Philanthropic Hero Biography

MARY GRAYSON
Los Angeles, California

Mary Grayson has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for thirty years where she has been a donor to the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) since 1974, giving from each paycheck for 25 years. CFC, a model of workplace giving, allows 4 million federal employees an opportunity to give to the charities of their choice through automatic paycheck deductions.

A former Girl Scout leader, mother of three and grandmother of eight, Mary has also served as a parent volunteer with her local PTA and is a trustee at the Hays Tabernacle CME Church. One of the key factors that motivated Ms. Grayson to give to the Combined Federal Campaign was a friend who had two children with Sickle Cell Anemia. Seeing first hand what this disease can do to a family, Mary chooses to give her contributions to various sickle cell disease organizations. A true believer in the power of education, she also contributes to the United Negro College Fund.

The Combined Federal Campaign is the nation's largest fundraising campaign. In 1998, federal employees contributed $206 million to charity, breaking the 1991 record of $204 million.