Goodman Community Center

We strive to be a force for good, strengthening lives and securing futures. Join us in our mission to be the good, starting in our own community.

Be The Good

The Goodman Center has been here for our community for over 70 years, and with you in our corner, we'll be around for another 70 (and then some!). We serve people ages 3 to 103 with our children and youth programs, older adult activities and meals, food pantry, fitness center, event spaces and more. Take a look around and see what we're all about, and then get in touch. We'd love to hear from you!

A woman stacking a can on top of a pyramid of canned foods

Laura Zastrow Photography

Food Donations Needed

Your donations are a HUGE help in keeping our Fritz Food Pantry shelves stocked. Please bring nonperishable food, paper and plastic grocery bags or personal care items to our Ironworks building during our normal hours.

View our most needed items

Older Adults

Check out what's happening with our Older Adult Program.

Food Pantry

Our pantry is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Children & Teens

Learn more about summer at the Goodman Center for kids ages 3-19.

Eastside News Cover Story

Staff from Exact Sciences gather with Bucky Badger to receive the Friendly Food Drive trophy.

August Halbach

Partnering to pack the Fritz Food Pantry

GCC is partnering with companies and organizations to pack the Fritz Food Pantry.

By Florence Edwards-Miller, GCC director of communications and annual giving

Madison has a reputation for community engagement. Many local businesses give generously to local charities and encourage or incentivize their staff to donate or volunteer. They have been particularly generous during Goodman’s iconic Thanksgiving Basket Drive, donating food, funds and volunteer time. Because the need for food is so great in Dane County, GCC is challenging local businesses, churches and organizations to aim even higher.

Meghan Johnson, Goodman’s community partnerships and events manager, floated the idea of turning food collection into a competition, with businesses and organizations vying to bring in the most donations. The idea was greeted enthusiastically — the Friendly Food Drive competition was born. Thirteen groups signed up to participate in the first competition, timed to contribute to Goodman’s Thanksgiving Basket Drive. The contestants encouraged their employees, customers or members to donate food, mostly items needed for Thanksgiving Baskets, but all food items counted. Exact Sciences was the winner of this initial competition. It donated a total of 1,448 food items.