Presidio kicks off Combined Federal Campaign 2014

By Michael Beaton Presidio of Monterey Public AffairsOctober 22, 2014

Presidio kicks off Combined Federal Campaign 2014
1 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Presidio of Monterey leaders and CFC organizers toss campaign balls to audience members during the Combined Federal Campaign kick-off ceremony here Oct. 15. During the event, Presidio of Monterey Garrison Commander Co... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Presidio kicks off Combined Federal Campaign 2014
2 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Presidio of Monterey leaders and CFC organizers toss campaign balls to audience members during the Combined Federal Campaign kick-off ceremony here Oct. 15. During the event, Presidio of Monterey Garrison Commander Co... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Presidio kicks off Combined Federal Campaign 2014
3 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Presidio of Monterey leaders and CFC organizers toss campaign balls to audience members during the Combined Federal Campaign kick-off ceremony here Oct. 15. During the event, Presidio of Monterey Garrison Commander Co... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Presidio kicks off Combined Federal Campaign 2014
4 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Presidio of Monterey leaders and CFC organizers toss campaign balls to audience members during the Combined Federal Campaign kick-off ceremony here Oct. 15. During the event, Presidio of Monterey Garrison Commander Co... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Presidio kicks off Combined Federal Campaign 2014
5 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Presidio of Monterey leaders and CFC organizers toss campaign balls to audience members during the Combined Federal Campaign kick-off ceremony here Oct. 15. During the event, Presidio of Monterey Garrison Commander Co... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Presidio kicks off Combined Federal Campaign 2014
6 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Presidio of Monterey leaders and CFC organizers toss campaign balls to audience members during the Combined Federal Campaign kick-off ceremony here Oct. 15. During the event, Presidio of Monterey Garrison Commander Co... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Presidio kicks off Combined Federal Campaign 2014
7 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Presidio of Monterey leaders and CFC organizers toss campaign balls to audience members during the Combined Federal Campaign kick-off ceremony here Oct. 15. During the event, Presidio of Monterey Garrison Commander Co... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- The annual charity season began at the Presidio with a Combined Federal Campaign kick-off ceremony for key-leaders at the Tin Barn Oct. 15.

During the event, Presidio of Monterey Garrison Commander Col. Paul Fellinger said it is important for community members to review the campaign book to understand how many worthy charities the CFC supports.

CFC, which is the only campaign authorized in the federal work place, is known to be the most inclusive workplace giving campaign in the world. The number of participating charities is estimated at more than 20,000 charities in the United States, with about 2,500 organizations included in each local campaign. They range from start-up community groups to large, well-known charities, according to the campaign's website.

The mission of the CFC is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all.

Also, the fund-raising event is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace giving campaign according to the website. Each year, more than 300 CFC campaigns run throughout the country and internationally.

On average in the past, one in four federal employees or their dependents benefitted from the CFC charities, according to CFC officials. Donors may designate which charities receive their money by filling out a pledge card or going online.

In addition to covering national charities, the campaign comes very close to home, because it even benefits agencies in the Presidio community.

Locally, a few organizations that receive some money from the campaign are Better Opportunity for Single Servicemembers (known as BOSS), Army Family Action Plan program, Army Family Team Building program, Army Community Service Food Locker, and Youth and School-Age Services.

Of the money donated to the Presidio organizations, all the funds go to the cause, as zero percent is used for administrative costs, Fellinger pointed out.

According to Mary Adams, president and CEO of United Way Monterey County, last year's Monterey-Santa Cruz Counties' CFC campaign received pledges totaling more than $520,000 from federal and postal employees and military personnel. Out of the more than half a million dollars, the Presidio community's portion was more than $190,000.

Speaking to the many people in attendance who were part of the local CFC collection process, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center Commandant Col. David Chapman said that the first goal of this year's Combined Federal Campaign is 100 percent contact and awareness.

"There are so many young service members here on the Presidio and this may be their first exposure to the CFC. It's important they get the CFC information so they can consider all the possibilities if they decide to donate," he said.

Representing the interests of local Monterey homeless veterans, Terry Bare, a retired Air Force colonel who also once served as DLI's assistant commandant, spoke about the importance of the CFC to the Veterans' Transition Center of Monterey County.

"We are only one of three non-profits in the nation that take care of veterans together with their family members," said Bare. "CFC donations help us to restore dignity, hope and put homeless veterans back on track."

Closing the event, Fellinger joined Chapman and Presidio of Monterey leaders and CFC organizers as they tossed sponge-soft campaign footballs to audience members, officially kicking off the CFC season.

"When you contact people this year about the program," said Fellinger, launching a football, "remember to tell them that every CFC dollar counts!"

The Presidio of Monterey's CFC season runs through Nov. 26.

THE HISTORY OF THE COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN

Prior to the 1950s, on-the-job fund raising in the federal workplace was an "uncontrolled free-for-all," and designations of charities were not allowed, according to a CFC release. Even with the frequency of on-the-job solicitations, total receipts for charitable causes that were worthy of employee support were minor. In many cases, employees donated their pocket change.

In 1964 the first "combined" campaigns, officially called "Combined Federal Campaigns," or "CFC" were conducted as experiments in six cities, consolidating all drives into one. The result was a substantial increase in contributions, ranging from 20 percent to 125 percent, and a highly favorable response within the federal community: agency managers were pleased with having to deal only with a once-a-year effort; federal employees responded with favor to the single solicitation.

The evolution of this is that now, charity solicitations in federal work places follow strict guidance and are under the control of the annual event.

And because the CFC is the only authorized charity payroll deduction, people may choose to spread out their donations throughout the year if they don't want to or cannot pay by check immediately.

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