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Your CFC Questions Answered!

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The deadline for the Combined Federal Campaign is December 15, but many of you may still have questions. Luckily, we have the answers!

Who can donate through the CFC?

If you are a federal employee, government contractor, postal worker, service member or are retired from federal/postal or military service, you can donate!

How much or frequently can I donate?

You can give either as a one-time thing or through regular donations. Either way is completely fine!

How do I give?

You can donate either online or through a paper pledge form. Online donations can be made through payroll deductions, credit or debit card or an eCheck. Payroll deduction, cash or check is accepted when using a paper pledge form.

Your unit should have a CFC representative who can guide you through the process. If you need more help, contact support@cfcnca.org.

Are payroll deductions pre-tax?

You cannot make charitable contributions through payroll deductions pre-tax, per federal laws. However, you can claim these donations on your taxes.

Is there a minimum pledge amount?

For payroll deductions, you must give at least $1 per payroll period.

What if I want to cancel my donation?

Canceling a payroll deduction or recurring credit/debit card donation is the only change allowed outside of the pledge period. To cancel a payroll deduction, contact your payroll department and request that the allotment be stopped. To cancel a recurring credit card statement, call your credit or debit card company. You can get more information from support@cfcnca.org.

Can I give to more than one charity?

Yes! You can give to one specific charity, to specially chosen charities you select, to a group of charities or give to undesignated funds. You can search through the eligible charities at cfcnca.org. When giving to more than one charity, you can specify how much of your funds will be given to each charity. Undesignated funds will be equally allotted among all charities and federations.

Your CFC Questions Answered!

CFC is the largest and most successful yearly workplace charity program in the world.

I donated to the CFC last year. Do I need to make a new pledge?

Yes, donations are only good for one year. For each year that you wish to donate through the CFC, you will need to complete a new pledge form, either online or on paper.

What if I want to donate to a charity in a neighboring charity region?

Unfortunately, this is not allowed. You can only donate to national charities or local charities within your workplace CFC zone.

How do I get a copy of my contribution statement for taxes?

If you donated through a payroll deduction, you won’t receive a charitable contribution statement. Instead, you will need to compare your payroll deductions to the charities on your pledge form.

To find this, keep a copy of your pledge form. Then on your last leave and earning statement (LES) of the year, locate the deductions. Make sure the totals match, and bring both forms to your tax service or use them when you do your taxes.

For one-time donations on a debit or credit card, please keep the original receipt that was emailed to you. For recurring credit or debit donations, please save the original emailed receipt and your monthly credit/debit card statements.

If you donated through cash or check, please email finance@cfcnca.org to request a tax receipt.

Bring all of these documents with you when you do your taxes or have them handy at home, if you do your own taxes.

Why should I care about the CFC?

Over the last 55 years, more than $8 billion has been contributed to local and national charities. It is the largest and most successful yearly workplace charity program in the world. The donations made by federal, military and postal employees (and retirees) help support health and human services charities across America and around the world.

When does the contribution period end?

The deadline is rapidly approaching!

To pledge to a charity through the CFC this year, you must make your pledge by December 15.

Your workplace should have a local representative or point of contact who can guide you in making your donation. If you need more help, contact support@cfcnca.org.

What questions do you have about the CFC?

Why the CFC Matters

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For service members and federal employees, the Combined Federal Campaign is everywhere right now. But why does it really matter?

Why the CFC Matters

First, a little history about the CFC.

The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) has been around, in different forms, since 1956. President Dwight Eisenhower created a system to allow federal employees and military personnel to give to charity, without endless requests at work. Presidents through the years have refined and changed the system into what it is today.

Today, the CFC is a once yearly period of time when troops and government workers can donate to charities. This helps to stop year-round charitable donation requests from colleagues or groups. And it allows federal workers to show their support for their favorite causes through their job. On the job giving or donations requests usually isn’t allowed. It can be seen as an “endorsement” by the government.

What is the CFC?

The CFC is a system that helps service members to donate to their favorite charities quickly and easily. It also helps them to track their giving for pay purposes.

