About Us
Who We Are
The MECF represents the best of our town of Madison, NJ. We are an all-volunteer charity that raises funds to provide gift cards during the month of December to Madison families and senior citizens who are struggling financially. All of these neighbors receive cards for groceries and warm winter clothing, and then can select some cards from a long list of Madison shops and restaurants.
The MECF provides families and seniors in need with the dignity to choose what gifts work best for them. We know they feel the town's generosity enormously. At its core, it is Madison neighbor helping neighbor.
Who We Help
The MECF has worked to find those in our town who are most in need. We offer our gifts to Madison families with school-age children that are registered in the Free & Reduced Lunch Program, or NJ certification programs (like SNAP), or the Madison YMCA's scholarship program. Families with very young children who are in the PreSchool Advantage program also receive our gifts. For senior citizens on fixed incomes, we reach out to all residents in Madison Housing Authority residences and remote locations, as well as the Pine Acres Nursing Home.
By The Numbers
In December of 2025, the MECF provided gift cards to 138 Madison families, representing 250 adults and 235 children. We provided cards to 91 senior citizens, and provided funds to The Thursday Morning Club to shop for gifts for 11 residents of the Pine Acres Nursing Home.
The MECF spent $78,860 on its gifts, of which $13,700 was used to purchase Burlington cards for winter clothing and the remaining $64,160 went directly to the shops and restaurants of downtown Madison. In this way, we supported not only those in need, but our business neighbors as well.
How We Get it All Done
The town rallies behind the MECF. We rely on generous donations, mostly from those in our town, but we get so much more help. We've had the Central Ave School collect coins in their "Change for Change" fundraiser, while the Madison HS varsity girls and boys teams raise money by throwing sponsored free throws. We've received generous grants and donations from the Madison Rotary Club and the Elks Lodge as well as from Madison's Presbyterian Church and Grace Church.
The Thursday Morning Club also partners with the MECF, providing volunteers to shop for gifts requested by senior residents of the Pine Acres Nursing Home: cardigans, pajamas and new sheets among them. The MECF has a grassroots mission supported by so many in Madison.