2022 CFC final week: Pledge to be a ‘change-maker’

  • Published
  • By Megan Mudersbach
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- During this last week of the Combined Federal Campaign, the Wright-Patterson 2022 CFC committee challenges Team Wright-Patt to drive change and help the annual fundraising effort finish strong.  

The final day to give using the CFC online system is Jan. 14. Go to GiveCFC.org.   

The Wright-Patt CFC committee thanks all those who have made a pledge. As of Jan. 3, more than 420 donors from the base have pledged over half a million dollars. These contributions and pledges from federal employees, service members and retirees support more than 5,600 charities nationwide, with over 50 in the Miami Valley community. 

“The CFC allows us to support the well-being of our local, regional and global communities with our treasure of donated time and money to make our world a better and more humane place to raise our families,” said Dr. Edmund Moore, 2022 CFC Dayton District chair. 

Behind each CFC campaign at Wright-Patt is an all-volunteer committee dedicated to being and inspiring change-makers.  

Michael Howe, chief of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Infrastructure Support Branch, serves on the Dayton District Governing Board. In this role, he secures the Wright-Patt CFC committee’s structure and reviews lessons learned. Since 2017, he has also been a key worker and campaign manager. 

Next year, he will serve as the 2023 CFC Dayton District Governing Board vice chair.  

“I’ve directly witnessed the impact of CFC contributions,” Howe said. “My wife has a visual impairment and has a guide dog. The program that connected her with a guide dog relies on donations, including CFC.” 

Jeff Leonard, an AFRL system safety engineer, has served on the CFC committee in various roles. He was the 2022 CFC golf outing chair and served as a loaned executive in 2019. 

“I got to meet so many of our charity representatives personally and learn their stories. All the charities have a story, and all are deserving,” Leonard said. 

With 20 years and counting, he continues to be a change-maker. What inspires him? 

“Unlike some other large charity systems, the CFC has always sent the donations only to where an individual federal worker wanted,” Leonard said. “And where else can you make donations to so many charities so easily, and via payroll deduction, do it so painlessly?” 

Christopher Merlo, chief of Program Integration at Air Force Materiel Command, served as the 2021 CFC chair and 2020 vice chair. For 2022, he was the Dayton CFC campaign representative to the Ohio Local Federal Coordinating Committee.  

“My main role is to meet with (Office of Personnel Management) representatives and translate the objectives, goals and rules of the national CFC campaign to the local campaign chairs and loaned executives,” Merlo said. “Essentially, I’m a go-between the national campaign and the local campaign.”  

Merlo encourages everyone to make a pledge. 

“If you are going through tough economic times, you can still be a change-maker,” he said. “You do not have to just donate money to your favorite charity. You can volunteer hours. The CFC portal allows you to find many organizations that are looking for volunteers.” 

How to donate 

  • Sign up for recurring payroll deduction 

To make a gift that will keep on giving all year long, sign up for a recurring payroll deduction. 

The 2022 CFC online system has all the giving options, to include volunteering time to local charities. It is easy to renew each year, meets all federal-security standards and reduces paper waste. It’s a comprehensive, flexible and secure way to make a difference.  

  • Text to Donate  

Make a one-time donation with the “Text to Donate” option using your credit card or PayPal account. Text “DONATE” to 978-487-5678. Be sure to use our 45433 ZIP code. Follow the instructions to pledge to your charity of choice.  

About the Combined Federal Campaign 

The 2022 CFC theme is: “You Can Be the Face of Change.” Overseen by the Office of Personnel Management, CFC’s mission is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee-focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all federal employees and retirees the opportunity to improve quality of life for all.  

CFC is one of the world’s largest fundraising campaigns, according to OPM’s website. In 2021, the federal community pledged more than $80 million in monetary gifts and volunteer time for local, national and international charities.   

For more information on CFC and its volunteer charities, visit https://givecfc.org.