The Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund closed its 2008 campaign with donations totaling $138,711, well above the $100,000 goal set for the sixth annual community drive.

Donations came from more than 200 individual, corporate and organization donors, with the            Tri-Valley Community Foundation matching the first $50,000 received. Besides the $138,711 total, which included the match, another $4,000 was received by the fund in specific contributions earmarked for Open Heart Kitchen.

Checks in equal amounts will be distributed to the seven recipients targeted in the 2008 campaign. Besides Open Heart Kitchen, the other beneficiaries are Axis Community Health, Hope Hospice, Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley, Tri-Valley Haven, Valley Humane Society and the Emergency Room expansion program at ValleyCare Medical Center.

Again this year, the largest contribution came from the Valley Marketing Association, a Pleasanton-based organization of Realtors, real estate specialists and real estate-related professionals that serve the Tri-Valley. Led by Realtor Roy Dronkers, the group’s president, the VMA contributed all of its receipts from a December holiday party and additional contributions, raising $20,613 in direct donations and, with the Community Foundation match, totaling $41,226.

 ”As everyone knows, these are tough times for Realtors and others in our industry,” Dronkers said. Even so, helping others is a key mission of the Valley Marketing Association and we’re proud to be the top contributor to the important work of the Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund.”

 Dave Rice, president and chief executive of the Tri-Valley Community Foundation, said his group supports the Weekly’s Holiday Fund because the beneficiaries are among the many needy organizations the foundation also helps fund.

 ”This is truly a community-wide effort by the Pleasanton Weekly that serves a growing need in the Tri-Valley,” Rice said. “While those who contribute have jobs or other income and most have health insurance, the Holiday Fund contributes to organizations that help those who don’t. The Tri-Valley Community Foundation is honored to be part of this effort.”

 Unlike most other fundraising drives by individual organizations, the 2008 Holiday Fund had no administrative expenses or other overhead. The Pleasanton Weekly and the Tri-Valley Community Foundation donated all the support services so that all money raised would support local non-profit groups.

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The Valley Marketing Association(VMA) consists of about 120 local Realtors, lenders and affiliates. We meet on a weekly basis to discuss what is happening in the market while networking with each other to promote our listings and develop business relationships. As President of the VMA for the past 2 years, I felt it was particularly important for our organization to give back to the communities we serve.

In 2007, we raised $25,000 at our annual Holiday Party for local Tri-Valley Community Organizations such as the Tri-Valley Haven, Open Heart Kitchen, Hope Hospice and the Valley Humane Society. It was the best party of the year but most important, we raised a lot of money that helped many needy families and individuals throughout 2008.

As the planning process began for the 2008 Holiday Party, we anticipated few would be in the frame of mind to donate given the challenging economic times. Our inclination was to forego the fundraising for this year.

Shortly thereafter I ran into Linda McKeever at Open Heart Kitchen. She said that funding sources have decreased while families needing meals have increased. Programs may be cut while staff is working without salary to keep Open Heart Kitchen open.

I realized our fundraising effort would be more critical than ever to assist Open Heart Kitchen and other very worthy Tri-Valley causes. So in unison and complete agreement, the VMA Board Of Directors announced a fundraising goal of $40,000.

Thanks to the efforts of many individuals and matching funds provided by the Tri-Valley Community Foundation we exceeded our goal with almost $42,000. These monies were distributed among the following organizations:Axis Community Health Center, Hope Hospice, Open Heart Kitchen, Tri Valley Haven, Valley Humane Society, and the Emergency Room of Valley-Care Health Systems.

We’re urging everyone to join in helping to raise the $100,000 Open Heart Kitchen needs to continue feeding underprivileged kids and families in the Tri-Valley area. By donating, Open Heart Kitchen can provide warm, nutritious meals free of charge to those in need in a dignified, no-questions asked environment.

Open Heart Kitchen currently serves 160,000 meals a year to people living in Pleasanton, Livermore, and Dublin and has been the Tri-Valley’s only soup kitchen since 1995.  Without the community’s support, Open Heart Kitchen may have to close its doors just when guests need support the most.

Call 925-580-1616 to donate or better yet, go online @ www.openheartkitchen.org and donate using Pay Pal.