“Essentially, Madison House taught me that if you see something that needs to be done then do it.”
Jeree Thomas is a 2011 graduate from the University of Virginia School of Law. Having done lots of service work as an undergrad, she was immediately drawn to the opportunity to connect with the Charlottesville community upon moving to the area. Thomas served on the Madison House Board for five years and volunteered with Cavalier Caring Days and the Holiday Sharing program.
While Thomas was able to successfully connect with and impact the Charlottesville community through serving with Madison House, she also uncovered the skills within herself that would prove to transform her into a powerful leader.
“The opportunity was an incredibly formative experience for me,” she said. As a member of the board, Thomas developed a website to store minutes from board meetings all in one place. She worked on developing clear policies for Madison House in regards to sexual harassment and other important issues. Thomas said that Madison House “showed me that I truly want to work with nonprofits, and I learned the ins and outs of everything!”
Now working with the Campaign for Youth Justice, Thomas utilizes these vital skills on a national level to help free underage citizens from the criminal justice system. Thomas continues to look towards the future, knowing that her passion for service and her pioneering personality can take her anywhere. With Madison House, Thomas said “I learned an incredible amount. I imagine it will become a large part of my future career as an Executive Director.”
With help from donors like you, Madison House can continue to shape the leaders of tomorrow. Your donation can help provide resources to bring out the leader in more of our 2,500+ student volunteers, not just those who serve in explicit leadership positions.