Even with many people facing strained financial circumstances because of the pandemic, our readers stepped up their giving to the Pleasanton Weekly's annual Holiday Fund.

As of Jan. 5, 316 donors had contributed $74,957 -- almost $7,000 more than last year's final total -- with two more weeks still left to report.

The six local safety-net service providers that will equally split the Holiday Fund donations will, in turn, help local families and individuals now and long after the pandemic subsides.

The 2020-21 campaign beneficiaries are: Axis Community Health, CityServe of the Tri-Valley, Hope Hospice, Open Heart Kitchen, Valley Humane Society and ValleyCare Charitable Foundation.

Axis Community Health is the Tri-Valley's sole provider of medical and mental health services for individuals and families who have a low income or who are uninsured. It serves more than 15,000 members of our community.

CityServe of the Tri-Valley supports the community by caring for people in crisis, coordinating resources between the faith-based community, nonprofits, schools, businesses and government agencies and connecting volunteers in the community to nonprofits.

Hope Hospice provides ethical hospice care, transition services for those not eligible for hospice, bereavement support for adults and children and end-of-life education to Tri-Valley families, regardless of insurance or income status.

Open Heart Kitchen is the largest hot meal program of its kind in the Tri-Valley, feeding the hungry every weekday at multiple locations.

Valley Humane Society rescues and rehabilitates companion animals, champions responsible caretaking, shares pets' soothing affections with people in need of comfort, and supports and preserves existing pet guardian relationships.

ValleyCare Charitable Foundation plans to use its contribution from the annual campaign to help fund state-of-the-art healthcare technology, facilities, various clinical programs and services at Stanford Health Care-ValleyCare.

The Weekly and its fiscal sponsor, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, are handling all costs of the campaign. That means that every dollar will go directly to the nonprofits with no administrative expenses.

The Holiday Fund is winding down, but there is still time to make a donation. This is the final weekend, though, so please don't hesitate.

You can access the donation website online here. There is also a coupon on Page 13 of this week's paper.