Campaign workers: Copy and paste one of the following stories (or download them all here) from CFC-participating charities in your weekly CFC email. (See the Weekly Email Templates here.) You can also use these stories in social media, intranet sites, newsletters, and more. Learn more about the great work CFC-participating charities do by visiting the Virtual Charity Fair.
Please note: The stories we share in regards to our Cause Area program are intended to promote the great work that CFC participating charities accomplish through the power of donations from the Federal community. However, visitors should be aware that many of our causes deal with potentially upsetting topics such as illness, poverty, hunger, abuse, etc. Please read with caution.
Animal Welfare Cause Area
Story 1: As a 10-month-old puppy, Olive found herself at a CFC-participating animal rescue organization – her skin dry and burned, covered in painful lesions. Even a gentle touch would make her bleed. Over the course of several weeks with tender treatment and medicated baths, Olive’s skin healed, and her true personality bloomed. Her eyes, once so sad, began to sparkle, radiating happiness and love for the foster family that took her in.
Do you want to help puppies like Olive live happy and healthy lives? Consider giving to an animal rescue organization through the CFC.
GIVE COMPANIONSHIP. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: Throughout his career, Aro, a working dog for the U.S. Border Patrol, received many awards for his role in hundreds of confiscations of illegal drugs and thousands of apprehended suspects. After retiring from his illustrious career, Aro suffered a ruptured mass in his digestive tract. Fortunately, one of the CFC participating organizations believes officers/handlers/owners should not have to shoulder the burden of large veterinary bills for their retired canine partners. They stepped in and covered the cost of Aro’s emergency surgery. Now Aro can live the rest of his life in comfort with the family who loves him.
Do you want to save the life of one of our nation’s four-legged heroes? Consider giving to a veterinary care organization through the CFC.
GIVE COMPANIONSHIP. GIVE HAPPY.
Arts & Humanities Cause Area
Story 1: Many CFC-participating charities provide valuable opportunities for individuals with developmental, intellectual, or physical disabilities by fostering a sense of belonging and equality. One CFC- participating charity operates two art studios supporting 60 individuals with developmental disabilities, offering the artists meaningful work, social engagement, and a sense of community. This program encourages participants to thrive while showcasing their unique talents and breaking down barriers. One of the artists, Cole says, “This is an awesome place where disabilities don’t matter. We are all equal here.”
Do you want to provide dignity and financial independence to artists like Cole? Consider giving to and volunteering with an inclusive arts organization in your community through the CFC.
GIVE INSPIRATION. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: If you’ve ever been to a live theater performance, you know what an awesome experience it is. Elizabeth, a young woman who loves the theater, found a CFC-participating organization that professionally produces plays written by teenagers. She participated in a playwriting mentorship program and transformed her one-act play into a full-length piece that was then performed by professional actors. The organization offers playwriting classes through public, charter, and private schools as well as after-school and summer programs. One program, Students Advocating for the Eradication of Racism, culminated in a live showcase of activism pieces exploring safe spaces for young people.
Do you want to transform a community and foster creativity? Consider giving to an organization that promotes the arts through the CFC.
GIVE INSPIRATION. GIVE HAPPY.
Children & Family Services Cause Area
Story 1: Cash, a six-year-old with cerebral palsy, was unable to stand, crawl, walk, or even sit for extended periods of time without assistance. That is, until his mom found a CFC-participating organization in their local community that offered therapeutic riding programs for kids like Cash.
When he first started riding, Cash needed an instructor to sit with him on the horse to keep him safely balanced, but over time, he started riding on his own. With each ride, he gains core strength and stamina. He also loves the bond he has with the horse he rides, Justin.
Do you want to help wheelchair-bound kids, like Cash, be empowered to feel taller, both literally and emotionally? Consider giving to a therapeutic riding program through the CFC.
GIVE STABILITY. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: When Deva was a toddler, her father was arrested and sentenced to a decades-long prison sentence. Overnight, her mother became the sole breadwinner for their family, and although she worked multiple jobs, the family struggled financially. Where they live in Cambodia, public school is not free. Although Deva was an excellent student with dreams of becoming a doctor, her family could not afford to continue to send her to school. That’s when a CFC-participating organization stepped in with a sponsorship program for children with an incarcerated parent. They not only covered her school fees, but they also provided the family with supplemental food support. Last year, Deva graduated and secured a spot at a university where she is currently studying medicine.
Do you want to ensure kids like Deva can accomplish their educational goals? Consider giving to an organization that supports children from broken families through the CFC.
GIVE STABILITY. GIVE HAPPY.
