CFC proclaims victory

By Wallace McBride, Fort Jackson LeaderDecember 11, 2014

CFC proclaims victory
Mac Bennett, president and CEO of United Way of the Midlands, addresses the crowd during the Combined Federal Campaign victory banquet Dec. 8, 2014, at the Fort Jackson Officers' Club. This year's campaign raised more than $577,000 in contributions f... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Dec. 11, 2014) -- Hard work and careful planning was critical to making this year's Combined Federal Campaign a success, said Maj. Gen. Bradley Becker, Fort Jackson's commanding general.

Federal employees and Service members from around the region gathered Monday at the Officers' Club to hear the results of this year's campaign collections. Since its August launch, this year's CFC effort raised more than $577,000 in contributions.The campaign doesn't officially close until Monday.

Although the campaign officially began in August, work on this year's event started months earlier, Becker said.

"(Our CFC team) was out getting us our unit points of contact, providing CFC briefings at the unit level, as well as tracking all of the contact numbers," Becker said. "As a result of everyone's outstanding efforts, Fort Jackson produced more than 2,200 donors."

Last year's campaign raised $320,000.

Myra Cunningham, civilian co-chairman of the Midlands Area CFC, said the campaign's success is about more than collecting money.

"The dollars we raise show a real commitment to supporting our community, our state, our nation and the world," she said.

This year's goal was about asking 100 percent of the local federal workforce to demonstrate their commitment to the community.

"For those of you here at Fort Jackson, it's about teaching those young Soldiers about giving something back to an organization larger than themselves," Cunningham said.

The Midlands Area CFC involves 21 counties in South Carolina, and impacts 114 local charities, as well as 24,000 national and international charities in the overall campaign Fort Jackson also had 34 Eagle Club members -- individuals who contributed $1,000 or more to the campaign, Becker said. The post also had 64 Flag Club members who contributed $500 to $1,000 to the campaign, and 225 Victory Club members that contributed between $240 and $500.

"We have a lot to be thankful for, and we often take that for granted," said Mac Bennett, president and CEO of United Way of the Midlands. "One of the things we don't take for granted is the importance of CFC."

Established by a Presidential Executive Order signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, the CFC is the largest workplace charity campaign in the United States and the only campaign authorized to solicit and collect contributions from federal employees in the workplace on behalf of charitable organizations.

Nationally, more than 200 CFC organizations raise nearly $300 million from the federal community each year. The funds are used to support more than 25,000 local, national and international charities.

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Combined Federal Campaign