Combined Federal Campaign kicks off at Edwards Published Oct. 28, 2014 By Rebecca Amber Staff writer EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Edwards kicked off this year's Combined Federal Campaign Oct. 24 at the Joshua Tree Dining Facility. Base leadership gathered to sign their pledge forms over breakfast. "My intent was to try to get as much of the leadership that Airmen see on a day-to-day basis," said Maj. Maryann Karlen, CFC installation project officer. "I haven't met leadership that hasn't supported CFC and I don't know that Airmen necessarily see that." CFC itself is not a charity, but a fundraiser, which is a convenient way for active military and government civilians to donate to their favorite charities. Last year, Edwards raised just over $300,000. This year, they have set their goal at $375,000 for the six-week campaign. Donors have the option of choosing which of 22,000 charities, registered with the Internal Revenue Service, will receive their donation(s). The campaign guide is designed to make finding the right charity easy, by answering commonly asked questions about the charities listed, like their overhead costs. CFC donates to a wide variety of charity genres including everything from children's programs and medical research to animal rescue. "What's cool now is something called 'universal giving' where you can find local charities to your hometown. If you're in the military or someone who has moved away from your hometown, you can actually go back to your hometown charity and donate to that. I think that resonates a lot." One of the benefits to the charities through CFC is the ability for them to create a budget. Along with being able to make a one-time donation, CFC donations can be made in smaller amounts throughout the year from each pay check, civilian or military. "People who donate through CFC actually donate more because they're able to spread that out," said Karlen. "Everybody has somebody who's gone through a hard time or has a passion and wants to help out in a certain way, and I know that there is a charity in the CFC that can cover that." While CFC's overhead cost is already significantly reduced by volunteer workers, they hope to reduce that cost even more using MyPledge. E-Pay users will be prompted to enter a campaign code, provided by their unit point of contact for CFC. In their release form, donors should report Edwards AFB and their group or unit. To make a donation, or for more information, talk to your unit CFC representative. You can also visit http://www.cfctoday.org/_root/ to donate and find out about the different charities available. "When we come together we can make a difference," Karlen said.