MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- The 2014 Hawaii-Pacific Area Combined Federal Campaign officially began Sept. 15 and ends Oct. 31, 2014.
Through the CFC, federal employees and active-duty service members have the opportunity to make a single donation or allocate a portion of their paycheck to one or several nonprofit organizations officially listed with the campaign. There are more than 4,000 local, national and international organizations to choose from.
Each year, U.S. Pacific Command and the military branches rotate, taking turns spearheading the Hawaii campaign. The Hawaii National Guard is hosting the campaign this year.
Last year, the Hawaii-Pacific Area CFC reached more than 91,000 people and raised $5,068,403. The goal this year, according to the CFC Hawaii website, is $6 million. The goal was set to top last year’s campaign results, said Lt. Col. Lynn Ishii, executive officer, Hawaii Army National Guard and 2014 Hawaii-Pacific Area CFC campaign project officer.
Ishii has been involved with the CFC in an official capacity for a number of years, but this is her first year as the campaign project officer. She also personally donates every year.
“It makes me feel good to give back to the community and donating to CFC (accomplishes that),” she said. Ishii added that nonprofit organizations listed with the CFC are vetted. “A lot of charities can come to you individually and send you brochures in the mail, but unless you (are familiar with them) who knows where the money is going?” Ishii said. “(With CFC), you can be confident that these charities meet the minimum criteria.”
Ishii said each of the project officers are encouraged to invite nonprofit organizations to come to their particular agencies so employees can get to know their work and help guide their decision to designate a charity.
“The first obstacle is letting everyone know the campaign has started, and educate them about the Combined Federal Campaign,” Ishii said. “As long as our federal employees get this information I have no doubt that they’ll want to participate.”
Aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, participants in the Sunset Flight Line 5k run/walk were able to chat with several CFC organizations during a kickoff event for the annual Combined Federal Campaign at Hangar 101 aboard Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Sept. 19.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Roy Jenkins is this year’s agency project officer for Marine Corps Base Hawaii. This is the first year Jenkins has been involved with the CFC in an official capacity, though he has been personally donating to the CFC regularly.
“I was happy to take on the challenge,” he said.
Growing up in Baton Rouge, La., with severe weather and a family on a budget, Jenkins said he saw firsthand how organizations like the American Red Cross can help in times of need.
“I’ve seen the benefits of these programs and I always want to be able to help others,” Jenkins said. “The way I can do that is through the charities that participate in the CFC.”
He said he hopes to make the CFC kickoff events like the Sunset Flight Line 5k an annual event, though eventually he would like it to be able to stand on its own. This year, Jenkins said he was happy with the turnout at the kickoff. He said he wanted to bring new life into a campaign that has been stagnant for the last five years. Jenkins theorizes that the Marine Corps donation numbers have been low due to lack of awareness of the program. He hopes that by having kickoff events, people can meet representatives of the various charities affiliated with the CFC, and perhaps become inspired to donate to particular charities.
Participants can donate by filling out paper pledge forms provided by their CFC representative, or pledge online through CFC Nexus at the CFC Hawaii website. Retired federal employees and contractors can also donate to the CFC by filling out a pledge form available at the website and mailing it to the address provided.
Although there is no monetary goal for Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Jenkins said he hopes this year’s collection will exceed last year’s. Ishii said she was grateful to all the key personnel, leadership and project officers for taking time out of their schedules to volunteer for CFC and collect donations.
“Some agencies have gotten a head start and they’re going to be done really early,” she said. “Other agencies are having a slower start. It’s very hard to get the word out to everybody but I have confidence that they’ll eventually (reach everyone in their group).”
Although fundraising through the federal government has been around since the late 1940s, CFC officially took off in the early 1960s. Today, there are nearly 200 individual campaigns held nationwide. For more information, contact Jenkins at 257-2353 or roy.jenkins@usmc.mil, see a unit CFC representative, or visit www.cfc-hawaii.org.