Education

HOM PTA Donates To Three Charities, Driven By Holiday Fundraiser

By Jenna Visca

Published: Apr 06, 2026 7:00 am

Head O'Meadow (HOM) Elementary School's PTA held a check presentation on Wednesday, March 11, donating a total of $1,730.61 split between Tommy's Place, Ben's Lighthouse, and Catherine Violet Hubbard (CVH) Animal Sanctuary.

These donations were made possible by the proceeds of gifts HOM students bought for friends and family during the school's annual Holiday Giving Shop, held this year the week of December 8.

Run and organized by the school's PTA, the Holiday Giving Shop is a long-standing HOM tradition that donates a portion of each gift sold to three different charities.

Students could browse the shop throughout the week and pick up gift bags filled with items such as hot chocolate snowmen, chocolate filled mugs, dog and cat toys and treats, tea sets, golf sets, exercise/gym sets, spa kits, and more, according to event chair Laura Reef.

She said all the bags were put together by an amazing committee, some of whom also volunteered at the shop during selling days.

All gift bags were $5, with $1 from each set aside to one of the three charities; students could choose which of the charities it went to.

Tommy's Place received $557, Ben's Lighthouse received $548, and CVH Animal Sanctuary received $621.61.

Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.

Laura Reef (far left), chair of Head O’Meadow Elementary School’s Holiday Giving Shop fundraiser, smiles after presenting individual check donations to three charities — Ben’s Lighthouse, Tommy’s Place, and Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary — with Head O’Meadow Principal Tim Napolitano (far right) on Wednesday, March 11. The donations come courtesy of the Holiday Giving Shop fundraiser in early December, as a portion of every gift bag sold was set aside for charity. There to pick up a check on behalf of their charity were, from left, Francine and David Wheeler of Ben’s Lighthouse, Heather and Brian Lauro of Tommy’s Place, and Jenny Hubbard of CVH Animal Sanctuary. —Head O’Meadow photo

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HOM PTA Donates To Three Charities, Driven By Holiday Fundraiser

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