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’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.
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.
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.”
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.”
“Running a marathon can be a solitary pursuit, so over the past few years I’ve tried to make it about more than just me,” [President Ryan] said. “In the past I’ve run for teachers, but this time I’ll be running to support Madison House, which does incredible work helping students serve the community. I want to thank everyone who is donating to help them do even more.”
“El día de hoy es para celebrar tanto el servicio como la comunidad y cuando se trata de la comunidad, lo que a mí me parece increíblemente importante es construir puentes”, dijo el presidente de la Universidad, Jim Ryan.
Como parte de la celebración inaugural del presidente de la Universidad Jim Ryan este fin de semana pasado, se llevó a cabo un evento de “Celebración de Servicio” el sábado en el McIntire Amphitheater [Anfiteatro de McIntire] para enfatizar el compromiso de Ryan como el noveno presidente de la U.Va. al servicio público y para devolver a la comunidad local.
El evento público gratuito acentuó las organizaciones locales sin fines de lucro dirigidas por estudiantes y en el área de Charlottesville, incluyendo Madison House [Casa Madison] y otras organizaciones independientes contratadas.
La Casa Madison es una organización de voluntarios sin fines de lucro, la cual no está afiliada con la Universidad, y ubicada en 170 Rugby Road, cerca del Museo de Arte Fralin.
Rachel Newman is a fourth-year in the School of Engineering, majoring in biomedical engineering. She is the head program director for the Madison House recreational therapy program. Through the recreational therapy program, volunteers interact with individuals with physical or mental disabilities, helping others learn and develop essential life skills.
Sam Powers is a third-year in the College, majoring in Statistics and Religious Studies and the Masters in Public Health program. Sam is involved in Center for Global Health research and community-based research with the Legal Aid Justice Center. He also volunteers through the Madison House Music Mentoring program and is the Vice Chair for First Years on the University Judiciary Committee. Sam spent this summer in Rwanda as a Center for Global Health Scholar researching the relationship between faith-based and public healthcare systems and disparities in malnutrition.
Madison House's 2017 Volunteer of the Year, Jamie Cranmer, asked three Loaves and Fishes volunteers from Madison House's Hoos Assisting With Life Obstacles (HALO) program to share the one thing they wish more people knew about clients in need of food assistance. Read Jamie's reflections and find out what these volunteers shared.
“The BIG Event furthers Madison House’s goal of building partnerships with individuals and organizations throughout the area,,” said Madison House Executive Director Tim Freilich. “We are proud to bring hundreds of individuals together in a day of service to build relationships and make tangible differences in the community.”
“We’re using the success of Mollie’s designs and product to help raise awareness for, and ideally, help support organizations that have a bigger cause beyond a clothing line,” says co-founder Taylor. She and head designer Mollie credit the experience of public service with organizations like Madison House as integral to their development as entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and creatives.
Madison House and the UVA writing department will be partnering in the spring of 2017 to offer a unique one-credit liberal arts course to current Madison House student leaders and student volunteers.
Titled, "Words Matter: Writing, Leadership, and Community Engagement" (LASE 2559) and taught by Kate Stephenson, the course will explore the relationship between the written word, being a leader and being actively involved in the community. Madison House student leaders will draw on their current experiences to reflect on their involvement with community programs and their role as liaisons between the University and the Charlottesville community.
"We are excited to partner with the UVA writing department to offer an opportunity for Madison House leaders and volunteers to connect their experiences in the community to their academic and professional pursuits," says Director of Community Engagement Rachel Winters. "Participating in a course with ample opportunities for writing and reflection will provide students a dedicated space to make meaning of their community engagement experiences, and the potential effect it has on them as students and citizens."
Students will collaborate with a community partner and the professor to develop a writing project that explores the intersections between social issues, politics and civic engagement. These projects range from research papers to photo essays, oral histories or digital writing. Participants will also learn how to present leadership experiences on a resume and in a professional interview—demonstrating how writing lives beyond the classroom and evokes change in the community.
For more information on the course, please contact instructor Kate Stephenson at sks9h@eservices.virginia.edu, or our Director of Community Engagement Rachel Winters at rwinters@madisonhouse.org
We are thrilled to announce that Melissa Fountain will be joining Madison House as our new Director of Development!
Melissa comes to Madison House after nearly ten years of experience working with UVA Advancement. Most recently, she served as the Associate Director of Reunion Giving at the University.
Melissa brings a wealth of development experience to the Madison House team, and we look forward to her official start the week of November 21.
You can reach Melissa at mfountain@madisonhouse.org.
Madison House's annual Holiday Sharing program kicked off with "Falliday Sharing," a festive "tailgate" on The Lawn. Each year, with the help of students leaders, volunteers, organizations and individuals from across the community, Holiday Sharing partners with the Salvation Army of Charlottesville to provide holiday gifts and three full meals for over 100 low-income families.
Now, Holiday Sharing needs your help! Sign up to sponsor a family in need.
"Sponsoring a family with Holiday Sharing provides the opportunity to make a huge impact on the lives of people in our very own Charlottesville community," says Head Program Director Emily Brown. "Many recipients have expressed that without Holiday Sharing, celebrating the holidays in their household just wouldn't be possible."
The deadline to sign up to sponsor a family is November 18. On December 3, or "Distribution Day," volunteers will be able to give their donations directly to the gift recipients in a special celebration of giving and the holiday spirit.
For more information, please email holidaysharing@madisonhouse.org, or read an overview of our Holiday Sharing program.
Did you know more than 30,000 UVA alumni have volunteered with Madison House since the early 1970s? We caught up with one of them, Sarah Rae Easter, and asked her to share how service has been a part of her life since graduating from the University of Virginia in 2007. Here's what Sarah Rae had to say:
"Delivering babies is the best job in the world. As a Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, I get to witness one of life's most precious moments on a daily basis. Certainly my hard work and formal education at UVA afforded me the opportunity to care for patients in this unique way. But my informal education at Madison House played a huge role in my path towards a career in medicine.
As a volunteer with Madison House's Medical Services program, I spent four years at volunteering in the dialysis unit at UVA Medical Center. Each week, I came in to help healthcare providers or educators organize their work on the unit. But I spent most of my tie in the dialysis center talking with and learning from the patients there for treatment.
The remarkable thing about service is that while most of us volunteer out of a sense of altruism, we often leave with as many benefits as we give to those serve. Being a doctor is no different. These special times spent with remarkable individuals through Madison House gave me the first glimpse into what a unique privilege it is to care for patients.
My involvement with Madison House paved the way for other experiences at UVA, including being Program Director for the Medical Services Program at the UVA Kidney Center, serving on Madison House's board of directors, and opening the door for many other service-oriented opportunities throughout Grounds.
Most importantly, my time at Madison House gave me the education and inspiration to pursue a career in medicine and celebrate babies' birthdays every day!"
