Animals & Environment, Community Partners
Madison House
Madison House Volunteers Flock to Hogs and ...

Hogs and Kisses is a micro-sanctuary that opened its barn doors in Charlottesville in 2021. This year, Madison House is partnering with the farm to give UVA students an opportunity to volunteer with the seven pigs, five rabbits, and two turkeys! Click to learn more about Hogs & Kisses and the volunteer experience.

Madison House Volunteers Flock to Hogs and Kisses Farm Sanctuary
COVID-19, Community Partners, History, Volunteer Stories, UVA Students
Madison House
Looking Ahead, and Celebrating Over 50 Years of ...

Madison House’s Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope (CASH) program works to train and coordinate student-volunteers to provide free tax preparation for low- and moderate-income community members…This year marks 15 years since the launch of the C’ville Tax Aid Coalition — a partnership including Madison House and the University of Virginia Community Credit Union that is coordinated by the United Way of Greater Charlottesville. Since its inception in 2007, the Coalition has generated over $35 million in direct economic impact for the Charlottesville area community.

Looking Ahead, and Celebrating Over 50 Years of Madison House Tax Preparation
Volunteer Stories, UVA Students
Madison House
Student Leadership: Chelsea Li

As a first year at the University of Virginia (UVA), Chelsea Li (CLAS ‘20) wanted to soak up all the opportunities that the University had to offer. She found herself exploring new clubs and classes and was especially eager to be in the community. “In high school,” she said, “I felt as if I was missing a lot of the learning that happens outside the classroom.” This desire to stretch her curiosity across disciplines and interests, along with an intrinsic desire to uplift those around her, was what first brought Chelsea to Madison House.

Student Leadership: Chelsea Li
Alumni, Volunteer Stories, Student Athletes
Madison House
Olympic Silver Medalist Paige Madden’s Madison ...

The House has long been a place where students can come to find or rediscover themselves and their place within the community. This held true for Paige, who shared that “it gives me peace of mind knowing that I am a good swimmer but that's not what defines me. There's so much more to life, like helping others. My time at Madison House has allowed me to see that.”

Olympic Silver Medalist Paige Madden’s Madison House Experience
COVID-19, UVA Students
Madison House
Madison House Youth Mentoring Volunteer ...

Kruse, from Ridgeland, Mississippi, is a fourth-year student in the McIntire School of Commerce. She initially got involved in the program because of her prior experience in advocacy work.

“Ultimately, the goal of the program is for students to learn about environmental science through a native lens,” Kruse said. “Maelee Hearington, another UVA student, and I wrote the curriculum to focus on science, social activism and social justice. We also provide additional resources like workbooks, markers, easels and notebooks.”

Madison House Youth Mentoring Volunteer Inspires Native American Youth Through Science

UVA Students

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Student Spotlight: Julia Larsen and Heath Yancey

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Student Spotlight: Julia Larsen and Heath Yancey

Julia Larsen (CLAS '21) and Heath Yancey (CLAS '22) are Peer Health Educators who organized the annual Fourth Year 5K. Despite being virtual this year, this UVA tradition raised around $3,000 for the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation and benefited community members that were profoundly impacted by the pandemic. Julia is a Spanish and Biology major and a member of APO, a medical scribe with the UVA Emergency Department, and a pen pal to assisted living residents. Heath is a Neuroscience major and a volunteer on the UVA Hospital Acute Pediatrics floor.

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Snaps of Service Exhibit

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Snaps of Service Exhibit

Photographs were selected as representative of the various public service work in which University students engage throughout the year—from Alternative Spring Break trips to volunteering with Madison House programs to community-based research projects abroad—we are excited to showcase and celebrate the partnerships between the University, the local community, and beyond.

PICTURES EXCHANGED BETWEEN UVA AND BELGIAN STUDENTS TELL STORIES OF RESILIENCE

PICTURES EXCHANGED BETWEEN UVA AND BELGIAN STUDENTS TELL STORIES OF RESILIENCE

During the fall semester, University of Virginia students and their counterparts at Ghent University in Belgium took part in a virtual, non-credit course, “Resilience in the Face of Complexity, Uncertainty, and Injustice.”

Madison House, the independent, nonprofit volunteer center for UVA students, partnered with the U.S. Department of State and the Presidential Precinct to host the course, which entailed Zoom meetings and accompanying coursework. The course was part of the International Visitor Leadership Program, an 80-year-old initiative to promote cross-cultural relationships and further U.S. foreign policy goals.

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SAMBRIDDI PANDEY IS DETERMINED TO BLAZE MORE TRAILS FOR FELLOW FIRST-GEN STUDENTS

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SAMBRIDDI PANDEY IS DETERMINED TO BLAZE MORE TRAILS FOR FELLOW FIRST-GEN STUDENTS

She’s also been participating in Madison House’s Creating Assets, Savings & Hope, or CASH, program as a volunteer income tax assistant since her first year, which she said she enjoys for the opportunity to be directly involved with the greater Charlottesville community.

