“My rolodex is full of people you introduced me to,” pastor Amanda of Madison’s Edan Center told Diane Hanson, CEO of United Madison Christian Givers, as she explained the impact of UMCG on her ministry to survivors of sex trafficking.
At last Tuesday’s UMCG fundraiser she explained how attending a UMCG workshop opened “a floodgate of community support and aligning with like organizations.” All of those connections come into play when, for example, a couple living in a rental car in a church parking lot have nowhere else to turn.
Other UMCG grant recipients like Shelter from the Storm and Yada Fair Trade and Resale, also on the front lines of helping women who are survivors of sex trafficking and other trauma rebuild their lives through practical compassion and God’s mercy, also shared their stories. “I look around this room and yeah, God is doing something,” said Beth Williams of Yada.
UMCG hosted “A Night of Testimony, Impact and God’s Word in Action,” that looked back on what donations had accomplished in 2025 and asked people to commit to seeing even more happen in 2026.
“There’s no other organization like it,” said Kevin Peterson, a just-retired local businessman who has joined the board overseeing United Madison Christian Givers. UMCG asks local Christians to give money to support organizations that help people in deep need and share the Gospel.
There was more to the evening. Caleb Williams of Clear Hits Radio reported on a September 27 Hip hop concert with Steven Malcolm that drew a crowd to Olin Park. Partnering with another local ministry, there was not only music but baptisms that day, including someone who just happened to be playing Ultimate Frisbee nearby.
“We have a great opportunity to impact Madison,” Peterson told the 100 or so people who gathered at Barnwood Events for the evening. Over the past dozen years UMCG and its predecessor, the Madison Christian Giving Fund, have raised $1.3 million and distributed the funds to 70 local non-profits.
With a few refinements, UMCG plans to do even more in 2026. More information at UMCG online. Past events in 2025 reported at: