Volunteer opportunities and other ways for Badgers to give back

The best way to help your community during the pandemic is to maintain social distancing and follow public health guidelines to reduce the effects of COVID-19. However, many people are looking for other ways to help, from donating to local food pantries to assisting frontline responders.

The Morgridge Center for Public Service and the UW–Madison Center for Leadership and Involvement in Student Affairs have compiled a number of resources and opportunities in Madison and Dane County. More information can be found on the Morgridge Center website. Here are a few:

• United Way of Dane County has a number of ways to volunteer safely, which can be found at volunteeryourtime.org, including ideas for thanking a health care worker.
• The website volunteermatch.org includes opportunities in Madison and other cities throughout the United States.
• UnityPoint Meriter has some crafting ideas to show support for health care providers working on the COVID-19 frontlines.
• The Dane County Farmers’ Market and FairShare CSA Coalition have created a crowd-sourced emergency farmer fund.
• The Literacy Network is accepting donations to help adult learners.
• The River Food Pantry has an emergency food fund to help Dane County households in need.
• Off the Square Homeless Ministry is looking for assistance providing for 40 people.
• The University of Wisconsin Foundation has set up an Emergency Student Support Fund to assist students facing hardship due to the pandemic.
• UW–Madison’s crowdfunding platform, JumpStart, is collecting donations in support of UW Health’s health care workers and patients, with a match up to $100,000 from the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation.

The Morgridge Center for Public Service has also put together other ideas for service, from advocating for people detained during the pandemic, to tips for helping reduce stigma associated with COVID-19. Learn more on the Morgridge Center website.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers also recently announced that the state is looking for health care support volunteers during the pandemic. Through the Wisconsin Emergency Assistance Volunteer Registry, or WEAVR, active and retired health care professionals and others capable of providing non-clinical assistance are encouraged to sign up.

“Purposeful action” is part of the Wisconsin Experience, and we are proud of our long-standing tradition of stepping up and giving back in times of need.