Why we give: Ivana Miranda shares her story
The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) offers you the opportunity to easily support the cause of your choice. Learn about some of your colleagues’ causes as they share their reasons for giving. This week, we spoke with Project Manager Ivana Miranda of the Department of Commerce.
Ivana and family
Eleven years ago, I left a volatile home situation with my children’s clothes in grocery bags hidden in the trunk of the car. I transitioned from being a full-time “homeschool mom” to a working mom, juggling many new hats. Like most single parents, I was (and still am) humbled into relying on the kindness of others—often strangers—to function in everyday situations. At the beginning of this uncertain journey, I found myself anxious, with four main concerns weighing heavily on my mind:
- Affordable childcare
- The reality of homelessness
- A desire to thrive (not just survive)
- Safety from the threat of domestic abuse
Solutions came from many unexpected places. Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mt. Rainier, Maryland, became an affordable and familiar haven for many years, nurturing my girls’ creative spirits in a safe and fun atmosphere. Church, family, friends, and strangers opened their homes and provided furnishings, food, clothing, gifts, and more.
Through the years, my family has volunteered with organizations like the Carpenter’s Shelter in Alexandria, Virginia; SOME (So Others Might Eat) in Washington, D.C.; and A Wider Circle in Silver Spring, Maryland. This keeps us grounded, because we know others are in need the very same way we were.
Living free in safety and security also causes me to advocate for others. Participating in programs supporting domestic violence survivors (in addition to educating the larger community) is extremely important to me. Giving to organizations such as the House of Ruth in D.C. is a tiny way to do this.
Composer Alma Bazel Androzzo penned words I find most appropriate for celebrating the spirit of the CFC: “If I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song… then my living shall not be in vain.” To me, giving to the CFC is one way of paying it back and forward. I have been given much; it would be a travesty for me to forget my own journey and all the many ways others have contributed to my personal and professional success. The CFC is an easy “no-brainer” way for me to pass along the love and goodness.
Ivana Miranda
National Communications Chair
Federally Employed Women
The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) offers you the opportunity to easily support the cause of your choice.
