U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was named by the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) as its honorary chair this year. On Wednesday, Oct. 19, on the LBJ plaza, he will kick off the Department’s 2011 campaign. The kickoff event will begin at 11:30 a.m., and Duncan is expected to join at 11:45 a.m. As he did last year, the Secretary will show off his basketball skills in various hoop competitions with ED staff. WJLA (ABC 7 News) anchor Leon Harris will emcee the event.
Last year, Department of Education employees exceeded the agency-wide goal of raising $825,000. Pledges made by federal employees, postal employees and military donors during the campaign season (Sept. 1 – Dec. 15) support more than 4,000 eligible non-profit organizations that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world. President Kennedy established the CFC in 1961 to help people in local communities, across the nation and around the world.