2015 Combined Federal Campaign kicks off

  • Published
  • By Veronica Sandate Craker
  • Northwest Guardian
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  More than 30 nonprofits convened on Joint Base Lewis-McChord to discuss the impact of federal employees' donations on local communities.

The annual Combined Federal Campaign kicked off Monday at the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Fest Tent. The CFC voluntary workplace giving campaign, which raised more than $7 billion since its inception in 1961, runs through Dec. 15.

The campaign gives military and Department of Defense civilian employees the opportunity to donate to a charity of their choice. Pledges made by military and federal civilians during the campaign season support local, national and international organizations that provide health and human services.

Colonel Daniel S. Morgan, JBLM commander, spoke to the military unit representatives during the kickoff before they met with nonprofit representatives.

"The people standing behind you do it for a reason and they do it to help others -- they don't do it for themselves," Morgan said while speaking to service members. "You're also an institution -- the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Department of Defense -- because you're a part of something bigger than yourself and that's why you do what you do."

Some of the nonprofits represented included the Fisher House, United Way, Emergency Food Network and Goodwill. The unit representatives met with nonprofits and are to report back to fellow service members about the need.

"You've been given a mission at hand, and we don't fail at our mission," Morgan said. "This is our readiness, this is taking care of our families, this is taking care of our service members and this is the future of the force."

JBLM coordinates the CFC in three phases. During the first phase, the installation appoints and trains a loaned executive, while each organization and directorate on base identifies one or more key workers to interface with the JBLM community. Weekly turn-ins and reports are filed during the second phase, with an emphasis on 100 percent quality contact. Equipment turn-in and a recognition ceremony constitute the third phase of the JBLM CFC and conclude the annual campaign.

According to Morgan, South Puget Sound nonprofits received $830,00 with a little more than $630,000 from Soldiers, Airmen and federal employees at JBLM.

"If you are a federal employee, this is your opportunity to give to nonprofits in a very efficient and effective way," said Kelvin Ceasar, CFC director. "I mean it's one stop at any nonprofit anywhere in the world, but the key is opportunity as federal employees to support the work that is going on locally and around the world."