The holidays are a special time of year for many, marked by cherished family traditions and time spent with loved ones.

It's also a time of year when people often volunteer with local nonprofits or donate to people in need. In that vein, we ask that you consider giving to the Voice's Holiday Fund this year.

All donations to the Holiday Fund will be shared equally among seven recipient agencies that serve Mountain View residents: Mentor Tutor Connection, the Day Worker Center of Mountain View, the Community School of Music and Arts, the MayView Community Health Center, YWCA Support Network for Domestic Violence, the Community Services Agency, and the Community Health Awareness Council.

The organizations serve a vital role in our community, providing crucial services that help low-income and homeless individuals and families as well as those grappling with domestic violence and mental health issues. They also provide youth and adults with tools to help them advance and succeed in school and their careers. The Day Worker Center, for example, helps workers with job placement, English lessons, and job skills workshops, while Mentor Tutor Connection volunteers mentor underserved high schoolers and tutor elementary and middle school students in the Mountain View and Los Altos school districts.

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation handles all donations and does not deduct administrative costs from gifts, which are tax-deductible. Donors can contribute anonymously or in someone's honor or memory, and donations can be sent in the mail (see our ad on Page 10 for instructions) or online.

Last year, more than 170 Voice readers and the Wakerly, Packard and Hewlett foundations contributed a total of $105,000 to the Holiday Fund. We hope to see even more money raised this year to give back to the organizations that do so much for our community.