A publication of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ®
An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress
August 2000/September 2000
Vietnam Veterans Assistance Fund Report
VVAF Counts on Federal Employees
A VVA Staff Report
Every fall, the civilian employees of the federal government and the servicemen and women of the military are offered the chance to support their favorite charities through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The CFC, which runs from Labor Day until Thanksgiving, is the largest workplace fund-raising drive in the world. In 1999, a record $217 million was raised for more than 1,300 national and international charities and 40,000 local charities.
Over the years, Vietnam Veterans Assistance Fund (VVAF) has come to depend on the extraordinary generosity of these federal workers who pledge a specific amount to be deducted from their paychecks and forwarded to VVAF.
"It is gratifying to see thousands of federal employees and members of the military step up to help those who served our great nation during the Vietnam-era and are now in need," said Joseph R. Barnes, VVAF's president. "We know that many of our CFC donors are Vietnam veterans. Their contributions exemplify VVAF's motto: 'Veterans Caring for Their Fellow Veterans.'"
Vietnam Veterans Assistance Fund awards g5rants to worthwhile local, community-based programs that have a commitment to improving the lives of veterans and their families. Some recent examples of how VVAF distributed the CFC contributions it received last year include:
- taking care of the simple needs of disabled Vietnam veterans in nursing homes and Veterans Administration hospitals
- offering food vouchers and petty cash for family emergencies
- supporting the volunteer activities of employment, benefits, and health specialists who help Vietnam veterans at the local level
- paying the salaries of Vietnam veterans whose job it is to represent other Vietnam veterans who need services from the Veterans Administration
- bringing athletic programs to severely disabled veterans, including downhill skiing, scuba diving and wheelchair basketball
- providing rent money to dozens of homeless veterans
- awarding partial college scholarships to children of Vietnam veterans
VVAF's CFC number is 2115. if you are a federal employee, civilian or military, or if you know someone who is, please spread the word about VVAF's work on behalf of Vietnam-era veterans. VVAF has printed flyers describing its work. If you would like to volunteer on VVAF's behalf in your federal workplace by attending a CFC kick-off or by talking with your co-workers, please call Joe Sternburg at 301-589-4613.
Vietnam Veterans Assistance Fund (VVAF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by Vietnam Veterans o f America in 1991. VVAF is organized and operated exclusively for scientific, charitable, and educational purposes. The major objectives are to assist disabled and needy veterans and the widows and orphans of veterans. VVAF is funded entirely from contributions from federal employees and members of the uniformed services who choose to support the organization through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the federal government's workplace fund-raising drive. Federal employees may support the work of VVAF by designating 2115 on their CFC pledge form. Visit www.vvafund.org for details.
E-mail us at TheVeteran@vva.org