Charlottesville

MADISON HOUSE VOLUNTEERS GO BIG ON SATURDAY

MADISON HOUSE VOLUNTEERS GO BIG ON SATURDAY

More than 200 volunteers spent the day working at one of 29 job sites as part of the fifth annual BIG Event, a one-day event sponsored by Madison House, the independent, nonprofit UVA student volunteer center.

Although University students regularly spend time on community service throughout the year, working through Madison House and other programs, the annual event brings out a concentrated group effort every spring. Started in 2015, it’s one day when students come together to express their gratitude for the surrounding community and its ongoing support.

UVA Student-Athletes’ Effort Extends Well Beyond Gyms and Stadiums

UVA Student-Athletes’ Effort Extends Well Beyond Gyms and Stadiums

UVA’s 750 student-athletes routinely take time out from classes, practices and games to volunteer in the community – in schools, in hospitals, at Habitat for Humanity builds, assisted-living facilities, Special Olympics events and more.

Some of UVA’s student-athletes volunteer through Athletes Committed to Education, or ACE, a Madison House program that connects more than 50 student-athletes to local elementary schools. They visit the schools on a weekly basis, allowing them to form strong bonds with students week after week, year after year.

ALUMNI, STUDENTS TO MARK HISTORIC ANNIVERSARY WITH FOOD DRIVE

ALUMNI, STUDENTS TO MARK HISTORIC ANNIVERSARY WITH FOOD DRIVE

“When access to food is not consistent and dependable, a household is classified as food insecure,” Jane Colony Mills, Loaves & Fishes’ executive director, said. A UVA alumna, Mills herself volunteered with Madison House in a different program when she was a student.

Children make up almost 36 percent of the clientele served at the food pantry, and the percentage of senior citizens has more than doubled to nearly 14 percent, Mills said.