Very few individuals make the kind of impact on their communities that Juanita Haugen made–and continues to make–on the City of Pleasanton. At nearly 30 years, Haugen was the longest-serving member of the Pleasanton Board of Education, and a nationally known public schools advocate. Before her death in 2007, she also volunteered for a host of school groups and nonprofit organizations, and cofounded what became the Community of Character Collaborative.

The Collaborative is a volunteer organization committed to strengthening the community through a culture that emphasizes positive behavior and kindness. Haugen championed the value of educating children in six ethical and moral traits of behavior: responsibility, compassion, self-discipline, honesty, respect, and integrity. These Community of Character values can be seen in classroom instruction, on a plaque in the City Council chamber, and on one-word banners that frequently hang over the entrance to public buildings and at times under the Pleasanton Arch on Main Street.

The nonprofit envisions “a Pleasanton where character counts, kindness leads, and our community feels a sense of belonging and value," according to officials. The organization’s board members and volunteers work to inculcate these values among young people in collaboration with the City of Pleasanton, the Pleasanton Unified School District, the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, and the Pleasanton Police Department.

The influence of this low-profile nonprofit is unknown by many but it is not invisible. It can be seen in the Collaborative logo on Pleasanton police cars. It can also be seen in the goals set by those who lead Pleasanton’s public schools. What makes the Collaborative special is the hearts of those involved, according to Marie Stapleton, President of the Collaborative.

“People are involved not for publicity but to genuinely give back to the community. It’s a bunch of people who just genuinely want to make the community a better place.”

Members of the Collaborative often partner with other organizations, as well as donate time to those groups. The Collaborative is a sponsor of the annual Make a Difference for Pleasanton Volunteer Festival, for example. Each year the Collaborative recognizes high school students in Pleasanton who have modeled these values by offering outstanding high school seniors scholarships from the Juanita Haugen Memorial Scholarship Fund to help them further their education. 

In 2025, the nonprofit awarded nine scholarships to Pleasanton high school seniors; this year it will award 14. For 2026, the scholarship amount is $1250. “We explain that we don't care about your GPA,” says Stapleton. “We don't care about what classes you have taken or what college you plan to attend. Then we get 50 applications from people who have done so much good and invested many hours in the community, which is what we base our scholarships on.”

An award in Haugen’s name is also given to a small number of individuals and organizations that reflect those values as well. “I'm a big believer that if you give back to the community that you live in in some way, whatever way is best for you, it makes the city and the community better.”

The Collaborative welcomes support in a variety of ways. Volunteers, donors, and corporate sponsors help the group accomplish its mission. The nonprofit’s 2026 Awards Luncheon helps support its work and will be held on Wednesday, May 13, at the Veterans Hall. Its 2026 Summer BBQ and Fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, August 8.

“People with the biggest hearts are often quietly doing a lot of work in the background,” Stapleton notes. “They don't seek visibility, they're just busily helping different people and different organizations. It’s good to recognize them, and thank them for doing that.”

For more information about the Pleasanton Community of Character Collaborative, please visit www.communityofcharacter.org, www.instagram.com/pleasantoncofc, or www.facebook.com/p/Pleasanton-Community-of-Character-Collaborative-100094909812490.

For tickets to events, please visit www.communityofcharacter.org/our-events.

To learn about sponsoring the Pleasanton Community of Character Collaborative, please email PleasantonCommunityOfCharacter@gmail.com for more information.