First, charities apply to be included in the program. A group that has 501(c)(3) status may apply to be included in either a local or national campaign. For either category, the charity must show their impact and programs.

Then, between September 1 and December 15, 2016 federal employees and service members can give to the group(s) of their choice.

Charities are either local, national or part of a federation. You can give to groups in one or all categories. A local charity works in a designated zone close to your workplace or base. A national charity reaches communities around the country. Charities in a federation are all similar types of groups. For example, a group of charities working in education or health care.

Why the CFC Matters

From left: Master Sgt. Elizabeth Ramos, 412th Force Support Squadron, watches as Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Todd Simmons, 412th TW command chief, fill out their Combined Federal Campaign donation forms at wing headquarters Oct. 24. Ramos and 1st Lt. Christophe Bangerezako, 412th Medical Support Squadron, are this year’s points of contact. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner)

Not sure where you want your donation to go? You can donate undesignated funds. These will be split evenly between all the charities.

Giving is simple too!

During the CFC period, employees can donate in 3 different ways.

The easiest way is through a payroll deduction. You can give as little as $1 per paycheck over the course of the CFC giving year. Or you can donate as much as you want! The money comes out automatically every pay period and can be divided between different groups.

Another option is to give a one-time cash, check or credit card donation. For specifics about how to donate this way, check with your unit or base representative.

The last way to give is through a recurring credit, debit or ACH donation. Again, check with your unit or base rep for more details.

It’s also easy to track your giving. For payroll deductions, match the deductions taken to the charities on your year-end LES. For credit or debit card donations, make sure that you keep your receipts! If you made a cash donation, you should contact the Finance Department.

Changes are coming to the CFC in 2017.

Retirees will be able to donate through the CFC starting in September 2017. They will be able to give through monthly deductions from their annuity.

Also starting next year, federal employees will be able to volunteer their time and donate. You will be able to give time to selected groups. That time will be monetized and added to the CFC totals.

By opening up these 2 ways to give back, more service members and military retirees will be able to have an impact.

Even those on a tight budget will be able to help others, through the gift of time.

Another change is the GiveBack.org has partnered with the CFC and OPM to modernize the donation system. GiveBack is a charity that helps large groups of people work together for charity. This group will also likely help to integrate the volunteer and retiree donation options into the current CFC system.

The 2016 Combined Federal Campaign is currently underway. Click here to find out more information about donating to the CFC today.

25 Reasons to Give Back This Holiday Season

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When my sister-in-law asks for my kids’ Christmas wish lists, I sigh. I look around our living room and I see piles of toys that were once loved, but have since been forgotten. The kids don’t want to pick up their toys and put them away. And they are always whining for the newest and greatest toy that the neighbor has and they want. Desperately.

My sisters and I love to buy each other gifts. But around the holidays, there’s a mad dash to find a thoughtful, useful and personal gift when I simply don’t have the desire or energy to shop. I would rather be with my sisters than shopping for my sisters.

This Christmas I am considering a different approach to gift giving. Instead of using our money to buy, buy, buy, we could use our money that we allocated for our holiday gifts by making a donation to our favorite charities through the Combined Federal Campaign or CFC.

The CFC is the world’s largest annual workplace charity campaign and it is available to all federal employees, including service members. The CFC offers a convenient way to make a donation to your favorite charity through direct withdrawal from your paycheck. You can do a small amount every pay period or a one-time donation.

Haven’t heard about the CFC at your military installation?

You can connect with your CFC campaign here. The 2015 CFC solicitation period ends December 15.

Are you thinking about scaling down your Christmas budget this year? Are you considering a Christmas that is more about giving to others and less about giving gifts?

Here are 25 reasons why I’m considering making donations to my favorite charities through the CFC instead of buying gifts this holiday season.

Here are 25 reasons why I’m considering giving gifts that give back this holiday season.

