CFC and USA Cares

USA Cares has its own CFC number. 12359

Why is that important? For the past nearly five years, we have not solicited or allowed our clients to either pay us back, or send us donations specifically tied to a grant we provided them. So we have turned away 7,000 possible donors.

For a non-profit, that might not be smart, but that is how we are doing it. Now, through CFC, we are in the position to allow all federal employees who want to help those who serve assist each other.

Why select us for your CFC contribution? I think there are several reasons.

One. We don’t loan money. AER, Navy Relief and other similar protected agencies, loan money, true, it is without interest, but a loan is a loan, and in this case, the first one that gets repaid. A recent article in a national magazine stated that over 90% of all AER assistance was with loans. We don’t loan money. Nor do we submit our clients to detailing their entire life history.

Two. We are responsive. There are lots of organizations that say much of the same things that we say we do, but the truth of the matter is, their response time is measured in weeks and months. If we have all the requested information, and we can get a hold of the client, we can open and work the case in hours. We do that almost routinely with families who have no food.

Three. We are responsible. It is one thing to say that we have helped 7,000 families. But that is not what we say. We say that 7,000 have come to us for assistance, but many are outside our mission statement, or Veterans from an earlier time and we just can’t help 20 million families, or we are approached for assistance with almost bogus requests, that are easily uncovered as almost fraudulent.

We are receiving over 100 new clients a week. We have nine people who work these cases along with another ten volunteers. They are overwhelmed. I am at a loss to hear other organizations say that they are working thousands of cases with only three people. (Some hired out of a temp agency) How is that possible? Maybe it isn't.

Four. We are accountable. We have been audited twice; we share our reconciled bank statements as a fact. Not a secret. We have a board of directors who care about how we are doing, and take an active interest in the direction and efforts that the staff makes everyday. When asked how much of a donation really goes to the family, our answer is (from our audit) 93% does, we will match that with anyone. Our ultimate goal is 100% once we find that national organization that wants to underwrite our operations end so that all donations go toward the mission of caring for our families.

That is why 12359 is the right number to chose on your CFC contribution form. Why: Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBtuX1xtCZE

Or you could give it to an organization that provides entertainers a free ride to Iraq to entertain the troops and be paid for it. Yes, Martha, all expenses are paid, and the entertainer reserves all the video rights for later self-promotion.

Your call.

Roger