Prepared Remarks for Roy A. Bernardi Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development at the Combined Federal Campaign Opening Ceremony

Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Thank you. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for coming.

I want to thank Inez (DuBose) for your welcoming remarks. Inez, I appreciate your leadership this year. You have helped us off to a fine start.

And I appreciate the hard work of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Committee. You have all done a magnificent job in preparing this opening ceremony. I know that this year will be a big success.

I also want to thank Kate DeLeon and Tomye Cave for joining us.

I would like to begin by asking you to turn to the monitors. President Bush has sent us a message about CFC.

(A message from the President is then played)

I agree with the President. CFC is a powerful and profound way to make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans. And we are here today because this department has been a major supporter of CFC. Last year, our support - your support - was beyond expectations. We donated at historic levels. During the course of that campaign, more than 40 percent of our employees donated almost $600,000 to non-profit organizations through CFC. This was an average contribution of $476 per person contributing. The total amount raised exceeded our targeted goal. In fact, we won the CFC Summit Award for exceeding our goals by more than 4 percent. That was a remarkable achievement, make possible by each contributor, by each office representative, and by each member of the Organizing Committee. It was an amazing statement of the leadership, compassion, and generosity at HUD.

Well, last year was only prelude. This year we will do better. We need you again...maybe more than ever before to "Be a Star in Someone's Life." Your donations are clearly needed...desperately needed. Our goal this year is to reach $615,766. I know we can do it. But it won't happen unless we all participate...unless we convince more and more of our employees to participate in CFC.

And I know that meeting our goal will require a bit more from all of us. This year we meet in some pretty tough times. The economy is experiencing unprecedented turbulence. The housing market is in crisis. Gas prices are high. People are worried. There is global uncertainty.

And I know that many charitable organizations have seen a drop in donations. This happens at the same time that the need to help has grown. There is concern that charitable institutions will not have the resources to keep up.

And there are some who say that CFC at HUD will suffer this year. Don't you believe it! If someone believes that, then they don't know our employees at HUD. We are at our best in crisis. The American people have learned they can count on us. Yes, we face challenges. But this is precisely the moment that CFC will shine brightest, the year that our employees will step forward as never before. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once noticed that "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Well, we know where we stand...we are on the front lines...we want to be there...ready to help through our work and through our charitable donations.

We know that our colleagues at HUD are here to make a difference. This is a department of people with high motivation, deep commitment, and a strong sense of service. Every day our employees work very hard to serve the American people. I want to stress that - I know you work very hard. That service demands the highest levels of dedication and commitment, each and every hour of every day.

And our commitment to service is evident to people outside the department, as well as inside. That is why we have recently won the Deming Award for our technological innovations, and why we scored high on the GAO assessment of our efforts, coming off the "high risk" list with excellent scores in every category.

Anyway you measure or evaluate our work, we have made great strides in our performance the last few years. We have done this together. It has been a total team endeavor.

Look around you - here in this room we have people who give, and then keep on giving. We have people with big hearts, filed with love, ready to help someone in need. We know the names and backgrounds of our friends and colleagues. We know them...they know us. And we all motivate each other. We have created a culture of character here. This is what makes HUD such a great place to work, and inspiring place to come.

As I said, last year was a great success. I want to thank each and every employee who contributed to CFC last year, whether through large or small donations. It is humbling to think of the level of commitment made by some of our employees. It shows that government service is more than a job. It is a way of thinking, a mindset, a way of life.

But our employees always want to do more, to accomplish more, and to give just a little it extra. In addition to our day jobs, it is no surprise that we seek out ways to make a difference. Some of you volunteer at homeless shelters or food banks. Some of you work after hours at schools or as ministers or as counselors. And many of you give more than time and services...you give donate your hard-earned money to help make a difference. And you support CFC.

Today, with this ceremony, we open this year's campaign. Within each office and each operating division, there are CFC representatives who will explain CFC and organize CFC contributions. These office and division leaders will issue challenges and set goals. Please listen to them...follow their guidance. I know they will be fervent, steadfast, and helpful. They are very knowledgeable and a fantastic resource. They are there to help you help others. Because of their good work, this year's campaign will be a success. So I thank each and every CFC representative for your good work.

So fill out the donation cards. Please be generous. You can make a profound difference with CFC.

Thank you again for coming.

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