(Thanks to Laura Kocum from ABC of Wisconsin for this contribution to our blog.)

This spring, an apprentice named Melody graduated from a sheet metal apprenticeship. For Melody, this is a second career. She started as a chef, but after years of long hours, lagging wages, and instability during the pandemic, she decided it was time for a change. After researching her options, she chose a sheet metal apprenticeship.  “Everyone needs heat and air. These needs aren’t going anywhere. I can do anything with the skilled trades,” she exclaimed.

Melody wishes she had known about apprenticeships sooner and had begun her program right out of high school. She sees that her apprenticeship has created a career path that will pay well, provide stability, and give

Food insecurity in Dane County is real. Nearly 13% of kids in Dane County were food insecure in 2022, up from 7.5% in 2021. Those most affected are children, seniors, the disabled, and people of color. In over 70% of food insecure households, at least one adult is working. Many have two jobs.

Badger Prairie Needs Network (BPNN) in Verona – one of the area’s largest food pantries -- is working hard to address this meal gap. The pantry expects to serve 90,000 individuals this year, six times more than pre-pandemic. The increase in visits can be attributed to rising housing costs, food inflation and population growth. On a busy Thursday, BPNN will serve 200 families. 

In operation since 1986, BPNN is 100% volunteer led and operated, meaning

Last month we donated $500 to Rooted, a local nonprofit that is helping to create healthy, equitable, and sustainable neighborhoods. This year we've also made contributions of $500 or more to Defending Black Girlhood, Own It, SAIL, the Foundation for Dane County Parks, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Red Sneakers for Oakley. 

This month, we're excited to be sharing the good work of the Badger Prairie Needs Network. Stay tuned for more information about this Verona-based nonprofit, coming real soon. 

We're grateful for all of you who continue to trust us with all of your buying and selling needs. Because of you, we’re able to shine a light on and support local nonprofits. Thank you. 

While many of us enjoy backyard gardening, not everyone has access to land to grow their own gardens and there are barriers to successful community-based gardening efforts. Rooted, a local nonprofit based in Madison, is helping to create “healthy, equitable, and sustainable neighborhoods'' that embrace the positive impact of sharing fresh, quality food through community gardening. Rooted’s Community Gardens Network is just one of the organization’s programming efforts focused on food, land, and learning.

The Community Gardens Network is a partnership between Rooted, UW Madison Extension Dane County, and the City of Madison that connects people with the land, education, and resources to create and sustain community gardens. There are 72 gardens in the

Sunshine Place is proving we can accomplish more when we meet our neighbors’ needs with dignity and collaboration. This Sun Prairie-based organization is where families and individuals can come for help with food, housing, and other essential support. Sunshine Place is a “resource hub” for basic needs, offering its nine innovative programs plus subsidized space for other agencies. They currently host staff from Centro Hispano, Joining Forces for Families, RISE – Early Childhood Initiative (ECI), Dane County Madison Public Health, and Tenant Resource Center saving their visitors time, transportation, and childcare resources to access multiple services in one-stop. 

The largest of Sunshine Place’s programs is their Sun Prairie Food Pantry, open 6 days a

The Mad City Dream Homes team has had multiple loved ones affected by blood cancers, which is why we’re particularly proud to support the next generation of leaders advocating for a cure, like Sophie Bell. 

Sophie is a 2024 Student Visionary of the Year candidate for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Over the past seven weeks, she has embarked on a fundraising campaign along with 13 other student teams to raise $300,000. And that money will be well spent: LLS is a leader in blood cancer research, patient access, and policy - in fact, treatments discovered through LLS research are being applied to clinical trials for other cancers, too. 

It’s not too late to support this important cause like Sophie has, which is working towards a cancer-free

As we prepare for the year ahead, Mad City Dream Homes would like to highlight a vital community organization that is preparing - and equipping - young adults for success in Dane County. Operation Fresh Start (OFS) helps emerging adults carve out new pathways to success by overcoming barriers.

In tandem with personalized mentorship, OFS helps participants finish their high school diplomas, obtain drivers licenses, build trade industry skills via apprenticeships, and network in preparation for their professional lives, (among other initiatives). As Gregory Markle, OFS’s Executive Director put it, “For our young people, we build opportunities to let them know that we care. We focus on the moment when we encourage them to make a leap of faith

Madison consistently ranks among the top cities in the nation to live. For what reasons? And for whom? Those answers vary depending on who you ask.

“As a lifelong Madisonian, I’ve noticed that this is a wonderful community but it's more wonderful for a certain group of people than it is for others,” said the Rev. Dr. Alex Gee, who serves as the lead pastor of Fountain of Life Covenant Church (Fountain of Life), founder and president of the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development (Nehemiah), and host of the podcast Black Like Me. He is also the founder and CEO of The Center for Black Excellence and Culture (The Center), a new nonprofit which is in the final stages of its fundraising campaign to create a welcoming and inspirational space for the

We'd like to offer a public thank you to Samantha Haas, who has spent the last 6 plus years sharing her ideas, talents and values with our team. Thanks to Sam's influence, our team has evolved to view everything we do through the lens of community.

In addition to coordinating our marketing efforts and team events, Sam has invested a significant amount of her time into supporting and promoting local non-profits.

Now, Sam's focus on community is taking a new form, as she heads up her own initiative, Playful Acorns, which she's created to encourage connections between kids, caregivers, nature, and the larger community. 

We wish you all the best, Sam, as you write your next chapter. Although we can't possibly replace you, we can continue with the

The Mad City Dream Homes team enjoys finding creative ways to support local businesses and nonprofits through client appreciation events and giveaways, articles on our blog, social media, and newsletters, in-kind marketing support, sponsorships, donations, and volunteer efforts. In 2023, we built upon the relationships formed over the years and made some new connections, too. 

As we reflect on another year of investing in the communities we serve, we wanted to highlight some of these organizations doing neat things in the Dane County area – from making memorable chocolates and art to creating safe, brave, and welcoming spaces for local citizens to thrive. 

We are proud members of the Monroe Street Merchants Association and love to frequent many of