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

Volunteer Stories

,

Hoos Serving: Rebecca Franks

,
Hoos Serving: Rebecca Franks

Rebecca Franks (she/her) is a fourth-year in the College of Arts & Sciences majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Bioethics. For the past three years, Becca has served as the Madison House program director for Charlottesville Area Riding Therapy (CART), a therapeutic horseback riding program for children and adults with physical or intellectual disabilities. Becca is also a volunteer EMT with the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad (CARS). At CARS, she responds to 911 calls in the Charlottesville-Albemarle area, proving medical care and transport to the hospital. Lastly, Becca volunteers at the Charlottesville Free Clinic. Next year, Becca will be returning to Texas for medical school.

,

Alumni Spotlight: Jyotika Chandhoke

,
Alumni Spotlight: Jyotika Chandhoke

Because of the formative experiences from her time as the Big Event Head Program Director at Madison House, Jyotika decided to make the shift from investment banking into impact investing for a firm that specializes in venture philanthropy. Now, Jyotika and her peers work to invest philanthropic capital efficiently in social enterprises that are driving positive social, economic, and environmental change to tackle some of the most pervasive issues we face today.

,

Hoos Serving: Nina Robertson

,
Hoos Serving: Nina Robertson

Nina Robertson is a fourth-year in the College of Arts & Sciences majoring in global public health. Nina serves as the Madison House program director for Adopt-A-Grandparent (AAGP) at Charlottesville Health and Rehabilitation Center (CHRC), through which she works with elderly residents and other student volunteers to facilitate healthy connections and bonding experiences. Nina also volunteers on the Madison House HELP Line outreach team, a 24/7 free and confidential cries hotline run by students. In addition, she is a research intern at the Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC), a national nonprofit that aims to eliminate barriers of treatment for individuals with severe mental illness.

,

Hoos Serving: Hannah Zaveri

,
Hoos Serving: Hannah Zaveri

Hannah Zaveri is a third-year majoring in Global Public Health and Sociology. Hannah serves as the Habitat for Humanity UVA (HUVA) Youth Leadership Team Coordinator, through which she works with high school students passionate about affordable housing. She also volunteers at UVA Children’s Hospital through Madison House Medical Services and is on the Peer Health Educator (PHE) leadership team. As a PHE, she recently co-organized the 30th Annual Fourth Year 5K (4Y5K), whose proceeds go to the Leslie Baltz Art Study Fund.

, , ,

Student Spotlight: Kara Sangiuolo

, , ,
Student Spotlight: Kara Sangiuolo

Kara Sangiuolo is a fourth year student working on a double major in Biology and Global Public Health. With medical school aspirations, she has been studying for the MCAT. Despite the heavy workload that comes with pre-med, she has made time to be a Head Program Director (HPD) for Madison House’s Youth Mentoring program.

,

Student Leadership: Chelsea Li

,
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.

, ,

Holiday Sharing Success!

, ,
Holiday Sharing Success!

Holiday Sharing (HOLS) is one of Madison House’s oldest student-led programs and has long provided Charlottesville families with food and personalized gifts for the holidays. This program does most of their work leading up to the holiday season, and, during this time, students work with the Salvation Army and Madison House’s LAMA (Latinx and Migrant Aid) program to collect, assemble, and distribute gifts.

, ,

A Young Alumna's Perspective on Giving - Caroline Biondo

, ,
A Young Alumna's Perspective on Giving - Caroline Biondo

As both a former board member and volunteer, Caroline recognizes the importance of service and the impact that Madison House volunteers have in the community. This is why she decided to stay involved as a donor. “When I donate to Madison House,” says Caroline, “I know that my money is going to be used to benefit both the Charlottesville community and UVA students.”

,

Batten Food Drive Supports 120 Local Families Through Partnership with Madison House

,
Batten Food Drive Supports 120 Local Families Through Partnership with Madison House

Launched as part of a new partnership between Batten and Madison House, an independent volunteer center for students at the University of Virginia, the drive complements Holiday Sharing, a program that numbers among Madison House’s oldest and has long provided Charlottesville families with food and personalized gifts for the holidays. Due to the pandemic, a community partner that had been assisting with food for the families was unable to do so this year, so the Batten community stepped in to fully fund and shop for food for all 120 families participating in the Holiday Sharing program.

,

Alumni Spotlight: Grant Frazier

,
Alumni Spotlight: Grant Frazier

At first glance, medicine and music may not appear to have much in common, but Grant Frazier felt differently. He had seen first hand the power of music to bring joy and connection, and he felt that this happiness was its own medicine. As an UVA undergraduate, Grant worked with Madison House to explore this connection and founded the Harmonies for Healing program.

, ,

Olympic Silver Medalist Paige Madden’s Madison House Experience

, ,
Olympic Silver Medalist Paige Madden’s Madison House Experience

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.”

,

The real world: Internship alternatives offer hands-on work experience

,
The real world: Internship alternatives offer hands-on work experience

As a first-year student in U.Va.’s McIntire School of Commerce, Myles McPartland joined CASH — Creating Assets, Savings and Hope — a tax preparation club that is part of the Madison House, a student volunteer nonprofit in Charlottesville. McPartland is confident that his four years in CASH equipped him with vital skills for a career working on a team that makes rapid-fire stock market decisions.

,

Hoos Serving: Daniel Chen

,
Hoos Serving: Daniel Chen

Daniel Chen is a fourth-year in the College of Arts & Sciences. He is in the interdisciplinary neuroscience program and plans to attend medical school this year. His volunteer work focuses on providing UVA students with service-learning opportunities. He serves as the co-president of the Brain Exercise Initiative (BEI) UVA Chapter, a Madison House Medical Services Program Director, and the founder of a mission partnership of Friendship Bench (FB) of Zimbabwe in Charlottesville.

, ,

Madison House responds to COVID-19 with additional programming for a virtual age

, ,
Madison House responds to COVID-19 with additional programming for a virtual age

Madison House, the independent volunteer center for students at the University, has continued to organize service work throughout the pandemic, confronting challenges of volunteer work in a virtual world and adapting programming to respond to the Charlottesville community’s most pressing needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided program directors at Madison House with an opportunity to think about the accessibility of programs and to reevaluate student and community participation, according to Johnson. New programs have included closer connections to the University Equity Center in order to promote this accessibility.

,

Volunteer Spotlight: Eli Ratzlaff

,
Volunteer Spotlight: Eli Ratzlaff

Eli Ratzlaff is a recent graduate from UVA (CLAS '20) who majored in Political Philosophy, Policy, and Law with a minor in History. While at UVA, Eli volunteered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as an Immigration Intern. He also volunteered at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank as a food box packer for seniors and had a brief tenure as a tutor for elementary school children through Madison House.

,

Volunteer Spotlight: Spencer Whitney

,
Volunteer Spotlight: Spencer Whitney

My grandfather served in the Navy and then as a police officer for many years, and from an early age, he instilled in me a sense of service and benevolence that I have always carried with me. He inspired me to join the University Judiciary Committee in my first semester at UVA, and I ended up enjoying the job so much that I wanted to find new ways to give back to the University Community. I joined a Madison House program and became a peer advisor, and everything else just spiraled from that.

,

Student Spotlight: Julia Larsen and Heath Yancey

,
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.

,

Snaps of Service Exhibit

,
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.

,

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

,
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.

, , ,

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

, , ,
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.