Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) will conduct a special solicitation to support charities serving and affected by Winter Storm Shirley. This special solicitation will run through April 9.

On February 20, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Texas and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms beginning on February 11, 2021 and continuing. Millions of Americans are in great need, with many still without water, food, and other basic needs.

In response to the appeals from the Federal Executive Boards in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, the Office of Combined Federal Campaign (OCFC) will open a special solicitation to help victims affected by the severe winter weather, power outages, and water shortages in Texas and other affected states.

“The CFC has a vetted list of more than six thousand local, national, and international health, and human welfare charities that are working overtime assisting people who need food as well as other day-to-day needs,” said OPM Acting Director Kathleen McGettigan. “The CFC is uniquely positioned to supplement the federal government’s overall response by pledging additional resources to charities, and in particular, to those that are actively responding to various individual, family and community needs as a result of the severe weather and its impact on vulnerable families and children. We are very glad to be able to play some part in helping support those in need during this difficult time”

A nationwide special solicitation will allow federal employees to voluntarily support not only the local nonprofits in the state of Texas but also to support non-profits nationwide who are responding to the devastation caused by the severe winter storm. All non-profits included in this special solicitation have been vetted and approved to participate in the 2020 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).

By reactivating CFC for 30 days, OPM is able to encourage federal, military, and postal employees along with retirees to provide emergency assistance that will contribute toward the health and stability of charities and the people who rely upon them for critical help at this time.

The CFC online giving portal can be accessed at www.opm.gov/ShowSomeLoveCFC.