CFC Leaders Gather at Mid-Campaign Luncheon

The CFCNCA Mid-Campaign Luncheon was an invitation-only event where the leaders of the national capital area gathered to discuss best practices, share campaign success stories and learn strategies to invigorate their campaign efforts for the remainder of the season. Over 300 Campaign Managers met for an informative and inspirational lunch. Local Federal Coordinating Committee members spoke including Linda Washington, Chair; Brigadier General Brown and Barbara Jackson. The Campaign Managers also heard a moving testimonial from an individual who received services in a time of need from a CFC charity.

Additional news at the event was the announcement of an extension granted to the CFCNCA by the Office of Personnel Management. This extension is only applicable to the CFCNCA and those Departments/Agencies that are located within the CFCNCA geographic boundaries. It does not extend to regional or field offices located in other campaign geographic areas. “While it is good news that we will have some more time for donors to give, it is still only a matter of weeks left in this campaign,” Washington added.
Participants also heard from Brigadier General Mark Brown and Barbara Jackson, Vice President of the American Federation of Government Employees of the Social Security Administration. General Brown reported on the successful progress being made at Department of Defense (DoD) campaigns.

“The DoD continues to use a wide variety of best practices and strategies throughout its campaigns including keeping the campaign visible through the use of marketing materials, embracing the new online tools available to us and personalizing the campaign through the use of testimonials,” said General Brown. He also stressed the importance of involving leadership from the beginning and how they can change the course of a campaign from day one. He ended with this thought, “We, as leaders, are responsible to inspire our employees and colleagues – charities, communities and people are counting on us.”

Ms. Jackson encouraged campaigns to reach out to labor leaders and invite them to speak at group meetings where union members are present. “The labor movement has some specific concerns that are supported by charities in the campaign,” she remarked. She highlighted that CFC charities support working families with programs that include information and referral, emergency financial assistance, entry into jobs, labor in the schools activities, training volunteers and other programs. “Labor unions also stand side by side with charities in the campaign to defend free speech and fair hiring with a special emphasis on women, minority and federal employee rights,” she added.

Ms. Washington, in her concluding remarks, encouraged the use of employee testimonials to “bring home” the campaign to co-workers. “When you showcase concrete examples from within our own community at campaign events and through campaign communications, you demonstrate the way the CFC truly changes the world one person at a time,” she commented. “I urge each of you to take what you’ve heard here today to heart, and remember that millions of people are depending on the compassion of our community of Federal employees. This is our campaign and our opportunity to make a difference.”