I think that departments have really gotten into giving through the CVC. It's an easy way to become involved in the community. Organizations can sign up to receive donations through the CVC. They then are on a list of 1,200 organizations that you can choose to give to. 

For me, giving is about more than just money. It's about actually feeling like I can make a difference. By giving a small amount each year, we can provide to the families that need assistance. 

The Free Clinic was started with the sole purpose of having a place where uninsured individuals could go who needed basic quality health care. Up to 20,000 people die a year because they didn't catch a medical condition early because they couldn't afford to get health care. The Free Clinic provides that first step to get people healthy. 

We're extremely grateful. We use those donations to directly help patients each and every day. So many patients have been able to receive care that they desperately need that they wouldn't have had without the presence of the Charlottesville Free Clinic. 

Everything that goes through the CVC, 100% of your donation, goes to the organization. There are no administrative fees. There's no kind of overhead to use CVC. 

Madison House is a nonprofit organization who corral the energy of all the students at UVA to connect them with the community to volunteer. Many of the nonprofit organizations couldn't be as good as they are without the support of the UVA students through Madison House. 

The students who go into the programs, that volunteer with Madison House, leave as different people. They leave as better people, and they really take what they've learned and apply it to their personal and professional lives. 

There's so many ways to give to these organizations that give so much to the community. You can provide assistance through cash, check, payroll deduction, credit card, even stock options. 

Habitat for Humanity is a self-help home ownership program. We extend a helping hand up to partner families who work hard in this community but just can't seem to find simple, decent, affordable housing. If you donate $1.00, or you come out and spend the day on the job site, or you walk side by side with a partner family as an advocate, you're putting wind in sails of a family who's going to have a brighter future because you cared enough to make a difference. 

I worked with Habitat on actually building my home, building other homes. It was a great experience. It makes me value my home just that much more. Charlottesville is definitely a unified community. You have people from all different types of background. No matter their walk of life, they'll come in support and unify with each other.