Community Improvement Cause Area
Story 1: John felt a desire to make a difference in his community. So, he found a CFC-participating organization focused on improving the comfort and dignity of bus riders and promoting a biking culture. The group wanted to address the severe lack of seating at many of the city’s busiest bus stops in historically disinvested communities. Their first project involved installing a single bench at a bus stop, but they didn't stop there. They have since installed 42 more benches around the city, providing much-needed seating for bus riders. Additionally, the group revived the city's Critical Mass Bike Ride, expecting only 50 to 100 participants but attracting over 350 riders. John's involvement with this organization has allowed him to make a tangible difference in his community, improving the quality of life for bus riders and promoting healthier and more sustainable modes of transportation.
Like John, do you want to help improve our community? Consider giving and volunteering with a local community improvement organization through the CFC.
GIVE COMMUNITY. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: In a downtrodden neighborhood, a group of citizens, businesses, and CFC-participating organizations gathered to break ground on a project that would transform the empty parking lot of a shuttered elementary school into a center for workforce innovation. This community improvement investment took a village to bring to fruition. The center will be a manufacturing training center, a local business, and a community space. The center is more than just a new building. It represents the commitment of thousands of everyday donors who gave $5 to be a part of this community and see it thrive.
Do you want to invest in community transformation and youth empowerment? Consider giving to a community-led transformative organization through the CFC.
GIVE STABILITY. GIVE HAPPY.
Disaster & Crisis Response Cause Area
Story 1: Three young women, ages 18 and 19, were among a group of 170 students who found themselves stranded outside Kabul airport in August of 2021. Arifa, Zahra, and Hadisa endured three dangerous days amid gunfire and bombs before they finally boarded a plane for the United States. One of the CFC-participating organizations helped the three women meet their basic needs, acclimate to their new surroundings, and eventually settle at a University. While the women miss their homeland, they are optimistic about their future. Zahra says, “As a woman, you can achieve all your dreams here.” Zahra plans to study the law to help women and girls in Afghanistan. Arifa plans to study cybersecurity and Hadisa plans to study software engineering.
Do you want to help those escaping terrible circumstances like Zahra, Arifa, and Hadisa find opportunities in a new country? Consider giving and volunteering with a refugee assistance organization through the CFC.
GIVE HELP. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: Two women in their mid-twenties planned a nice hike one Sunday afternoon. The ladies were inexperienced hikers who became disoriented and got lost in the mountains. While the trailheads were obviously marked, after about a mile, the trail markers became non-existent. The two were terrified at having to spend the night in the wilderness. At 5 am on Monday morning, the local Sheriff’s office called in search and rescue volunteers from a CFC-participating organization. Within hours, Tipper, a certified air scent dog, and her handler found the two hikers about three miles off the trail. Tipper’s handler credited the 2,000 hours and many dollars spent by the organization to train and certify Tipper as invaluable when put to good use saving lives.
Do you want to help find individuals in emergency situations? Consider giving to and volunteering with a canine search and rescue organization through the CFC.
GIVE HELP. GIVE HAPPY.
Education Cause Area
Story 1: Michael, a young cow herder in South Africa, saw education as his pathway out of poverty. Although he didn’t start kindergarten until he was 15, he finished his education and became a construction manager. Now, he partners with a CFC-participating organization to build classrooms for students who would otherwise have to learn outdoors and for whom learning would have to stop during the rainy season. The classrooms he builds go beyond helping to educate the youth in his community. Some are used at night for adult learning or as makeshift dormitories for girls in areas where exceptionally long walks home after dark would be dangerous.
Do you want to build safe places for children to learn? Consider giving to a school-building organization through the CFC.
GIVE KNOWLEDGE. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: Peter, a member of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, attends Cornell University pursuing a degree in Biological Engineering with a minor in Indigenous Studies. He also serves on the board of the Native American and Indigenous Student organization and co-leads an Indigenous Mentorship Program, which pairs first-year students with an Indigenous mentor. Clearing obstacles for future Indigenous students is important to him, as he received a scholarship from a CFC-participating organization that helped him make his own dreams come true. He says the support of this organization “academically, financially, and emotionally, has given me the strength to make it through the first half of my undergraduate degree.”
Do you want to help deserving students achieve higher education? Consider giving to a scholarship organization through the CFC.
GIVE KNOWLEDGE. GIVE HAPPY.
End Poverty Cause Area
Story 1: Hamida, widowed with two children, lives in rural East Africa with a dream of starting a restaurant. A few years ago, she turned to a CFC-participating organization for a micro-loan to help her dream come true. Over the years, her business grew, and she was able to hire a manager and open an additional shop. Her continued partnership with this organization and her business acumen have allowed her and her family to thrive. She was able to afford the annual fees of nearly $900 to keep each of her children in school. Her daughter just finished high school with hopes of becoming a doctor.
Do you want to support entrepreneurial women and reduce intergenerational poverty? Consider giving to a micro-lending and financial training organization through the CFC.