  1. I don’t want the Black Friday craziness. The day after Thanksgiving I don’t want to be battling for an electronic device in a big box store. I want to be at home, listening to holiday music and spending time with my husband.
  2. Giving is a teaching opportunity. When we donate money to charities through the CFC, it’s a teaching opportunity for our children. We can talk to them about children who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening medical conditions and what a blessing their health is. We can watch videos on Make-A-Wish’s website so that the girls can see how their donation (instead of gifts) helps a child have their wish granted. Donating to charities, like Make-A-Wish is a teaching opportunity for gratitude and empathy.
  3. Giving back helps me put my life in perspective. I like to tell myself that my children are ungrateful and I am not. But if I really listen to what I complain about (I want a bigger house, a new purse and top-of-the-line tablet), I find that I’m losing perspective on what’s important in life. If I’m not careful I focus on things instead of people. Making the decision to give a donation instead of buying a gift helps me remember that things won’t lead to my happiness.
  4. Wrapping paper and I don’t get along. I really, really don’t like wrapping presents. It’s not my thing.
  5. Buying less leads to a greener Christmas. The majority of the toys we buy our children aren’t manufactured in the United States. By buying less and trying to buy a few locally made items, we can help reduce our carbon footprint this holiday season.
  6. This gift won’t break, tear or need batteries. Aren’t we all disappointed when a toy doesn’t last more than few months? When we give the gift of giving back through the CFC, we know that this gift won’t be tossed in the trash. This gift will be making a difference in someone’s life.
  7. We don’t need anything and others do. We have life’s necessities and more than a few luxuries. Instead of getting more stuff, we can give more to others who need it more than we do.
  8. Making donations through the CFC empower us when we feel powerless. When I watch the news, my heart breaks. I see children who need help. I see women who need help. And I feel powerless to help. I want to be right there in Nebraska after a tornado serving food to families who lost their homes. But I can’t; instead I make a donation to the American Red Cross. Supporting organizations that help people after natural disasters helps me not feel powerless.
  9. There are no shipping costs. I like to shop online so I spend a small fortune on shipping fees to get presents to my family during the holiday season. This year, when I make donation to the CFC instead, I won’t waste money on shipping fees.
  10. My donation is a thank you gift. Thank you USO for offering my family a place to relax and recharge when our flight was canceled.
  11. We can honor our family members who we miss this holiday season. Before he died, my grandfather, a Korean veteran, was able to take an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. He was very grateful for this experience. This year, when I’m missing him and remembering the box of chocolates I used to give him every Christmas, I can instead make a donation to Honor Flight through the CFC.
  12. One donation gives back all year. When you make a donation to an organization like Serve Our Willing Warriors, you know that your donation is helping ill and injured service members and their families throughout the year. It’s a gift that goes beyond December 25.
  13. A donation is a one-size-fits-all gift. I don’t have to worry about sister-in-law returning this gift. I don’t have to worry about nephew already having this gift.
  14. My gift can help a community close to my heart – veterans.  Here are 21 military and veteran charities that I highly recommend.
  15. Less stuff means less stress at PCS time.We know we are going to move again. It’s part of being a military family. When the time comes to move, I can get pretty stressed out with all the stuff we have and trying to make it fit in the new house. With less stuff, my stress levels aren’t as high when I unpack after a PCS.
  16. Gifts that give back reduce my guilt. I would love to volunteer with a few organizations that I really love, but right now, I don’t have that time. (I’m looking forward to doing that when I retired.) Since I can’t give my time, I can give my money and stop feeling guilty about not volunteering.
  17. These gifts aren’t hard to find. When I was a child, I wanted a Cabbage Patch doll like every other 5-year-old in the early 80s. But unlike every other kid, I didn’t get one. They were sold out everywhere.
  18. Gifts that give are the perfect gifts for that person who has everything. You know that person (cough my husband, cough) who has everything and you still feel obligated to give them a gift. Skip the jelly of the month club membership and make a donation through the CFC instead.
  19. I could be done with my holiday shopping today. I’m always annoyed when I see a friend post on Facebook on October 15 “already done with my holiday shopping, now I can concentrate on what really matter this holiday season.” Meanwhile, I don’t even start thinking about the holidays until after Thanksgiving dinner. With a few clicks on the CFC website, I could be done with my holiday shopping. It’s so tempting.
  20. There’s not a temptation to overspend. Every year, I make a holiday gift budget and I vow to stick to it. Then I’m shopping and I get excited about everything I see. My budget goes out the window. When I pledge donations through the CFC, I stick to my budget.
  21. No more waiting in lines. Every December I waste a lot of time standing in line. Standing in line at the store. Standing in line to take a photo of my kids with Santa. Standing in line at the post office.
  22. Take the competition out of Christmas. Even when my husband and I pledge to not buy each other gifts, I get sucked into the holiday competitive spirit. I want to give him some amazing gift to show how much I love him when in reality his love is a gift to me.
  23. Gifts that give back help my military family. We know that for many military families this time of year isn’t the happiest time of year. Organizations like Trees for Troops help military families  by providing free fresh Christmas trees to service members and their families. Another option is Snowball Express. This charity provides “hope and new happy memories to the children of military fallen heroes who have died while on active duty since 9/11.”
  24. These gifts help us to never forget. Through the charity, Wreaths Across America, we placed wreaths at the tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery 3 years ago. This event was the perfect opportunity to talk our children about remembering and honoring those who came before us.
  25. I want to celebrate a meaningful Christmas filled with experiences, not gifts. When we talk about past Christmases, my kids never remember the toys they unwrapped. Here’s what they remember:
  • Putting out reindeer food on Christmas Eve
  • Going to the Nutcracker ballet with their cousins
  • Watching The Sound of Music while snuggled under blankets
  • Sledding with their friends at Lake Tahoe

