MADISON, CT — Giving Tuesday falls on Dec. 1 this year, but you don't have to wait until then to make a difference close to home.
Throughout November, local nonprofits, food pantries, animal rescues, community organizations and other groups are looking for donations, volunteers and other forms of support. Whether you have a few hours to give, items to donate or simply want to support a local cause financially, there are plenty of ways to help.
Patch rounded up organizations and opportunities to give back in and around Madison. Needs and volunteer opportunities can change, so check directly with each organization for the latest information.
Here are some ways to make a difference in Madison this November:
Madison Community Services is an all-volunteer nonprofit that has served Madison residents since 1930 and runs the Pauline Baldwin Food Pantry at 50 Mungertown Road. The pantry serves about 110 Madison families a month with groceries, fresh produce and personal care items. The group also provides holiday meal baskets at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
Its website has listed shelf-stable donation drop-offs on Mondays and Fridays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the pantry, with collection sites at Stop & Shop and the Madison Senior Center. For larger donations, call 203-245-3031. Donations can also be made online or mailed to P.O. Box 148, Madison, CT 06443. The group says it receives no town, state or federal funding.
Learn more about Madison Community Services.
Warm the Children is a Rotary Club of Madison program that buys new winter coats, hats, gloves, clothing and footwear for local children in need. The Rotary Foundation works with social service agencies to identify children in Madison and Guilford.
A $25 gift buys a hat and gloves, and a $100 gift buys a new winter coat. Donations can be made online or by check payable to "Madison Rotary Foundation Warm The Children" at P.O. Box 335, Madison, CT 06443.
Learn more about donating to Warm the Children.
The Neighbor to Neighbor Fund, or N2N, is the largest fund of the Madison Foundation. It works with Madison Senior Services and Madison Youth and Family Services to provide emergency funds, heating oil aid, utility assistance and camp sponsorships for families when other resources aren't available.
N2N also helps supply the food pantry with non-food items such as personal care products. Residents can donate to the fund through the foundation. Call the Madison Foundation at 203-245-2796 for details.
Learn more about the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund.
The all-volunteer Madison Land Conservation Trust, founded in 1964, protects more than 1,700 acres of woodlands and wetlands in town and maintains public trails. Its all-volunteer board relies on residents for support.
Residents can become members or donate through the trust's website, and volunteers have helped with trail work. Email madisonlandtrust@gmail.com or call 203-506-1067 to ask how to help.
Learn more about donating to the Madison Land Conservation Trust.
The Exchange Club of Madison is an all-volunteer civic club that organizes the town's Independence Day parade and the Easter Egg Hunt at the Surf Club, and supports child abuse prevention programs, including Parent Aide and Nurturing Families Network.
Residents can join, donate or support its fundraisers, which include the Exchange Golf Classic in the summer, Madison Salutes Our Heroes in the fall and the Christmas Tree Sale on the Green in December. Email madison.exchange@gmail.com.
Learn more about the Exchange Club of Madison.
The town's Senior Services, based at the Madison Senior Center, 29 Bradley Road, helps residents 65 and older find assistance. Older adults who need help can call 203-245-5687.
Volunteers have helped seniors through programs such as Errands on Wheels, and the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund has supported subsidized lunches at the center. Call the number above to ask about current volunteer needs.
Learn more about Madison's social services.
The Madison Historical Society is a nonprofit that preserves and celebrates the stories of the town through its people, artifacts, architecture and landscapes. Its administrative office is at 14 Meetinghouse Lane.
Residents can volunteer, become members or donate online, and the society accepts monetary gifts of any size. Call 203-245-4567 or email office@madisonhistory.org to ask about current volunteer opportunities. The office is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Learn more about volunteering with the Madison Historical Society.
This isn't an exhaustive list of organizations doing good work in and around Madison. Donation needs, volunteer opportunities and hours can change, so check directly with an organization for the latest information before donating or volunteering.
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