The Combined Federal Campaign’s cause of the week is ending poverty.
According to the Census Bureau:
- The U.S. poverty rate in 2020 was 11.4 percent, up a full percentage point from 2019 and the first increase after five consecutive annual declines.
- U.S. poverty rates for children under 18 rose from 14.4 percent in 2019 to 16.1 percent in 2020.
Globally, the situation has also taken a turn for the worse.
On its website, the World Bank reports extreme poverty was steadily declining for almost 25 years but is expected to rise “as the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic compounds the forces of conflict and climate change, which were already slowing poverty reduction progress.”
If you would like to help turn the tide, consider a pledge to one of the campaign’s many nonprofits addressing poverty here and around the world.
- Under “CFC Giving System” on the homepage, choose the “Online Charity Search” link.
- You will be brought to the “Find a Charity” page. While there is no specific category for “poverty” or “ending poverty” on the website’s charity search tool, a broad search can be of help if you are unsure where to focus your giving.
- For example, the categories “Food, Agriculture and Nutrition,” “Housing and Shelter” and “Public & Societal Benefit” are topic areas that are sure to include relevant charities.
The Combined Federal Campaign is the federal government’s workplace charity drive.
The latest campaign began Sept. 1 and runs through Jan. 14.
Participation in the CFC is voluntary.
The GiveCFC.org website has more information.
This is the fifth in a series of articles spotlighting the Combined Federal Campaign’s cause of the week. Next week: arts and humanities.
