Duck Buddy Charities

To many, Silicon Valley symbolizes innovation and success. While this represents reality for many professionals living here, within our community, there are also many people struggling to meet the challenges of daily life. The following Duck Buddy charity organizations are working together to raise money to help people in need across Silicon Valley. We appreciate each Duck Buddy charity and hope you'll show your support by sponsoring racing ducks!

Click on each 2010 Duck Buddy charity's name to learn more about it, or scroll down and browse them all.

• Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley (event organizer and lead charity)
• ACCESS (A Caring Community of Education, Services and Support)
• Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center Preschool
• Alzheimer's Assocation
• Congregation Shir Hadash
• HOPE Services
• Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
• Hospice of the Valley
• Festival Theatre Ensemble - Los Gatos & Mid-Peninsula Shakespeare Festivals
• JW House
• The P.A.L.S (Paul A. and Linda S. Spangler) Foundation
• Parents Helping Parents
• The South Bay Blue Star Moms
• Valle Monte League
• Yavneh Day School
• Youth Science Institute (YSI)

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Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley
Since 1979, Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley has served a diverse community with quality social, vocational, counseling, crisis intervention, and refugee resettlement services. With a staff of seasoned professionals and hundreds of community volunteers, we combine contemporary clinical and social service skills with traditional values to strengthen and enhance the lives of our clients, whatever challenges they may face.

JFS SV is a non-profit agency, serving clients without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, or ability to pay. JFS SV is a partner agency of the United Way Silicon Valley.

"Jewish Family Services has been a master collaborator with United Way Silicon Valley. Their proven results make them one of our strongest partner agencies!" -- Patrick Soricone, United Way Director of Evaluation and Self-Sufficiency Programs

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Hope Services
HOPE Services, a nonprofit agency, provides programs that assist children, adults and seniors with developmental disabilities to become valued and participating members of their communities. We serve approximately 3,000 individuals with developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders, mental retardation, Down’s syndrome, and other related conditions.

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P.A.L.S Foundation
The Paul A. and Linda S. Spangler Foundation, founded in 1998, is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable foundation based in San Jose, California. Its mission is to prepare, present, and/or promote activities and programs to enhance the lives of vulnerable populations; human and animal. Currently, P.A.L.S. is partnering with NEADS/ Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans to support the Canines for Combat Veterans program. Returning veterans, victims of bi-lateral amputations, require dogs with specialized, dog specific harnesses to help them in their daily lives. Our goal is to raise awareness and funding for this unique equipment. Please help us help our veterans.

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Hospice of the Valley
The mission of Hospice of the Valley is to affirm dignity, hope, and comfort for those facing a life-limiting illness by providing compassionate palliative, hospice, and grief care. Our professional medical staff and volunteers serve the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of individuals and their families. We enhance our community through education, research, advocacy, and volunteerism.

Hospice of the Valley is licensed by the State of California, Medicare, and is Medi-Cal certified. Our services are covered by Medicare, Medi-Cal, and most private insurance plans. We are committed to serving our diverse communities and honor all cultures, beliefs, and traditions. We provide equitable access to care for all patients and families- regardless of their financial ability. Founded in 1979, Hospice of the Valley was the first not-for-profit hospice care organization to serve the community of Santa Clara County. Hospice of the Valley seeks the additional funding necessary to support our service excellence.

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Youth Science Institute
The Youth Science Institute (YSI) partners with nature to teach science to pre-school through 12th grade students throughout Santa Clara County and Silicon Valley. YSI school programs, after-school programs, and summer camps inspire children to develop an enthusiasm for science and love of learning and forges connections with nature that foster personal health and earth stewardship. YSI’s hands-on, small-group science education programs develop the critical thinking skills that are necessary for a child’s academic success, which ultimately impacts his or her opportunity for economic success.

YSI conducts its programs at its three Science and Nature Centers in Vasona, Sanborn and Alum Rock parks, in schools and at community events. Centers feature live mammals, birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles. YSI maintains a native plant trail at Vasona Park, an organic garden at Sanborn Park, and a raptor aviary at Alum Rock Park.

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Valle Monte League, Inc.
   Valle Monte League, Inc. is an all-volunteer non-profit organization with more than 150 dedicated and enthusiastic members.  The League was established in 1950 specifically to raise funds for licensed mental health agencies in Santa Clara Valley.  Today, Valle Monte League, Inc. continues to operate with no paid administration or staff.

  Recognizing that everyone from young children or seniors may, at some time in their lives, be facing a crisis when professional support is imperative, the women of Valle Monte League, Inc. have turned their energies to raising funds for the following mental health agencies:

Family & Children Services
John XXIII Multi-Service Center
The Centre for Living with Dying
Alzheimer’s Activity Center
Services for Brain Injury

  To date, Valle Monte League, Inc. has raised over 8 million dollars for their beneficiaries.

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Yavneh Day School
Yavneh Day School is an independent school for Junior Kindergarten through 8th grade located in Los Gatos. For over 27 years we have been providing academic excellence in General and Judaic studies within a strong community where each child is celebrated and challenged. Our students demonstrate leadership, have a passion for learning and embrace social responsibility. Yavneh Day School, accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools, is a beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley, and a member of the Solomon Schechter Day School Association.

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Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center Preschool

The Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center Preschool is a quality, developmental Preschool program. Each year, we look forward to welcoming children ages 18 months to 5 years old and their families to our Preschool. We work with parents to help develop the skills, values and attitudes to help the children grow to their fullest potential during the school year. Our staff is a team of warm, caring and creative individuals. Our program promotes a sense of community based on respect for others, in a Jewish environment. At the APJCC Preschool, we strive to help children to grow in all areas of development- social, emotional, cognitive, language and motor.

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Alzheimer’s Association

The mission of the Alzheimer’s Association is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Memory Walk is our national signature event and brings together family, friends, caregivers and concerned community members. The third annual Silicon Valley Memory Walk will be held on September 25, 2010 at the Arena Green in downtown San Jose. Join 1,500 walkers on this flat 3-mile walk through downtown San Jose’s Guadalupe River Parkway, and raise funds to help end Alzheimer’s disease. There is no fee to register. For more information, please visit: http://memorywalk.kintera.org/sv10. Memory Walk is more than a fundraiser – it is a movement that brings communities together with one common goal – to end Alzheimer’s in our lifetime.

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Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo exists to provide an affordable, sustainable, conservation-centered outdoor adventure for families with children.  Since 1958, Happy Hollow Foundation has been the non-profit support organization helping to advance the park & zoo.  Providing funds for animal conservation locally and globally, education programs and scholarships, exhibit upgrades, and enhancements to the beloved Puppet Castle Theater are a few of the projects that Happy Hollow Foundation has lead.    Having just re-opened after an extensive renovation, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is a community favorite.  Happy Hollow serves over 400,000 visitors annually from a diverse background of languages, cultures, ages, economy and geography. 

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Parents Helping Parents

Parents Helping Parents, Inc. (PHP) is a nonprofit, community-based family resource center serving children of any age who have any disability or chronic or life-threatening illness such as seizures, diabetes, or cancer. Founded in Santa Clara County in 1976 by two parents of children with Down syndrome, it continues to be a parent-directed organization. PHP’s mission is to help children and adults with special needs receive the support and services they need to reach their full potential by providing information, training and resources to build strong families and improve systems of care. PHP offers education, training and support for families who have children with special needs and the professionals who serve them. Programs include mentoring and peer counseling, condition or culture-specific parent/professional Support and Information Groups, and trainings on navigating the systems of care. PHP also offers a comprehensive special needs lending library and an assistive technology preview and demonstration center. Each year over 7,700 individuals benefit from PHP services.

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JW House

JW House is a place of welcome and support for families of hospitalized patients being treated in Santa Clara and surrounding areas. Families faced with long hospital stays often end up living out of their loved one’s hospital room — sleeping in chairs, eating cafeteria food, and going without showers — just so they can be by the patient´s side. JW House provides a home to families to be together when they need one another the most. Our staff and volunteers work with social workers at nearby hospitals to place families in the house. Our guests are able to enjoy a tranquil, home-like atmosphere while being steps away from their sick family member. We offer low cost overnight accommodations and free day use programs for families.

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Festival Theater Ensemble

Accessible, enjoyable, classical, local. Since 1994, Festival Theatre Ensemble has created theatre that engages experts and delights newcomers in equal measure. FTE believes that live theatre inspires, informs, and empowers. It enriches the lives of all, without discrimination, and is essential to a vibrant community. FTE is a not-for-profit (501c3) theatre company based in Los Gatos and dedicated to providing exceptional entertainment that remains affordable to all. Audiences are consistently full, still ticket sales cover just half the expenses of performing to nearly 3000 people each summer. Fundraisers, sponsors, grants, and individual donors remain vital to every season. FTE is grateful to ours sponsors and loyal fans who join us each summer to play in the park after dark! www.lgshakes.org

Previewing as Mid-Pen Shakespeare for four weekends starting June 5;

Los Gatos Shakespeare in Oak Meadow Park for four weekends starting July 16:

The Taming of the Shrew

Treasure Island

The Importance of Being Earnest