JustDane Information

Founded in 1971, the originally named Madison-area Urban Ministry (MUM) was created as a social justice, social service organization. In 2020, the decision was made to change our name from Madison-area Urban Ministry to JustDane, to reflect our expanded reach. JustDane is private, 501 (c) 3 non-profit agency that offers an array of direct service programs for individuals and families involved in the criminal justice system. These services include prison reentry programs and services for children who have an incarcerated parent, community events designed to help people understand what it’s like to walk in the shoes of someone newly released from prison, and jail and prison in-reach programs. The men, women, and children who walk through our doors also help us better understand what is going on in our community and the struggles and injustices they may face through hearing their stories. Having this information enables us to both communicate with, and educate policy makers about the societal disconnect, obstacles and backstories of people who have struggled to live a productive life, and what JustDane is doing to create positive change that benefits the entire community. Part of our mission is to serve as an incubator and fiscal agent for innovative ideas and projects. Over our forty plus years, we have helped develop some of the most creative and effective programs in Dane County: Project Home, all of the Madison Senior Coalitions, and many more. We currently also serve as an incubator for a Homeless Cooperative newspaper, a neighborhood association, and a statewide social justice advocacy organization. Our work is made possible by the support, financial and volunteer contributions of thousands of individuals over our 40 year history. We are grateful to the visionaries who originally formed MUM and the people who continue to sustain and nurture us.