WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- There is more than one way that individuals can play a part in this year's Combined Federal Campaign, which will hold a special COVID-19 solicitation to support local charities.
Susy Himelhoch, director of the Ohio Combined Federal Campaign, Dayton District, said donors are able to pledge volunteer time as well as money during a special solicitation opportunity created to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has authorized the special COVID-19 solicitation to support 2019 Combined Federal Campaign-approved charities.
The CFC pledge portal has been enabled and will be open until June 30. Pledges can be made through Ohio CFC’s website https://ohiocfc.org/ or www.opm.gov/ShowSomeLoveCFC.
“Throughout Ohio and especially in the Dayton community, citizens are digging deep to give back,” Himelhoch said. “The need is there.”
The CFC represents charities that are local, national and international, she pointed out. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base’s diverse community, being very aware of global and national news, has the opportunity to have a positive impact on the charities, whose programs and services serve beneficiaries.
“It’s really about people – including our veterans – animals, the arts, the environment and more,” Himelhoch said.
“Participating in the CFC is voluntary and speaking of that, people can volunteer hours of their time to serve the charities that offer volunteer opportunities,” she noted. “When individuals go to the CFC website, those charities are identified with a ‘helping hand in a circle’ icon. People don’t have to contribute money to volunteer.
“We know from the news how valuable volunteering has been during the past 10 weeks in Dayton and globally,” Himelhoch continued.
Potential donors can visit Ohio CFC’s website https://ohiocfc.org/ to go through the portal to research volunteer opportunities, she said. 100% of the monies contributed through this special solicitation go to the recipient charities.
CFC charities are vetted and approved by volunteers from the federal workforce, which is assuring to donors, Himelhoch said.
According to a CFC Special Solicitation Frequently Asked Questions document, key points about the special solicitation include:
• Donors who contributed through the 2019 campaign can make another contribution; they cannot change their original pledge, however.
• Individuals who did not participate in the 2019 campaign can contribute to the special solicitation.
• Charities have been notified of the special solicitation.
• A mobile app, with instructions available at https://cfcgiving.opm.gov/faq-special, is available for pledging via Apple and Android devices. The app may be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
• Notable is that 100% of dollars contributed through this solicitation will be forwarded to the designated charities, without a distribution fee being charged.
• Active-duty and Department of Defense civilian employees, as well as retirees and contractors, may make a contribution through June 30 to the participating CFC charities of their choice. Existing donors who pledged payroll allotments in falI 2019 can make additional donations with electronic credit card, debit or automated clearinghouse (ACH) on the CFC giving platform or the mobile application.
• Any recurring pledges made during the CFC Special Solicitation will commence after the pledge is “submitted” and sent to the bank, credit card company or payroll service provider. The final recurring pledge installment will be January 15, 2021.
“This solicitation is supplemental to other fundraising efforts and does not preclude personnel from making similar gifts through the military relief societies during their 2020 fundraising campaigns,” the memorandum continues. “Military Relief Societies such as the Army Emergency Relief Fund, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and Air Force Aid Society assist Service members, families, retirees and survivors with basic living expenses and emergencies – circumstances that may have increased across the force as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the timing and special nature of this campaign, the military relief societies are authorized to conduct or continue their campaigns during the Special CFC solicitation.”
Additional information is available at www.cfcgiving.opm.gov. The CCA call center support will service donor calls during the special solicitation at 800-797-0098 (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST). Please note that the call center is operating remotely.
Donations can be designated to one or more of the more than 6,000 local, national, and international approved and vetted 501 (c)(3) organizations from the 2019 CFC Charity List. While the CFC special solicitation has been launched in response to the global pandemic, donations will be distributed as unrestricted funds to work wherever they are needed most.