The Volpe Center kicked off the start of this year's Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the annual fund-raising drive conducted by Federal employees to raise money for charitable organizations worldwide. The theme of this year's Volpe campaign is "500 Reasons to Give."

"There are 500 Federal employees working at the Volpe Center, and we each have our own reason to give," said Director Robert Johns.

The Center recently opened its doors to 13 Boston-area charities. Representatives from the Carroll Center for the Blind, the Posse Foundation, Outdoor Explorations, and the Silent Spring Institute addressed the Volpe community. They provided compelling stories about how a little bit of compassion, either in the form of a CFC donation or volunteered time, can go a long way in changing a person's life.

"The greatest joy that I have is when I meet people months after they first join the Carroll Center, and they tell me how dramatically the Center's improved and changed their lives," said Bruce Howell, a Carroll Center volunteer. The Volpe Center is a leader in the Massachusetts Bay area, winning a CFC Hall of Fame award for outstanding Center-wide participation and contributions. At times, employee participation has reached over 90%. This year, the Volpe Center's CFC Committee co-chairs, Stephen Popkin and Michael Dinning are confident that participation will be just a great as in previous years.