Two weeks remain for CFC pledges Published Nov. 6, 2009 By Megan Just 452 AMW Public Affairs MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- Team March members have donated $10,000 so far in March ARB's Combined Federal Campaign that began Oct. 13. With $115,000 still to go for this year's goal, local CFC Committee Chair Susan Blum hopes to see more participation in the remaining two weeks of the campaign. "Last year, with the economy worsening, experts warned that charitable donations would suffer. But March Air Reserve Base employees--and many tenants--stepped up and actually increased their donations. Times are still tough this year, but we're confident March employees will continue to support charities," said Blum. In 2008, Department of Defense employees raised $16 million in donations. The Western Riverside CFC earned more than $300,000 in contributions in 2008, with Team March earning $100,000 of that amount. There are more than 4,000 charitable organizations in the CFC campaign this year, making it the largest workplace charitable giving campaign in the world. "Whatever your interest -- local or global; lesser-known or well-known; animal, environmental, or human-- the CFC has a charity for everyone. If you can't decide on just one cause, you can choose multiple charities to support," Blum said. President John F. Kennedy established the CFC in 1961 as a once a year, in the workplace, consolidated fundraising drive where donations could be collected through payroll deductions. The CFC is the only authorized solicitation of federal employees in the workplace on behalf of approved charitable organizations. "Aside from the traditional benefits of charitable donation through CFC, I especially like that I don't receive seemingly endless 'junk mail' solicitations," Blum said. The Office of Personnel Management maintains strict eligibility and public accountability criteria that all participating CFC charities must meet. OPM annually makes admission decisions for all national and international charity applicants and it resolves local charity admission appeals. Each charity in the campaign handbook is assigned an administrative and fundraising expense rate (AFR). This figure represents the percentage of dollars spent on administering the charity, calculated as a percentage of the organization's total support and revenue. OPM makes the calculations for the national and international charities, while the local CFC committees make the calculations for area charities. The lower the AFR, the more money is going to the charity rather than the administration of the charity. CFC itself helps charities reduce the administrative coasts of donations. "Charities incur costs processing individual contributions, whereas with CFC, they receive one check each month that represents the combined gift of many donors. This process frees resources for better community service and reduces an organization's fundraising costs to a minimum," said Blum. The last day to pledge contributions to this year's Combined Federal Campaign will be Friday, Nov. 20. To buy or donate? $500 (a video game per month) Purchases a two week stay at a camp for a child with disabilities. $300 (a DVD per month) Provides an adaptive tricycle for a disabled child. $240 (one dinner out per month) Two nights of shelter and safety from domestic abuse for a mother and her children. $150 (less than a CD per month) Seven weeks of supervised after-school day care for a child while parents work. $108 (a large pizza per month) Buys three hospitalized children a memorable visit from a Pet Partner Team person and pet. $84 (a movie per month) Can protect six square meters of coral reef, home to hundreds of species of marine plants and animals. $60 (a Subway meal per month) Provides materials to outfit two guide dog puppies. $50 (2 movie rentals per month) Provides livestock for a family in Africa, which enables them to be self-sufficient. $30 (a Happy Meal per month) Supports the translation of important immunization materials for parents into Spanish and other major Asian languages. $15 (two candy bars per month) Fully immunizes ten children in a developing country, decreasing the chances of them needing future medical attention.