In 2012, the Northern Area (including Lake County) of the  Combined Federal Campaign, (CFC) raised a total of $1.2 million, a 130 percent increase over the previous year, John Wowk, Northern area campaign manager for the Chicago CFC, said.
    “With your assistance and hard work, 7,156 donors contributed a total of $1,197,426, an increase of $275,618,” he noted. The last time the million-dollar barrier surpassed was in 2009 in which the Lake County CFC raised $1,216,797. This year, Recruit Training Command (RTC) topped the scale with a total contribution off $999,636.”
    At a slated March 6 CFC Recognition Ceremony at the Port O’ Call, Naval Station Great Lakes, individuals who served as loaned executives and agency campaign coordinators from various tenant commands will be honored. The United States Postal Service in Lake County will also be commended for its part in Chicago Area Combined Federal Campaign that raised $4.05 million.
    Throughout DOD 30,000 Defense Department employees contributed more than $15 million dollars to the Combined Federal Campaign this year, surpassing all other government agencies in donations.
    The CFC is the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with 187 CFC campaigns throughout the country and overseas raising millions of dollars each year. It is also known to be the most inclusive workplace giving campaign in the world with the number of participating charities estimated at over 20,000 nonprofit charitable organizations worldwide. The charities supported through the CFC range from nascent community groups to large, well-known charities.
    “This year was saw major changes in the CFC last year beginning with the Lake County CFC merging with the Chicago Area Combined Federal Campaign to become part of a 20 county-wide network in Northern Illinois with two counties from Northwest Indiana becoming part of that network,” said Wowk.