Have you ever considered donating 1% of your salary to your favorite charity? If you have, great!  If not, Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA) Eagle Donor Lou Perkins suggests that you do.

As an Eagle Donor, Lou commits 1% of her salary to charity through the CFCNCA. Lou, who worked for several agencies throughout her career but retired from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, still contributes through the CFCNCA and remembers her first Eagle pin vividly.

“When David Dalk, a CFCNCA keyworker and now friend, pinned on my first Eagle pin, I was overwhelmed. It wasn't about how much money I gave; it was about me being able to give and share my contribution with several organizations. Putting that pin on didn't set me apart from my co-workers because of dollars—it set me apart because of the commitment that I was showing through my actions. Receiving the eagle pin was joyous! It made me feel warm inside. I knew that someone, somewhere, would benefit from my contribution,” Lou says states.

David Dalke, a CFC keyworker, remembers the event well too, “Lou was a supervisor within the Office of Civil Rights where I worked. She always had a good spirit and was fun to work with. She could always help solve problems, she had a very warm personality.”

When he started to think about the sort of commitment Lou was making as an Eagle Donor, David felt inspired. “Presenting someone an Eagle pin, recognizing the sacrifices that they’re willing to make for others, is so rewarding because you’re seeing the kindness of others. It’s an active demonstration of the joy that others take in giving and in participating in the Combined Federal Campaign.” It was Lou’s active demonstration that motivated David himself to become an Eagle Donor.

Both Lou and David elected for automatic payroll deductions to support their CFC-funded charities. Charity selection was made easy by proactive keyworkers such as David and by an online tool called Charity Search that allows users to find organizations based on keywords and locations.

“When David came to us about the CFC, I thought…’this is going to be fun’… and it was,” says Lou. “Through the CFCNCA, you’re able to choose the cause, the region and the organization you want to give your money to. There’s no browbeating. Your manager doesn't say, ‘Well, your rating depended on this.’ You are able to give freely to the agencies and charities of your choice.”

David adds, “As a Keyworker, you actually have an opportunity to help those people who don’t know where they want to give, or don’t know yet even if they want to give. You have a chance to help them make those decisions through the relationship that you have with them.”

Both David and Lou strongly encourage other Federal employees to contribute through the CFCNCA because it is important to be concerned about people that have less than you do.  A bonus benefit is that when helping others, it makes you feel good.