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CFC Overseas gives back to 379th AEW

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Bryan Swink
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The Combined Federal Campaign-Overseas is more than halfway through its two-month run and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing community has once again demonstrated the generosity of forward deployed military members. The 379th AEW and tenant units charitable giving supports both those in need throughout the world and in some ways, supports service members here at home while deployed.

Rene Acosta, Global Impact president, presented a check for $7,209.35 to the 379th AEW leadership to go toward the Family Support and Youth Program here.

The local community donated these funds during last year's CFC-O campaign to help improve the quality of life at the 379th AEW. Some of the funds from past years have been used to replace treadmills, provide equipment to record service members reading stories to their children and various other quality of life functions.

"The FSYP is a unique opportunity exclusively for the Combined Federal Campaign-Overseas," said Acosta. "If a donation is made to FSYP, it is given back to the installation it was obtained from and returned with no cost taken."

The base personnel have made more than 600 donations to a host of organizations and raised more than $121,000 during the current campaign. Currently 100 percent of the base has been contacted and 11 percent have already participated. The average donation has been $202.

"The campaign has been incredibly successful due to the hard work of the 93 volunteers of the 379th AEW CFC-O team as well as command support," said Capt. Stephanie Harley, CFC Community Area Project officer.

In previous years, extensions were made to allow people to donate after the close of the campaign. This year is different.

"As we enter the last three weeks of the campaign, it's important to donate before the end of the campaign," said Harley. "Once Nov. 16 rolls around, the campaign officially ends and a grace period will not be granted. So make sure to get any donations in as soon as possible."

Global Impact is a non-profit, humanitarian relief organization that has held campaign administration responsibility for CFC-O since 1996, growing the DOD's campaign from $7 million in annual revenue to more than $16 million at its peak in 2005. Because of that success, Global Impact was granted the administration of the CFC of the National Capital Area in 2003 and has grown that campaign by more than 29 percent in eight years.

The program has grown in large part because of the mindset the employees from Global Impact have toward helping those in need. The mindset is similar to a core value of every branch of service - Integrity.

"All we have to sell is our integrity," said Acosta. "Our integrity means we do everything we say we are going to do, when we say we are going to do it - people respond to that. I truly believe that's why our organization has been so successful in helping those in need."

There is still time to donate to CFC-O before Nov. 16. Contact your unit representative to donate or go to www.cfcoverseas.org. You can also contribute by participating in the 379th AEW CFC fundraising events scheduled during the next several weeks. A CFC Dodge Ball Tournament will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the BPC Fitness Center and a haunted house will open at 6 p.m. Oct. 31 at Bldg. 3971 in Ops Town.