Combined Federal Campaign: Fundraising starts with kickoff event

By Jay Mann, Fort Rucker Public AffairsSeptember 12, 2014

Combined Federal Campaign: Fundraising starts with kickoff event
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FORT RUCKER, Ala. (September 12, 2014) -- The Heart of Alabama Combined Federal Campaign kickoff event will take place Sept. 15 at 9 a.m. at The Landing.

The Heart of Alabama CFC campaign runs Sept. 15 - Nov. 14, according to Heart of Alabama CFC Director Beverly Arnold.

"We invited local, national and international charities to be on hand to answer questions about the work their charities do," said Arnold of the kickoff event. "We are trying to fill up all three rooms over there so federal employees and military members can have all their questions answered. Everyone who is thinking about giving this year should come to the kickoff and ask questions.

"One thing we are focusing on this year is informing people about online giving," said Arnold. "Last year, My Pay became available to donate to CFC."

The CFC link for My Pay is on the main menu under Pay Changes after logging in.

"Another option with giving online is the new Universal Giving program (see associated story to the right), where you can give to a local charity that might not be located in the Heart of Alabama campaign area," she added. "There are about 20,000 charities available through CFC. Those charities include local, national and international charities. Every donor gets to choose what charity they want to give to.

"The combined Federal Campaign is the world's largest workplace giving option for federal and postal employees and military members," said Arnold, adding that the Heart of Alabama campaign area covers 30 counties in Alabama. "It includes Maxwell Air Force Base, the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Tuskegee VA Hospital. We have about 60,000 federal employees in our campaign area."

The Heart of Alabama campaign raised just under $1 million dollars last year, Arnold said. "This year we hope to reach one million."

A donation thermometer will be set up next to Sgt. Ted E. Bear on post so people can track the donation progress, said Arnold. "People need to keep in mind that the thermometer goals are for the entire Heart of Alabama campaign area, and not just Fort Rucker.

"We have a board of directors called the Local Federal Coordinating Committee, who meet and make all the decisions for the local CFC, like the campaign goals, how it will be run and its duration," she said. "Our office trains project officers and key workers in the federal offices, military installations and post offices that do the boots-on-the-ground work of informing donors and collecting donations.

"This year, 148 people volunteered to be CFC project officers or alternates in their organizations on Fort Rucker to help people to donate to charities," she explained.

Related Links:

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