Cavalier Cares Month is an opportunity to participate in service projects to commemorate Thomas Jefferson’s birthday and his spirit of public service. Please join us in these activities taking place each week in April to give back and contribute to communities in need in the greater DC area.
Important note: please notify us as soon as possible if you register for an event and later find you cannot attend. Because these projects have specific requirements for numbers of attendees, lack of attendance can greatly affect our ability to serve those in need. You will receive an event reminder the week of the event.
The UVA Club of DC is partnering with the Madison House Alumni Council to promote these events. Madison House is the student volunteer center at UVA and has been an integral part of the undergraduate experience for nearly 50 years. As an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Madison House relies on donations from alumni, parents, and friends like you to fund its 24 volunteer programs. Please consider a donation of $15 or more to support UVA student volunteering!
Give today!
Volunteering at the Capital Area Food Bank
Saturday, April 7
1:00pm – 4:00pm
Capital Area Food Bank
4900 Puerto Rico Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20017
Help us sort and pack donations to be distributed to local families in need by volunteering with fellow Hoos at the Capital Area Food Bank, whose mission is to feed those who suffer from hunger in the Washington metro area by acquiring food and distributing it through its network of partner agencies; and educating, empowering and enlightening the community about the issues of hunger and nutrition.
Nearest Metro station is Brookland-CUA (red line) where the center’s shuttle vehicle will be available. There is ample parking in front of the volunteer center as well.
Register for Capital Area Food Bank
Hosting a Birthday Party for the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project
Thursday, April 12
5:45pm – 8:30pm
DC General Family Shelter
1900 Massachusetts Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Needed: “hip” Hoos who can help execute an entertaining birthday party for teens aged 13-18 as part of the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, dedicated to cultivating resilience in children experiencing family homelessness by providing and expanding access to transformative play experiences. To celebrate spring birthdays, we’ll be dishing out dinner and birthday cake while helping run a couple of activities and games. Register today and send your feedback to uvaservice@dchoos.org on what activities you think we should plan that teens would enjoy!
Adjacent to the Stadium-Armory Metro (orange/blue/silver line); free parking lot onsite
Register for Homeless Children’s Playtime Project
THIS EVENT IS CURRENTLY FULL. Please contact us at uvaservice@dchoos.org to be placed on the waitlist.
Gardening for Brainfood
Saturday, April 14
10:00am – 12:00pm
Brainfood Garden
North side of K Street, NW between 9th and 10th Streets
(Behind the building at 900 Massachusetts Ave., NW)
Washington, DC 20001
Metro: Green/Yellow – Mt. Vernon Square
Lend a helping hand to the urban garden at Brainfood, a non-profit youth development organization in Washington, DC. Using food as a tool, the organization builds life skills and promotes healthy living in a fun and safe environment.
We’ll spend time working in their garden on K Street – you may have walked right by it while downtown and not even realized it was there! We will be assisting their garden manager with anything from planting to weeding and composting – and best of all, learning about how the garden plays an essential role in Brainfood’s incredible programs for youth.
Please bring gardening gloves if possible!
Dinner Service for N Street Village
Sunday, April 29
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Patricia Handy Place for Women
810 5th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Located near the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro (red/green/yellow lines)
N Street Village empowers homeless and low-income women in DC by offering services, housing and advocacy, helping women achieve stability and make meaningful gains in their housing, income, employment, mental and physical healthy and addiction recovery. At this event, we’ll be serving a meal to 36-60 women residing at the Patricia Handy Place for Women.
Volunteers will work in pairs on each floor to serve a meal delivered to the community by DC Central Kitchen. You’ll also receive an organization overview to learn more about their programs and services, the issues that affect their work, and a brief tour.
To fully service the nearly 2000 women that come through their doors each year, the Village relies on donated items. Please consider bringing travel-sized lotions, deodorant, body wash/shower gel or toothpaste to the event (please note no hair shampoo/conditioner is needed at this time).
All volunteers need to be age 14 or older to volunteer. All volunteers under 18 are required to be accompanied by an adult.
