Show some (local) love

The Fredericksburg area is fortunate to have a huge amount of civil servants, military personnel, postal workers, and other federal employees not only serving at a national level, but integrated in our communities. The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) provides an easy but powerful way for federal employees to donate to and volunteer with nonprofits registered in the area that support health and human services. 

As we face new and persistent environmental challenges, many Fredericksburg residents are able to bring a unique, local, regional, national and international perspective to meeting them. Locally, the Central Virginia Battlefield Trust, Downtown Greens, and Friends of the Rappahanock directly try to address and reverse the causes of environmental degradation; other organizations such as Loisann’s Hope House, Micah Ecumenical Ministries, the Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic, Thurman Brisben Center, and others address many of the second and tertiary effects of environmental degradation including climate refugees, housing transiency, and a host of public health concerns.

The CFC provides a simple way to finance these organizations' efforts and, hopefully, provide a bridge for federal employees to lend their skills, experience, and perspective to empower and strengthen local organizations and communities. 

If you are a federal employee or retiree the CFC official solicitation period ends January 15. It’s easy to pledge your support. Go to cfcgiving.opm.gov and enter the number of the charity you wish to support. 

The directory of CFC participating nonprofits has more than 5,000 entries, all of which have passionate missions, but only 13 of them are local to 22401. By supporting a local nonprofit, you can rest assured that your dollars are making a direct impact on your community. Thank you to those who have already, and who are planning to choose a local charity to support through a donation or pledged volunteer hours. Your support for our local nonprofits is essential to the health and wellness of the community that we all love. #givelocal 
Fredericksburg Charities and their CFC numbers 

• Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Fredericksburg - #13809
• Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Inc - #33689
• Downtown Greens, Inc. - #73255
• Friends of the Rappahannock - #45597
• Loisanns Hope House - #68604
• Mental Health America of Fredericksburg, Inc. - 71643
• Micah Ecumenical Ministries, Inc. - #17749
• Rappahannock CASA, Inc. - #72940
• Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault - 78223
• Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center - #34752
• The Disability Resource Center of The Rappahannock Area, Inc. - #76880
• The Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic - #30911
• Thurman Brisben Center - #63436

Brad Smith is the president of the Board of Directors of Downtown Greens.