This year, I hope that I can give my children a meaningful Christmas once again. I hope this Christmas will be a time of reflection about what we have instead of what we think we need.

Has your family stopped giving gifts for the holidays? How did you do it?

21 Military and Veterans Charities to Consider Before Making a Donation

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In my opinion, the military community tends to be self-sufficient. When one of us has a baby, our on-base neighbors deliver meals for a week to ease this transition. When our marriage is struggling, we are advised to meet with the command chaplain for counseling. When it comes to donating money to nonprofit organizations, we tend to select military and veterans charities that we know will give back to our military community.

21 Military and Veterans Charities to Consider Before Making a Donation

There are more than 400,000 military and veterans charities in the United States.

As we’ve discussed before deciding which military and veterans charities to give back to isn’t an easy decision. There are more than 400,000 military and veterans charities in the United States. That number –400,000– can be daunting and overwhelming.

Here are 21 military and veterans charities that you should consider donating to during this year’s Combined Federal Campaign. These military and veterans charities are a starting point for charities that give back effectively and efficiently to the military community. These nonprofit organizations have received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and the information about each one comes from Charity Navigator.

21 Military and Veterans Charities to Consider Before Making a Donation

What are your favorite military and veterans charities?

21 4-Star Military and Veterans Charities You Should Consider

  1. DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Charitable Service Trust: This trust targets physically and psychologically injured veterans. Programs supported by the trust typically include: providing food, shelter and other necessary items to homeless or at-risk veterans; accessibility or mobility items for veterans with vision or hearing impairments; therapeutic activities; physical and psychological activities for rehabilitation; and other forms of direct service for veterans and their families.
  2. Homes for Our Troops: This military charity assists severely injured servicemen and women and their immediate families by raising donations of money, building materials and professional labor and then coordinating the process of building a new home or adapting an existing home for handicapped accessibility. The finished home is then given to the veteran at no cost to him or her.
  3. Wounded Warriors Family Support: Wounded Warriors Family Support provides support to the families of those who have been wounded, injured or killed during combat operations. Its retreats are provided free of charge to eligible family members.
  4. Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund: The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund provides immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to post-9/11 wounded, critically ill and injured service members of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, and their families. This military charity helps defray the expenses incurred during hospitalization, rehabilitation and recovery; assists with the expenses associated with the purchase of specialized equipment, adaptive vehicles and home modifications; and educates the public about the special needs of our injured service members and their families.
  5. Special Operations Warrior Foundation: The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides support and assistance to the military’s special operations community. Its mission includes providing a full college education to the surviving children of those who lose their lives while serving in the U.S. military special operations community and providing immediate financial assistance and support to ensure that severely wounded personnel are able to have their loved ones at their bedside during recovery.
  6. Association of Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy: The AOG’s three-part mission is: to work in partnership with the academy to produce and foster graduates with an enduring commitment to integrity, excellence, and service to country; to provide leadership, communication, and support to all the academy’s graduates, and promote camaraderie among them; and to promote the academy’s heritage, common tradition, and the accomplishments of its graduates.