GIVE OPPORTUNITY. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: Often, employers hesitate to hire individuals with disabilities due to uncertainty about accommodations and training. But, one of the CFC participating organizations makes this their mission. Roland faces difficulties with slow reading and speech, but through this organization’s on-the-job training and personalized coaching, he discovered fulfilling work as a Grounds Technician at a prominent museum in his city. Organizations like this help individuals develop self-sufficiency and communities thrive as a result.
Do you want to transform our community by helping hardworking employees like Roland secure employment? Consider giving and volunteering with an organization that helps everyone reach their potential through the CFC.
GIVE OPPORTUNITY. GIVE HAPPY.
Environmental Protection Cause Area
Story 1: Did you know that whales capture carbon from the atmosphere? Each great whale takes in 33 tons of carbon dioxide on average, and when they die, they sink to the bottom of the ocean and lock that carbon away for hundreds of years helping to reduce the amount of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, industrialized whaling, warming waters, and the impact of global trade have greatly reduced whale populations. One CFC-participating charity focuses on research and advocacy on how to protect whale breeding and feeding grounds, regulate fishing practices, and prevent plastics and other waste from winding up in the ocean.
Do you want to protect whales and save our atmosphere at the same time? Consider giving to a wildlife and habitat preservation organization through the CFC.
GIVE CONSERVATION. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: Have you heard of a conservation easement? Well, neither had I, but they restrict the development of land while allowing it to remain in private ownership. One of the CFC-participating organizations works with landowners and town officials to promote conservation planning, identify natural resource areas, and fund conservation projects. Often, this organization works to maintain trails on these easements to protect open spaces for everyone to enjoy. Projects like these help preserve natural habitats, scenic landscapes, and cultural resources for future generations.
Do you want to promote open spaces in our community? Consider giving to and volunteering with a land conservation organization through the CFC.
GIVE CONSERVATION. GIVE HAPPY.
Food & Nutrition Cause Area
Story 1: When you made breakfast for your kids this morning or packed their school lunch, did you imagine what it might be like if you had nothing in the pantry to feed them? Millions face this reality around the world every day. Kin, a mother of six in Somalia, traveled 700 miles to escape hunger after she lost all her livestock due to the worst drought in 40 years. They are living in a makeshift camp in a tiny shelter made of old clothes, plastic bags, and dry sticks. Three of the children are living with disabilities, including two who have trouble walking. CFC-participating charities are there to supply clean water and food and hope for these families.
Do you want to help mothers like Kin be able to feed their children? Consider giving to relief organizations through the CFC.
GIVE NOURISHMENT. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: Grocery bills have been increasing for many families across the country, making it more difficult to put food on the table. For most of us, this is inconvenient, but for many families, this is an insurmountable obstacle. One CFC-participating charity provides “blessing bags” filled with food to school-aged children in their local community. The number of students needing weekend food has increased from 100 to nearly 850, showing the great need for food and assistance during these challenging times. During each distribution, at least five kids ask to be added to the program because of this need.
Do you want to ensure children in our community don’t go hungry? Consider giving to food distribution programs through the CFC.
GIVE NOURISHMENT. GIVE HAPPY.
Global Health & Medical Research Cause Area
Story 1: Dennis, a Federal employee, thought it was no big deal when he initially developed an odd walking pattern. Then, other signs started to accumulate: he had trouble putting on his coat, his feet felt heavy, and his left side became slower and weaker. At age 64, he received a diagnosis that more than 90,000 other people receive each year: Parkinson’s disease. He retired from Federal service to focus on his health. He found a CFC-participating organization that offered a supportive community providing physical, art, and cognitive therapy for people with Parkinson’s and other movement-impaired disorders. Taking classes three times a week has helped in slowing the progression of his disease. Dennis’s motto is “Get up, get out, and get involved” and he lives it every day, even becoming Chairman of the Board of the organization that has done so much for him.
Do you want to help patients like Dennis with long-term illnesses live their best lives? Consider giving to health-related organizations through the CFC.
GIVE HEALTH. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: At one point, Pam, a grandmother with diabetes, found herself living in a shelter, unable to monitor her blood sugar. The fluctuating ups and downs were dangerous and sometimes ended up in visits to the emergency room. Thanks to a program through a CFC-participating charity, Pam now has her own blood sugar monitor and a cell phone that buzzes with reminders to check her levels – all free of charge. She also receives the medications she needs and a treatment plan to help keep her healthy.
Do you want to ensure that patients have access to the medications and treatments they need? Consider giving to a medical service organization through the CFC.
GIVE HEALTH. GIVE HAPPY.
