Heart of Alabama
Combined Federal Campaign

The merger was approved by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in Washington, DC and the board of directors for both campaigns called the Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC). OPM provides broad oversight of all 200-plus CFCs across the country and overseas.

For now, the campaign will retain the Heart of Alabama CFC name and will be overseen by an expanded LFCC, comprised of senior federal agency managers and volunteers from throughout the merged territories. The LFCC is headed by Ms. Kelly Noland, Assistant District Manager with the Social Security Administration in Tuscaloosa.

"Although the Heart of Alabama CFC covers a large amount of territory, each local area will continue to tailor the campaign to meet the needs in its area," said Ms. Noland. "The result will be significantly reduced operating costs and expanded resources for federal employees, such as online giving for every employee," added Colonel Patrick Denman, commander of the U.S. Army Aeromedical Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama, and former chairman of the Wiregrass LFCC who now serves as a member on the expanded board of directors.

In 2010, the Wiregrass CFC raised $256,000 and the Heart of Alabama CFC raised $1,136,000 from federal employees who made voluntary contributions to charities via payroll deduction, check and cash gifts in the annual fall campaign. Operating costs of the combined campaign are expected to be 10 percent or less, making it one of the most effective and efficient CFCs in the country.

The River Region United Way in Montgomery will continue managing the campaign and acts as its fiscal and promotional agent. The United Way is not paid to perform that service, but receives CFC monies when designated by individual federal employees, the same as all other participating charitable organizations.

"The River Region United Way is thrilled to take on the additional responsibility of administering the expanded campaign that now covers 29 Alabama counties," said United Way CEO, Russ Dunman. "The LFCC has placed great trust in us, and we remain committed to administering this campaign with the utmost integrity and enthusiasm."

"Federal employees probably won’t notice much difference in the campaign, except we’ll be able to make each contributed dollar go even further, while offering expanded resources such as online pledging," said Lew Lewis, director of the Heart of Alabama CFC. "I am also pleased to announce that Ms. Beverly Arnold, former manager of the Wiregrass Area CFC, remains on staff as my Campaign Associate," Lewis added.

Established in 1961, the Combined Federal Campaign is among the largest and most successful workplace charity drives in the world. The campaign enables military and civilian federal workers, including U.S. postal service employees, to support charitable causes of their choice via payroll deduction or cash/check donations. Since 1981, the Heart of Alabama CFC has raised more than $14 million for human health and welfare organizations. Nationwide, the CFC has raised more than $6 billion since its inception.

The Heart of Alabama Combined Federal Campaign is the charitable workplace giving campaign for military and civilian employees in federal, postal and military workplaces in 29 Alabama counties from the Tuscaloosa to Dothan areas, including Montgomery and surrounding counties.