“CASH helps me recognize the magnitude and privilege of being a student, while recognizing the importance of remembering my background. No matter what professional role I have when I’m older, I will continue to represent underrepresented groups and advocate for them,” she said.

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Premed students detail challenges to pre-professional plans amid pandemic

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Premed students detail challenges to pre-professional plans amid pandemic

Madison House hospital volunteer shifts and late-night study sessions at Clemons Library are typical elements of a pre-health student’s life at the University. However, COVID-19 has restricted access to the key professional and social experiences that define the pre-health journey at the University. Although shadowing opportunities and clinical volunteering experiences are scarce, many University premed students have adapted to the current climate and have pursued their passion for medicine in unique ways.

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Virtual Exchange Underway for Belgian and U.S. University Students

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Virtual Exchange Underway for Belgian and U.S. University Students

The Presidential Precinct, in partnership with Meridian International Center, the U.S. Department of State, and Madison House at the University of Virginia, is proud to announce a brand new virtual exchange opportunity between Belgian university students and students at the University of Virginia.

Core participants include eight Belgian student leaders, some of whom traveled to Charlottesville for the March 2018 “Promoting Youth Leadership through Intercultural and Interfaith Relations” International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) project. Participating University of Virginia students were selected through a competitive application process implemented by Madison House.

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Volunteers of the Week: Caroline Hallowell and Mikaela Richardson

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Volunteers of the Week: Caroline Hallowell and Mikaela Richardson

Mikaela Richardson (CLAS '22) and Caroline Hallowell (CLAS '21) started the Hoos Helping Initiative along with Dr. Rose Cole, Madison House's Director of Community Engagement.

The program was created in response to courses moving online last spring. Hoos Helping matches UVA students to community partners, such as youth workers and educators, to provide completely virtual assistance.

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HELP LINE IS BACK AND READY TO DISCUSS YOUR PROBLEMS, BIG AND SMALL

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HELP LINE IS BACK AND READY TO DISCUSS YOUR PROBLEMS, BIG AND SMALL

When Shapiro got to UVA, he was scrolling through the website of Madison House – the independent, nonprofit volunteer center for UVA students – looking for volunteering opportunities when he came across HELP Line.

HELP Line is a free and confidential telephone hotline serving UVA and the surrounding area. It is a student-run and student-operated empathetic listening and referral hotline, staffed entirely by anonymous UVA student volunteers.

“I thought, ‘This has got to be the coolest thing ever,’” Shapiro said.

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CIOs overcome distance learning limitations to maintain a sense of community

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CIOs overcome distance learning limitations to maintain a sense of community

The strong community that exists among the University’s students would be nothing without the support of the broader Charlottesville community. For that reason, Madison House directors and student volunteers have remained dedicated to serving the people of Charlottesville and supporting them through the most difficult times of the pandemic. Although Madison House’s volunteer services will function very differently than in previous years, many efforts will continue virtually in order to strengthen the Charlottesville community.

“Our programs will focus almost exclusively on virtual volunteering,” said Rose Cole, Madison House director of community engagement, in an email to The Cavalier Daily. “There will be some exceptions made for in-person volunteering based on community needs — focused only on medical services, food insecurity and food justice and support for essential workers — but we can’t begin in-person volunteering until we know how safe it will be.”

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UVA medical students create 'Quarantine Trivia'

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UVA medical students create 'Quarantine Trivia'

"We have players all over Virginia, all over the East Coast, in New York and Boston," he said. "We have people out on the West Coast, in Oregon and California and one player from England, so it has really kind of become a big thing."

Not only is the game bringing together family and friends but it also benefiting Charlottesville-area charities like Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, Madison House and the Legal Aid Justice Center.

"There's so many great organizations already established in Charlottesville, we thought we could help them along and all those donations would go to a big cause," said White.

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Top 10 ways to stay social — and distant — this fall semester

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Top 10 ways to stay social — and distant — this fall semester

Volunteering is a great way to keep in touch with the U.Va. and Charlottesville communities and is especially needed during the pandemic. Organizations like Madison House and United Way of Greater Charlottesville provide great online resources for how to volunteer and help the community — plus they offer virtual programs to volunteer remotely.

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Fourth-year McIntire student passes away

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Fourth-year McIntire student passes away

Leemis was described by his family as having “a kind and compassionate heart” — someone who “enjoyed bringing music to others” through his eight years as an accomplished fifer in the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums Corps. During his time at the University, Leemis was a volunteer with Madison House, in addition to his work as a catering associate with U.Va. Dining.

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FROM LOUISA TO LESOTHO TO MADAGASCAR, SERVICE TOPS COMFORT FOR ALUMNA

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FROM LOUISA TO LESOTHO TO MADAGASCAR, SERVICE TOPS COMFORT FOR ALUMNA

As a first-year student, Loyd got involved with Madison House almost immediately.

“It helped me connect to the community in Charlottesville and have some perspective on my own privilege and feel more like a community member,” she said. “I was not that comfortable in the social scene, in the sorority and fraternity scene. I felt a little bit like fish out of water. … I was a little overwhelmed.