Housing & Shelter Cause Area
Story 1: Life can be unpredictable and challenging, especially for single parents like Clara. Despite working full-time and receiving child support, Clara fell behind on her rent due to the unexpected hospitalization of her oldest daughter, who was struggling with mental health. When she received an eviction notice from her landlord, she turned to a CFC-participating organization for help. They were able to provide Clara with a lifeline to cover her rent during this difficult time and connected her with other resources, including food to meet her family’s basic needs.
Do you want to help hardworking mothers like Clara make it through a hard time? Consider supporting organizations that help families stay in their homes through the CFC.
GIVE SHELTER. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: Maya volunteers for a CFC-participating organization that offers transitional housing to homeless female veterans. Their program helps break the cycle of homelessness, creating self-sufficiency and accountability. She says she volunteers because she wants to give back to her community and to some of our nation’s heroes. She knows that not everyone has a heroic story after leaving the military. Even someone who seems on top of the world can experience a health issue or a financial issue that changes their life. She says the organization where she serves is more than a shelter – it's a place for help, healing, and renewal and she is honored to be a small part of it.
Do you want to give back to our nation’s heroes? Consider giving to and volunteering with a temporary housing organization through the CFC.
GIVE SHELTER. GIVE HAPPY.
Human Rights Cause Area
Story 1: Magdiel and his husband Jeffrey, refugees living in Costa Rica, were struggling to make ends meet after they had to flee their native Nicaragua due to their political and community activism. One day, while walking on the beach, collecting beautiful shells and rocks, an idea for a business using upcycled materials to create artisanal home decor took shape, but getting started was a challenge. A CFC-participating charity stepped in and provided the couple with some start up cash and training on how to run a business. The organization believes that the economic inclusion of refugees boosts economies, generates jobs, creates resilience, and prevents gender-based violence.
Do you want to help refugees start a new life in safety and dignity? Consider supporting organizations that promote everyone’s right to a life free of persecution through the CFC.
GIVE JUSTICE. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: This year marks a big federal election cycle when many Americans exercise their right to vote for leaders that will shape our future. One of the CFC-participating charities wants to ensure that all citizens who want to vote will be able to do so. One of their beneficiaries, Mercedes, aged 59, was displaced by a hurricane and couldn’t afford to return to the polling place where she was registered to vote. This organization contacted her and offered to help get her to the polls by sending her in a paid rideshare. They help people without transportation get IDs or driver’s licenses and ensure they get to the polls on voting day.
Do you want all eligible voters to cast their voices in every election? Consider giving to an organization that safeguards every citizen’s right to vote.
GIVE JUSTICE. GIVE HAPPY.
Mental Wellness Cause Area
Story 1: When Adrienne’s son was born, she suffered severe postpartum and lived in daily fear and paranoia that someone would take him from her. “I was very nervous, and just didn’t feel worthy of having a child,” she said. Adrienne enrolled in a program through a CFC-participating organization providing home visits to pregnant women and new mothers. The program provides tools and resources to improve maternal and child health in the community by developing parenting skills, creating nurturing home environments, and connecting families with other resources they might need. Adrienne’s home visit professional helped her feel more confident and, with therapy, helped alleviate some of her fears and anxieties about being a new mother. “It saved my life,” Adrienne admits.
Do you want to help new mothers thrive? Consider giving to organizations that offer maternal counseling and support through the CFC.
GIVE HOPE. GIVE HAPPY.
Military & Veterans Services
Story 1: Sometimes things just go from bad to worse. Jim* (name changed), a widowed veteran, needed a lawyer to help him file a civil suit against a driver who had destroyed his parked car, but he didn’t think his tight budget could afford one. Fortunately, he found a CFC-participating organization that offers pro bono legal services. In the middle of the case, he suffered a heart attack and was evicted from his home. His attorneys lept into action to find a shelter that would take him and his service dog while they began work on the eviction case. They won both cases, restoring Jim to his home with his new truck in the driveway.
Do you want to help our nation’s heroes in their time of need? Consider giving to pro bono legal service organizations for veterans through the CFC.
GIVE SUPPORT. GIVE HAPPY.
Story 2: Michael, a married father of four, has spent a large portion of his life serving our country, first in the Marine Corps, then in the Army, and finally in the Army National Guard. He was serving in Iraq when his group came under enemy fire and he was blown from his truck, hitting his head on a rock. He medically retired from military service with a 100% disability rating. He returned home to find his family facing homelessness after being evicted from their rental. Michael turned to a CFC-participating organization staffed by veterans who assist other veterans. The organization gave the family a grant to cover their hotel costs while they found a suitable home. Michael says the organization was a blessing in his family’s time of need.
Do you want to help support military veterans and their families during times of need? Consider giving to a military and veterans service organization through the CFC.
GIVE SUPPORT. GIVE HAPPY.
