As Madison House resumes in-person volunteering this summer, I want to take a moment to thank all of you — our community partners — who have worked so tirelessly the past fifteen months. I have been inspired by your resilience, your perseverance, your dedication, your creativity, and your love for our friends and neighbors. Thank you for all you do for the community, and thank you for all you do for Madison House’s student volunteers.
As you know, Madison House suspended in-person volunteering this past year with the goal of keeping our community safe. In a typical year, more than 2,500 students volunteer through Madison House on a weekly basis at more than 100 local schools, non-profit organizations, hospitals, long-term and child care facilities. It pained us to hold back in-person volunteers from some of our community partners who continued to do critical work and needed the help—but as cases spiked at the University of Virginia without the feared significant overflow into the broader community, I was proud of Madison House’s decision to keep our student volunteers on Grounds.
Through virtual volunteering, our students have continued to make a difference. In partnership with the United Way, Madison House volunteers helped nearly 500 local households prepare to file their state and federal taxes, with a direct economic impact estimated at approximately $1 million. Our virtual tutoring effort in partnership with the Equity Center and Albemarle County Public Schools carefully focused our volunteer resources on reaching those kids most in need of additional assistance. Even as our students return to in-person volunteering, we will continue to maintain our virtual programming where it has proven most effective and efficient.
Madison House’s fully-vaccinated student volunteers look forward to working with you in-person in the months ahead. Our team of professionals is fully-staffed and ready to support our students as they begin to head back into the community this summer. Please let us know how we can deepen our partnership and best support you and your organization as we prepare for a full return to in-person volunteering in the fall.
We’re honored to have you as a partner in our efforts.
Wishing you health, strength, and resilience,
Tim Freilich
Madison House Executive Director