LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The annual Combined Federal Campaign has been extended to Oct. 28 after materials expected from the national office arrived almost two weeks into the start of the fundraising effort.
This year's CFC began Sept. 2 and was scheduled to end Tuesday. Because of the materials delay, the campaign will end two weeks later although follow-ups from initial contacts can continue until Dec. 15.
"The original materials that we should have had when the CFC kicked off were not available from the national campaign," said Lt. Col. Enrique Gwin, Team Lackland project officer for the campaign. "We lost a week and a half because of that, and we didn't see the response like we would have because we were waiting on the extra materials."
The delayed materials were brochures that described what each agency does and its code number. The guidebook lists more than 2,600 different charities, local to international. Donors can make one-time contributions or payroll deductions, and donations can be distributed among the charities in accordance with the donor's wishes.
Despite those materials being late in arriving, the campaign goals are within sight.
"We're doing pretty well," said Colonel Gwin. "We saw that delay in the beginning, just like we thought we would because of the lack of paperwork, but from that point we've been moving at a pretty good pace to meeting our goal."
Through Tuesday, Team Lackland had reached 72 percent of its fundraising goal. Agencies participating in the fundraising, open to all federal employees, are the 37th Training Wing, 59th Medical Wing, the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, the 149th Fighter Wing and the 433rd Airlift Wing.
Colonel Gwin said some agencies had collected more than 200 percent of their goal; what the material delay impacted was getting information to the Reserve components, which are only seen at specific times.
However, he believes that after the final tally is made Dec. 15 Team Lackland will have met its goal.
"I think we're getting there and by Dec. 15, we will have taken in sufficient monies," Colonel Gwin said. "We know the economy is difficult but people have a need and we're all in a position to help that need.
"I expected to see a better response this year than in previous years because everybody is aware of those who need help. If we keep the same glide path we've had in recent weeks, then we'll meet it."