“And so Madison House was a nice way for me to find my people and way of being.”

Once a week, Loyd made a 40-minute drive to Louisa with a fellow volunteer to tutor the teenager.

“I remember being really challenged by her in ways that were important for me to face,” said Loyd, who lost touch with the teen after college. “She would just stand up for herself a lot, kind of like, ‘I don’t want to do that and you have no idea how hard my life is.’

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PASSOVER RITUAL TAKES ON DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS IN THIS UNIQUE RELIGIOUS STUDIES COURSE

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PASSOVER RITUAL TAKES ON DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS IN THIS UNIQUE RELIGIOUS STUDIES COURSE

“The students began to think incredibly creatively,” Ochs said. “They anticipated how technology would be used to sustain individuals and communities; they designed texts that could be used for virtual rituals.”

Prior to the pandemic, the students – many working in conjunction with Madison House – had been able to give back to the Charlottesville community in a number of ways, including mentoring young people with autism, volunteering at the Salvation Army and Goodwill, adopting a grandparent, teaching children to read and helping people with taxes.

From there, the students created their own Haggadahs, using the traditional text as their inspiration.

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IT ALL STARTED WITH A LEMONADE STAND FOR THIS STUDENT NOW INTENT ON HELPING OTHERS

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IT ALL STARTED WITH A LEMONADE STAND FOR THIS STUDENT NOW INTENT ON HELPING OTHERS

During the rest of her time at UVA, Hoerr hopes to integrate Backpack Buddies into the UVA community, potentially through a collaboration with Madison House.

“We’re so proud of what Lucia has accomplished,” Carter Hoerr said. “Over the past 10 years she has shown both determination and real empathy for the needy kids in our area – two pretty remarkable traits for a kid her age.”

Hoerr wants Backpack Buddies to live on after she graduates.

“My goal is to have a succession plan in place so that Backpack Buddies can continue to run in Charlottesville even without me here watching over it,” she said. “I also hope that wherever I end up I will be able to set up a new branch of Backpack Buddies and continue to expand my nonprofit far and wide.”

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Athletes walk away: Why some student-athletes’ careers are cut short way too soon

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Athletes walk away: Why some student-athletes’ careers are cut short way too soon

Without the commitment of having to practice nearly every day of the week for hours at a time, Mathis had more time to dedicate to other things. In fact, one of the first things Mathis did was sign up to volunteer through Madison House, where she became actively involved in activities like tutoring and helping out at the homeless shelter.

During this time, Mathis also became involved in the food justice movement in Charlottesville, and she even interned with two different organizations working on this issue. Mathis doesn’t believe she would’ve been able to do many of those things if she remained on the swimming team.

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Madison House's Mission of Service Continues through Hoos Helping

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“Hoos Helping” is a virtual volunteering initiative created by Madison House staff and student volunteers to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and address community needs. There are currently two major initiatives for the spring semester: “Hoos Helping Learners” and “Hoos Helping Send Encouragement & Gratitude.” However, Madison House program leaders are actively planning and identifying new ways to remain safely engaged with their community partners, our organization anticipates a number of new efforts will launch over the coming weeks.

Visit the Hoos Helping page to learn more!

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BOV student member Derrick Wang reflects on his term away from Grounds

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BOV student member Derrick Wang reflects on his term away from Grounds

During his first Board meeting last June, Wang brought in representatives from IfYoureReadingThis.org and Madison House’s HELP Line for a panel about the importance of mental health.

IfYourReadingThis.org is an online mental health resource that provides letters of support from members of the University community to readers who are seeking emotional support. Madison House’s HELP Line is a 24/7, student-run free and confidential service that is available to students in need of someone to talk to during a distressing time.

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The evolution of tattoos and piercings in the workplace

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The evolution of tattoos and piercings in the workplace

Volunteering with children made me consider the stigma surrounding body accessories and tattoos

I was never forced to confront my impulsive decision head-on until last semester when I signed up to volunteer in an elementary school classroom through Madison House. Insecurities suddenly flooded my mind. What would the teachers think of me? Would they see me as unprofessional? And most dauntingly, what would the children — in all of their reckless and unconstrained honesty — say about me?

Or would they even say anything at all? I knew my father’s world is completely different from my own, so I wondered if students and younger teachers in today’s school system would even have an opinion. I know from my own upbringing that millennials and members of Generations Z and Alpha have been raised on messages of self-expression and acceptance, so the youth of today must be far more used to seeing tattoos and piercings on a day-to-day basis.

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Big-Hearted Big Sis

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Big-Hearted Big Sis

“I realized I hadn’t devoted enough time giving back to the Charlottesville community, even though I had grown to love this place,” said Anderson, now a first-year UVA Law student. She decided to join the Madison House Big Siblings Program, drawn to the idea of a “deeply personal volunteering experience.”

“The program paired me with Jazhara, who was 5 years old at the time, and through her I met Jojo, who was 2,” she said. Now the kids are 10 and 8, and have known Anderson more than half their lives. “Looking back, it’s amazing how many of my favorite memories involve these two kids.”