Madison Volunteer Fair to match people with groups’ needs

MADISON – Anyone who wants to make a New Year’s resolution for self-improvement while benefiting the community can look no further than Madison Visionary Partners or MVP for ideas.

MVP will host Madison Volunteer Fair on Jan. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Madison Public Library auditorium, 142 Plaza Blvd.

“We receive many inquiries about volunteer opportunities in Madison and the surrounding area,” MVP Executive Director Melanie Thornton said. “We know that many people aim to become more involved as part of their resolutions so we thought this would be a fitting way for our community to hear from organizations and see what types of opportunities are available.”

“Our goal is that Madison residents will leave with new information about organizations and be inspired on how they want to be involved in the community. We encourage residents to become engaged with the many organizations doing great work in Madison,” Thornton said.

Melissa Davison, who serves as MVP Project Coordinator, said the volunteer fair will be “perfect for newcomers, seasoned residents looking to become involved and high-school students who need to increase service hours” for their resumes and academic or club requirements.

A representative cross-section of Madison County’s municipal agencies and non-profit organizations will attend:

* Health institutions — Alzheimer’s Association – Alabama Chapter; Bringing Up Down Syndrome or BUDS, which helps families of children with Down syndrome to resolve issues that the child may face (bringingupdownsyndrome.org); and Madison Hospital.

* Education options — Madison Public Library, for the Friends of the Library group that supports the library branch and raises operational funds; and Madison City Council of PTAs, which includes a representative for each PTA or PTSA in Madison City Schools.

* Entertainment opportunities — Madison City Community Orchestra and Madison Street Festival.

* Municipal groups – I Vote Madison, which shares information for city concerns; Land Trust of North Alabama; Madison Beautification and Tree Board; New Leash on Life to save animals from kill shelters by placing them with individuals; and Madison Visionary Partners.

* Recreational venues — Burritt on the Mountain; Early Works Children’s Museum; Huntsville Botanical Garden; Madison Greenways and Trails; and Shenanigans Comedy Theater Outreach, a non-profit comedy club in Huntsville that makes the arts accessible to everyone in an inclusive manner, including projects like Weird Kids and The Center.

* Social services groups — Crisis Services of North Alabama, which provides comprehensive services to victims of domestic/intimate partner violence; and Foster House Project, a nonprofit organization that gives a nurturing environment to vulnerable children who are entering foster care.

* Service companies — Indoor Air Care Advocates.

Madison Visionary Partners’ office address is 103 Spenryn Drive in Madison. For more information about Madison Volunteer Fair, call Davison at 256-384-3763, or visit mvpmadison.org/volunteerfair.