Nicholas Chong was five or six years old when he first started taking piano lessons at the Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) in Mountain View. More than a decade later, Chong is still taking classes at CSMA, as well as performing in community concerts and mentoring younger students through the group's Merit Scholars program.

Now in his senior year at St. Francis High School, Chong describes playing piano as both a stress reliever and a way to express himself.

"It's something that I enjoy doing just for the sake of doing it," Chong said, adding that he also appreciates being able to give back to the community through his performances. "It's something I love doing."

Chong is among tens of thousands of local students who are impacted by CSMA's lessons and other programs each year. Founded in Mountain View more than 50 years ago, the nonprofit organization offers music and arts education to people of all ages, with a focus on making its offerings accessible to everyone, regardless of income or ability.

"We want to break all the barriers for access to arts and arts education. That's fundamentally CSMA's mission," Director of Development Chiung-chi Chen told the Voice.

CSMA is one of the recipients of this year's Mountain View Voice Holiday Fund, an annual initiative that raises money for local charitable organizations.

The group plans to use the support from the Holiday Fund primarily to provide financial assistance for underserved students, Chen said. CSMA offers financial aid for all of its classes, private lessons and camps.

CSMA also partners with local school districts to provide in-class arts and music lessons for elementary and middle school students. These programs are being offered in 59 elementary schools this year, including Mountain View Whisman School District's campuses, Chen said.

Chen described CSMA's in-school lessons as one of its most powerful programs.

"A lot of kids, if they don't get music or arts from school, from the regular curriculum, it's impossible for them to do it after school," Chen said.

CSMA also runs an Artistic Intelligence program, in which it partners with nonprofit organizations serving students with disabilities to offer these students weekly art, music and dance lessons.

Community members of all ages can also sign up to take individual or group music and art classes from CSMA.

Chong has had the same piano teacher at CSMA for the past seven years and described him as an important, motivating influence.

"He's an inspiration for me because he just keeps me going. He inspires me by telling me how to improve myself and how to improve others," Chong said.

As part of CSMA's Merit Scholars program, Chong is able to share his experiences and advice with younger students. Beyond helping him to improve as a musician, Chong said that CSMA has also given him opportunities to improve his confidence through performances.

CSMA is run out of its Finn Center campus at 230 San Antonio Circle in Mountain View, which opened in 2004. Plans are underway to open a Belmont location next year.

Although CSMA is expanding, Chen said that the nonprofit remains deeply rooted in the Mountain View community.

"This is our home town and we are really proud to serve the Mountain View population," she said.

The Mountain View Voice Holiday Fund kicked off last month and offers financial support to local nonprofits.

Every year, donations to the Holiday Fund are divided equally among a group of local nonprofits that serve people in need. The Voice and its Holiday Fund partner, the nonprofit Silicon Valley Community Foundation, absorb all administrative costs to run the fund, and all donations are tax-deductible.

For more information about the Holiday Fund, go to mv-voice.com.com/holidayfund. To give a donation online, go to embarcaderomediafoundation.org/holiday-fund/mountain-view. Checks can be made payable to Mountain View Voice Holiday Fund and sent to 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto 94306. The Holiday Fund campaign will run through early January, with grants awarded in the spring.