The Combined Federal Campaign’s cause of the week is that most essential of human needs, shelter.
The campaign quotes sociologist Matthew Desmond, whose 2015 book “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” is a harrowing account of how easy it is to become homeless in America and the dire consequences of not having a roof over one’s head.
“Housing is absolutely essential to human flourishing. Without stable shelter, it all falls apart,” Desmond said.
On any given night in 2019, more than half a million people in the United States did not have a home. Of those, 65 percent stayed in a homeless shelter, while the remaining 35 percent battled the elements and slept on sidewalks or in cars and parks.
The unsheltered spend most of their day searching for their next meal and sometimes go days, even weeks, without a shower or access to hygienic facilities and resources.
The comforts of home are elusive for far too many. Your donation to such causes provides the necessary funding for immediate relief and supports efforts to establish and build sustainable long-term security that can get people back on their feet.
If you are unsure of where to focus your giving in this category, the website for the campaign, also known as the CFC, makes it easy:
Under “Donors” on the homepage, choose “Online Charity Search” from the drop-down menu.
The second field is “Select a Specific Category.” From there, choose “Housing and Shelter.” Page after page of housing- and shelter-related charities can help guide your choice.
The Combined Federal Campaign is the federal government’s workplace charity drive. The latest campaign began Sept. 1 and runs through Jan. 15.
Participation in the CFC is voluntary.
The GiveCFC.org website has more information.
This is the third in a series of articles spotlighting the Combined Federal Campaign’s cause of the week. Next week: poverty.
