Save the Date for The BIG Event, a Day of Service

The BIG Event is the largest day of community service nationwide for college students, and Madison House — the volunteer hub for University of Virginia students  — is bringing it to Charlottesville for the second year in a row. In 2015, Madison House's The Big Event at U.Va. served about 40 job sites via the help of 400 U.Va. student volunteers.

In 2016, Madison House is preparing for The BIG Event will be even, well, bigger! Hundreds of U.Va. students will come together to perform acts of service throughout Charlottesville on Saturday, April 9, 2016 from 9:00am-1:00pm.

The goal of Madison House’s The BIG Event is to encourage the U.Va. student body to serve neighboring residents as well as the local organizations that work tirelessly to improve Charlottesville. Many non-profit organizations, charities, and individuals in the Charlottesville community have a wish-list of projects that they never seem to have the time and resources to finish. Volunteers with The BIG Event will help complete those projects.

Volunteer registration opens online at madisonhouse.org/thebigevent on Monday, February 15, 2016. The deadline for University students to register to volunteer is March 25. Students are welcome to register individually or as under a group affiliation (as a CIO, fraternity, or sorority, for example) or simply with your friends!

From February 8 through February 12, student organizers of The BIG Event will raise awareness about volunteer recruitment on Grounds. Students will table daily from 11:00am until 2:00pm at Newcomb Hall to give prospective volunteers the opportunity to indicate their interest.

More than 3,179 U.Va. students volunteer through Madison House in the Charlottesville-Albemarle area every week during the academic year. Because all of Madison House’s other volunteer opportunities require a weekly commitment, The Big Event is the perfect way for ‘Hoos to give back to the community if they already have a busy schedule.

For more information about Madison House's The BIG Event, please visit www.madisonhouse.org/thebigevent.