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, UVa Students, Volunteer Stories
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
UVa Students, COVID-19
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

Community Service

Saddle Up for Service: Volunteer with CART this Spring

Saddle Up for Service: Volunteer with CART this Spring

Charlottesville Area Riding Therapy (CART) provides therapeutic horseback riding lessons for children and adults with disabilities, and volunteers play a key role in offering these sessions. Head Program Director Maggie Monroe got involved with the nonprofit organization her second year at UVA, originally because she was taking a course—Poverty and the Young Child—which had a community service element. “I immediately felt drawn to CART as I have two younger cousins on the spectrum, one with Autism Spectrum Disorder and one with Down Syndrome,” Maggie shares. “I have always loved working with and giving back to this population, and I found CART's mission statement to be exactly what I was looking for.” Read more about CART and the Madison House volunteer experience.

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Make a Splash and Discover Unique Education & Youth Volunteer Opportunities

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Make a Splash and Discover Unique Education & Youth Volunteer Opportunities

SPLASH (Swimming Protects Lives and Sparks Hope) and the Virginia Discovery Museum (VDM) volunteer programs at Madison House both offer unique windows for UVA students to engage with children in the Charlottesville community.  Read more about these Education & Youth volunteer opportunities through Madison House.

15 Benefits of Volunteering with Madison House

15 Benefits of Volunteering with Madison House

In an era where college students are increasingly focused on academic achievement and career prospects, volunteering with a non-profit organization like Madison House that places students in community service roles offers a unique and invaluable opportunity. This experience goes far beyond simply fulfilling a requirement or padding a resume; it is a transformative journey that builds essential skills, fosters leadership, creates lasting relationships, and encourages ethical engagement with the community. Read on to learn the top 15 benefits of volunteering that students cite most frequently.