  7. West Point Association of Graduates: The West Point Association of Graduates is the alumni association of the United States Military Academy.
  8. Freedom Service Dogs of America: Freedom Service Dogs is a nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by rescuing dogs and custom training them for individual client needs. Clients include children, veterans and active duty soldiers.
  9. Hope For The Warriors: This national organization provides comprehensive support programs for service members, veterans and military families that are focused on transition, health and wellness, peer engagement and connections to community resources.
  10. Puppies Behind Bars: Puppies Behind Bars trains prison inmates to raise service dogs for wounded war veterans and explosive-detection canines for law enforcement. Service dogs are placed free of charge with wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The dogs learn special commands to help mitigate the effects of PTSD and traumatic brain injury.
  11. Operation Homefront: Operation Homefront provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors. Payments are made in the form of grants, not loans, for some of the most basic kinds of needs, such as food, rent and utilities.
  12. Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society: This military and veteran charity provides financial, educational and other assistance to active duty and retired members of the Navy and Marine Corps, their eligible family members and survivors.
  13. Air Warrior Courage Foundation: The Air Warrior Courage Foundation focuses on active duty, National Guard, Reserve and retired military personnel and their families needing financial assistance for medical, educational, and other extraordinary expenses not covered by other military, veterans or charitable institutions.
  14. Operation Support Our Troops- America: This organization’s mission is to support the morale and well-being of American forces by providing comfort, resources and education to them and their families both while they are deployed in harm’s way and after their return. This military charity sends care packages, along with personal letters, cards and notes of support from the community at large to deployed service members.
  15. Travis Manion Foundation: This military and veteran charity engages with veterans and families of the fallen in all stages of their personal journeys and offers them unique opportunities to empower them to achieve their goals.
  16. Honor Flight Network: Honor Flight Network transports senior and terminally ill veterans to Washington, D.C. so that they can visit and reflect at the memorials.
  17. Fisher House Foundation: Fisher House Foundation is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment.
  18. Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors: TAPS has provided comfort and care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week through comprehensive services and programs including peer based emotional support, case work assistance, crisis intervention and grief and trauma resources. Its National Military Survivor Seminars and Good Grief Camps have been conducted for 19 years and are complemented by regional seminars across the country.
  19. Our Military Kids: Our Military Kids provides substantial support in the form of grants to the children of National Guard and Military Reserve personnel who are currently deployed overseas, as well as the children of injured service members in all branches. The grants pay for participation in extracurricular activities and tutoring programs that nurture and sustain children while a parent is deployed or recovering from injury.
  20. Snowball Express: The Snowball Express provides hope and new happy memories to the children of military fallen heroes who have died while on active duty since 9/11. This military and veterans charity brings children together from all over the world for a four-day experience filled with fun activities.
  21. USO Metropolitan Washington: With the help of nearly 5,000 devoted volunteers, USO-Metro provides programs and services for active duty troops and their families at area military hospitals, five USO Centers, four USO airport lounges and a Mobile USO. Its signature programs include Turkeys for Troops and Project USO Elf.

Obviously this list of military and veterans charities is not comprehensive. But it’s a starting point for CFC donors looking to donate to military and veterans charities.

What’s your favorite military and veterans charity? Do you donate your time with this charity? Or prefer to make a financial donation through the CFC?