Charitable Fund Drive At Western: What Do You Care About?

In 2006, 75 percent of Oregonians reported donating to a charitable organization, while 50 percent volunteered their time to help others in need. Oregon's Charitable Fund Drive (CFD) helps to connect people, mainly Oregon state employees, who want to help with those in need. By pitching in together, these employees are making a positive impact on people's lives and improving their communities. The CFD is helping communities in large ways, whether it is in the form of alleviating hunger, preserving the Columbia River Gorge, eliminating discrimination, preventing child abuse or curing deadly diseases. The CFD connects communities with nonprofit organizations that are working to see these ideas grow into reality.

Oregon's CFD is an annual giving campaign that offers employees different charities to choose from. This method has been deemed a "donor-choice campaign." Each donor decides where their money goes and which charities are supported with their money. The CFD gladly accepts checks, credit cards and cash, along with payroll deductions and electronic fund transfers. Each donation is tax deductible, making lending a hand even more appealing. The first CFD was implemented in 1989 as a way of offering access to a wide range of charities through an easy, once a year campaign, under the employee's control.

Whether or not Oregonians realize it, many are affected by the over 850 charities that Oregon's CFD supports. From swimming lessons at the YMCA to Red Cross CPR instructions, many programs within the Willamette Valley community would not be possible without assistance from CFD sponsored organizations. Many advances in medicine are due to donations from research and direct service. CFD funded nonprofit groups that maintain "green spaces" many of us visit. Some of the major charities that are funded by the CFD are the United Way, Black United Fund, Children's Trust Fund of Oregon, Earth Share of Oregon and Habitat for Humanity.

Donations, whether large or small, to these and other CFD organizations can make a difference in the lives of community members in need of help. Less than five dollars per month pays for a family who loses their home to a fire or disaster to stay in a hotel for one night. Ten dollars per month will provide an elementary school classroom with pencils, glue sticks and crayons. Twelve dollars per month would purchase one large street for volunteers to plant with greenery in the Portland-Vancouver area. twenty one dollars per month buys a brand new front door in a house for a low-income family. And $50 per month provides one day of chemotherapy for a young adult with leukemia. As you can see, every little bit can help.

The theme of this year's campaign is What Do You Care About? This title stresses what the campaign strives for. Oregon's CFD wants to "Know what you value, what you are passionate about, or the change that you'd like to see in this world." Last year, the CFD raised $1,012,433 in support of Oregon's local charities.

Western had a direct impact on these numbers last year with a contribution of $12,596 from Western state employees. A list of 700 Western staff and faculty members have been contacted, and the responses look generous. Deb Charlton - the CFD coordinator at Western stated, "Our community support makes it possible for [CFD] organizations to stay in business."

With more than 800 organizations providing resources and services, there is probably an organization or two working on issues that you care about. Western students, staff and faculty can all get involved.Ways to get involve include donating as a state employee, volunteering with one of the listed charities or participating in one of the many on-campus charity drives sponsored by students and assisted by the CFD.•