The Aeronautical Center’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), complete with Co-Chairs, Coordinators, and Keyworkers have been working hard to raise awareness of the CFC and the local needs of charities and planning events throughout the campaign which began on October 2, 2023. The CFC Campaign is the largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with almost 200 CFC campaigns throughout the country and overseas, which raise millions of dollars each year. As of the writing of this article, the Aeronautical Center has raised $128,474 with 193 donors.

Several organizations have held fundraising events throughout the campaign, including the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI), a tenant of the Aeronautical Center. TSI employee and MMAC Co-Chair, Pat Causey hosted a chili cookoff fundraiser on November 8^th. This event brought employees together who had not seen each other in years. This event has not occurred since 2018 and was not previously connected to the CFC prior to this year. A CFC charity, Ability One, was invited to the fundraiser to speak to the attendees.

Because of the event’s success, organizations agreed to reinstitute the chili cookoff as an annual CFC fundraiser. Winners of the cookoff have bragging rights as their names go on TSI’s traveling Chili Hall of Fame "Best in Spoon" award.

Throughout the CFC Campaign, various charities set up booths in the Blue Sky Cafe each Wednesday. CFC volunteers worked to organize the Aeronautical Center’s Third CFC Telethon on December 7^th. The FAA’s first-ever live CFC telethon occurred in the Headquarters auditorium from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The event opened with a welcome from Aeronautical Center Deputy Director, Kevin O’Connor and Chief of Staff, Kim Sheppard. Virtual and in-person attendees had the opportunity to hear from ten different CFC charities. They were treated to musical performances from the MMAC Choir and CFC Co-Chair Carlene Smith’s son, Trevor Renteria. The one-day telethon raised almost $5,000 for multiple CFC Charities. The MMAC CFC Campaign closing date has been extended to Friday, January 12^th.

Current MMAC federal and contract employees and FAA retirees can go to https://cfcgiving.opm.gov/welcome to donate. CFC Co-Chair Debbie Uglean stated, "Imagine how much we could help others if even half of the MMAC employees donated $5.00 a paycheck. It doesn’t take much to make a big difference."