morton100
Barbara Klein*
William Debord2,000
Bruce & Jane Gee1,000
Richard Johnsson500
Ken Bencala & Sally O'Neil100
Ted & Ginny Chu*
Dixie Storkman100
Greg & Penny Gallo500
Andrea B. Smith100
Andrea B. Smith100
Scott and Jan Kilner500
Ted and Ginny Chu*
Penny Barrett*
Kay Remsen*
Jody Maxmin*
Roger V. Smith500
Marcia & Michael Katz*
In Memory Of

August L. King*
Lew Silvers*
Arden Down250
Michele Wilson50
Hannah & Helen Peterson100
Paul Seaver*
Rich Hlava*
Walter Dean345
Bob Donald300
Jim and Dottie Mellberg*
Andre Jones*
Ray Bacchetti300
Jackie Boner*
Leo and Sylvia Breidenbach*
Thomas and Louise Phinney*
Jack Sutorius750
Jenna Hilleary750
E Yanosh ALT20
Werner Graf*
Aaron O'Neill*
Dan Logan100
Darla Tupper3,922
Bob Kirkwood*
Kathy Morris*
Bob Donald*
Nancy & Robert Lobdell*
Ruth & Chet Johnson*
In Honor Of

Brian Chancellor.*
Mandy Lowell*
Jill and Brian Bicknell*
The Liggett Family*
Marilyn Sutorius750
Bill Johnson*
As a Gift for

Sally Werling100
Businesses & Organizations

Judd Properties*
Agile Physical Therapy1,500
Harker School1,500
Bank of the West1,500
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative5,000
Kaiser Permanente5,000
Stanford Federal Credit Union5,000
Stanford Medicine10,000
Wealth Architects5,000
DeLeon Realty5,000
Wilson Sonsini Foundation5,000
Delores Eberhart DDS*
Peery Foundation 10,000
Arrillaga Foundation10,000

Past Holiday Fund Grant Recipients

2018-2019 | 2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2014-2015 | 2013-2014 | 2012-2013 | 2011-2012 | 2010-2011 | 2009-2010 | 2008-2009 | 2007-2008 | 2006-2007 | 2005-2006 | 2004-2005 | 2003-2004 | 2002-2003 | 2001-2002 | 2000-2001 | 1999-2000