CWU Combined Fund Drive Winding Down

December 4, 2003

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Friday, Dec. 12 is the final day for Central Washington University employees to make their contributions to the Combined Fund Drive (CFD), which is the charitable organization within Washington state government. Now in its 19th year, CFD allows state employees and public agency retirees to help local, state, national and international communities.

Through the program, donors support more than 1,900 charities that provide a variety of services including: education; alcohol/drug abuse, crisis and domestic violence counseling; arts programs; child care; housing; food distribution; medical care and research; disaster relief; legal and senior citizen assistance; and environmental and endangered species protection.

"This is an easy and convenient - not to mention effective - way for the campus community to give to the Ellensburg community and beyond," Jack Baker, CWU assistant to the vice president for student affairs and enrollment management and the university's CFD co-chair, says.

Automated monthly deductions allow contributors to make a pledge that is then taken directly from payroll and pension checks.

Monthly deductions become quarterly contribution checks to those charities, which aids in their planning and execution of their annual programs, according to Keith Champagne, associate vice president for students affairs and enrollment management and CFD co-chair, who notes that one-time donations are also accepted.

From each $1 donated, 94 cents goes directly to the charity of the giver’s choice. The remainder pays for printed materials, volunteer training and contribution auditing.

Baker notes as little as $5 a month can provide:

• 188 pounds of food to be distributed to the needy;
• a daily meal for 20 children in Guatemala;
• 100 cedar trees for a habitat restoration project;
• more than five nights of emergency shelter for a homeless person; or,
• nearly 22 trained volunteer hours toward teaching an illiterate adult to read and write.

Estimates indicate that CWU faculty and staff will donate more than $22,000 through the CFD this year. Statewide, it's expected more than $5 million will be contributed, up $200,000 from last year.

For additional information about Central's participation in CFD, call (509) 963-1515, or (for the hearing impaired) (509) 963-2143.