WASHINGTON, DC - The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the annual workplace giving opportunity for Federal employees, announced today that Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson will serve as the 2017 National Honorary Chairperson. Today’s announcement marks the first time that an Honorary CFC Chairperson has been selected to represent Federal employees in the CFC throughout the nation and not just for a geographic region of the campaign.

“It is a tremendous honor to be asked to serve as the Honorary Chairperson for this year’s CFC,” Secretary Carson said. “As Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, I’ve seen firsthand how hardworking, dedicated, and committed our Federal employees are to public service. I look forward to participating in the upcoming campaign, and I pledge to do everything in my power to encourage Federal employees to continue their long, successful tradition of giving through the CFC.”

Prior to his current cabinet position and political career, Secretary Carson served as director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland from 1984 until his retirement in 2013. At the age of 33, he became the youngest chief of pediatric neurosurgery in the United States and has received more than 60 honorary doctorate degrees, dozens of national merit citations, and written more than 100 neurosurgical publications. In 2008, he was bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.

About the Combined Federal Campaign
The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is a 56-year Federal workplace giving tradition that has raised more than $8.2 billion for charitable organizations. It is one of the largest workplace giving campaigns in the world. The funds raised each fall through the campaign help neighbors in need around the corner, across the nation and throughout the world. Through the contributions of civilian and military Federal employees, the campaign generated more than $167 million in 2016 for the thousands of participating local, national, and international charities. For more information, visit opm.gov/cfc or follow CFC’s Twitter and Facebook social media channels.