News from our Partners: Navy Commander Spreads the Word about CFC Giving

Once a campaign exclusively for Federal employees, thanks to an executive order in 2016, civilian and military retirees can now continue their giving through CFC with the ability to make a direct deduction to CFC right from their annuity.

“In the past, different nonprofit organizations would come to the military and ask people to donate,” said LCDR Stephen Gill, (USN, ret.). “Yet when we retired, we no longer could participate fully in the campaign. Fortunately, that changed in the 2017 campaign.”

Gill noted, that for military retirees like himself, that ability is still not very well known so he wants to help spread the word.

“Now, when you leave active duty, you can not only keep important benefits like health care insurance but also the convenience of giving to your favorite charitable cause through the CFC can continue as well,” he said from his home in Northern Virginia.

Gill also learned that the CFC Giving System launched in 2017 by OPM has state-of-the-art security controls and meets all the modern standards required by the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA).

The CFC program is more than just giving to charities. Leaders like Mr. Gill say the entire concept embodies deliberate partnerships between government employees and charities to help those who need it the most. 

Many former members of the military like to maintain some of the benefits of giving through CFC such as having Federal employees screen a list of qualified charities or giving anonymously if they choose. Gill says keeping those benefits is as easy as 1-2-3.

First, choose your cause. Whether you care about youth development, military families, or animal welfare — the CFC has more than 5,600 pre-screened charities for any cause you want to support. You can even give to multiple charities with one pledge.

Second, go to cfcgiving.opm.gov to pledge. The online pledge portal allows you to easily start or renew your pledge each year and offers the full range of pledge options for one-time or recurring gifts via Monthly Deduction from your annuity; Credit/debit card; or E-checks.

If you previously supported CFC charities in a former military career, you could transfer that gift to your annuity by updating your CFC profile in the Donation Portal.  If not, you can enter a new pledge. For anyone who does not want to use the e-Giving systems, CFC will still process pledges mailed in using the special Retiree Form you can get at https://cfcnca.givecfc.org/sites/cfcnca/files/2020-11/508%202020%20CFC%20Retiree%20Pledge%20Form.pdf

Visit www.givecfc.org to learn more about the campaign, participating charities, and opportunities. If you have questions, then call the CFC Help Center 1-800-797-0098 (8 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST) or visit: cfcgiving.opm.gov/contact.