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

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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UVA groups launch equity website for Charlottesville-area community

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UVA groups launch equity website for Charlottesville-area community

The Cville Education Equity collaborated with Youth-Nex, Madison House, and the Equity Center offers resources for teachers and families across the Charlottesville area. The website offers anti-racist curriculum for teachers, virtual education help for families, and food resources for those experiencing food insecurity.

“Basically, we were all having a conversation about how to help area youth and families at this time," UVA Equity Center Director of Community Research Sherica Jones-Lewis 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.”

COVID-19 Protocol: How to Use the House

COVID-19 Protocol: How to Use the House

Madison House remains dedicated to slowing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the health and safety of our student volunteers, staff, faculty, and Charlottesville community partners and neighbors. Our goal is to especially keep the Charlottesville community safe from harm. With this in mind, the Madison House building will be closed for the fall 2020 semester. The following guidelines have been put in place until further notice…

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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.

Open Letter from Madison House

Open Letter from Madison House

Madison House stands with our community in affirming the basic human right to live without fear of violence. We grieve with our community the senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubery, and countless others. We acknowledge and feel the pain, anguish, and anger of our community. It is a justified anger that speaks to intolerance, discrimination, and institutionalized racism.

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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!

Class of 2020: Aspiring Doctor Takes Aim at Health Inequities

Class of 2020: Aspiring Doctor Takes Aim at Health Inequities

Among the many University of Virginia experiences that have shaped Avery Bullock’s professional aspirations, two in particular stand out.

One is a sociology course that Bullock, who earned her undergraduate degree in biology from UVA in 2018 and will complete master’s in public health in May, took during her third year, “The Sociology of Health and Society.” It was one of her favorite sociology courses, and the discussions around how socioeconomic standing influences health felt like a clarion call to the aspiring physician, who will enter medical school in the fall.

“It just captured me,” said Bullock, a Richmond resident who grew up attending UVA football and basketball games. “I decided then to apply for the master’s in public health program before going to medical school.”

Another factor in that decision? Two senior ladies that Bullock met through Madison House’s Adopt a Grandparent program, which pairs UVA students with senior citizens in the Charlottesville community. Bullock has volunteered with the program for six years, meeting with the same two “grandmothers,” both of whom live in a low-income nursing home in Charlottesville.

“They have been crucial to my experience at UVA,” she said.

Full Speed Ahead: The Coronavirus Isn't Derailing Madison House From Its Mission

Full Speed Ahead: The Coronavirus Isn't Derailing Madison House From Its Mission

If there was ever any question about University of Virginia students’ desire to fulfill President Jim Ryan’s mission of the University being both great and good, it was answered in the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic hitting the commonwealth.

Just a few hours after being required to leave Grounds to quarantine, a whopping 600 students reached out to Madison House – the independent, nonprofit volunteer center for UVA students – to see how they could continue helping the community from a distance during the pandemic.

“I know how amazing UVA students are and how ingrained service is into the culture of our institution,” Rose Cole, director of community engagement at Madison House, said, “but I was surprised by how quickly the numbers climbed.