CFC pledge deadline nears

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Service members from Joint Task Force 505 prepare to load relief supplies from Samaritan’s Purse International Relief Organization onto an Osprey in Nepal in 2015. Samaritan’s Purse is one of many health- and relief-based agencies seeking donations through the Combined Federal Campaign. (Lance Cpl. Hernan Vidana/Marine Corps)

The holidays may be over, but it’s not too late to make your pledge to the Combined Federal Campaign.

After a later-than-expected start last year, CFC organizers also added a later-than-usual deadline, extending the giving season through Jan. 12.

This year brought a new online portal that allows donors to pledge online. The system allows all federal employees to donate via payroll deduction, credit and debit cards, and eCheck payments.

In addition, the Office of Personnel Management was allowed for the first time to solicit federal annuitants and military retirees to continue to use the CFC for charitable giving, with recurring gifts from their annuity. Federal employees, service members and retirees also were able to pledge volunteer time, not just cash, to CFC charities.

While the solicitation campaign periods vary by location, all donors have until Jan. 12 to pledge, whether online or via a traditional pledge card, postmarked by that date.

This year’s campaign theme is “Show Some Love.”

About 

Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book “A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families.” She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.