18 or older

AISHEL HOUSE

What Is It?

A charity that offers “the comforts of home and community” — including meals, accommodations, Jewish chaplaincy, child care, and transportation — to patients who come to the Texas Medical Center from around the world.

Help Needed:

Deliver meals, create holiday food or crafts for patients, help care for children of patients or family members, sing holiday songs for patient families, and perform other helpful tasks. Please contact Aishel House for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

Volunteers aged 10-12 must be accompanied by an adult. Volunteers must be 13 to participate in the Junior Volunteer Program.

AMAZING PLACE

What Is It?

A day program that provides fellowship, memory care, and wellness for adults with mild to moderate memory loss, and support to their families and the community.

Help Needed:

Visit with participants and join them in activities and outings, or participate in the STARS summer internship program. Please contact Amazing Place for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16

AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION TOUR DE CURE (HOUSTON)

What Is It?

A family-friendly bicycle ride dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes. It includes a variety of routes, a 5k walk/run, and a festival. In past years it has taken place in September at Prairie View A&M.

Help Needed:

Set-up, registration, rest stops, start/finish line cheer teams, children’s area, lunch tent, clean up, and more. The 2021 Tour de Cure will be a Texas-wide virtual event on June 26th.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

12

ANGELA HOUSE

What Is It?

A transitional home for women coming out of incarceration. “Through comprehensive programs and partnerships, Angela House residents are given the opportunity and tools to maintain a positive lifestyle.”

Help Needed:

Projects could include helping organize the clothing room or other areas, tutoring women in GED topics or basic computer skills, helping with special events or holiday decorations, helping with administrative tasks, or collecting needed items. Contact Angela House for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

14 with a teacher/parent/guardian, and 16 and up without an adult

ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER

What Is It?

A global non-profit that serves as “the leading force in forging closer ties between Asia and the West through arts, education, policy, and business.“

Help Needed:

Help with ExploreAsia or Dances of Asia Summer Camps, or assist with AsiaFest (May). Please contact the Asia Society for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16 for Summer Camps and AsiaFest, with 15-year-olds permitted to assist in some circumstances.

AVDA (AID TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE)

What Is It?

A non-profit that works to end family violence by advocating for the safety and self-determination of victims, promoting accountability for abusers, and fostering a community response to abuse.

Help Needed:

Assist with office tasks or special events, or help translate for clients.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

14. Volunteers must be in – or about to enter – high school.

AVONDALE HOUSE

What Is It?

A non-profit organization that provides educational services to children and young adults with autism. Services include a year-round day school, a smaller day program for young adults, and three residential group homes.

Help Needed:

Help with activities such as games, crafts, and celebrations; assist with special events; help spruce up grounds or facilities; or collect needed items. Please contact Avondale House for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

There is no specific minimum age, but all volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult (a parent, or their teacher/adult volunteer if they are on a class field trip).

BAKER RIPLEY CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION FORUMS

What Is It?

BakerRipley is a United Way agency that brings resources, education, and connection to more than half a million Texans each year, offering “innovative solutions to help low-income families in emerging neighborhoods get a foothold in the region’s economy.“

Help Needed:

Help applicants complete their naturalization (citizenship) applications at monthly Citizenship & Immigration forums, serve as runners or interpreters, or assist at registration. Please contact Baker Ripley for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16

BAKER RIPLEY HOUSTON TURKEY TROT

What Is It?

A Thanksgiving Day foot race for about 15,000 runners; the event supports BakerRipley, the largest community development organization in Texas.

Help Needed:

Hundreds of volunteers are needed to help with packet pickup, race day setup, water stations, serving food, and more. Please visit the Turkey Trot website for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

15

BARC

What Is It?

A city agency that cares for and helps find homes for thousands of animals each year, and provides many other services.

Help Needed:

Needs include animal care, help with adoption and other events, foster pantry organization, facility beautification, and administrative help. Please contact BARC for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

13. Volunteers aged 13-15 must volunteer with a parent or guardian at all times. 16 and 17 year olds can volunteer on their own after attending orientation with a parent or guardian. No minor can volunteer with or handle adult dogs.

BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL

What Is It?

Each year the nonprofit Art Colony Association produces the Bayou City Art Festival Downtown (fall) and Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park (spring) to raise money to support local nonprofit organizations.

Help Needed:

Help at the Children’s Creative Zone or Information Booth, take tickets, greet guests, check in volunteers, provide refreshments to artists and volunteers, or take photos. Please visit the Festival website for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

13. Volunteers under age 18 must have written permission and release of liability signed by parent or guardian and must be properly supervised during the entire shift: one adult, age 21 and over for every five minors ages 13 – 17 and/or one adult per one minor under the age of 15.

BAYOU CITY BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK

What Is It?

A nonprofit that provides weekend meals to elementary school-aged children who are eligible for school lunch programs during the week, but are in danger of going hungry on weekends.

Help Needed:

Volunteers may assemble bags of easy-to-prepare food, deliver the bags to the children’s schools, and/or donate pantry items. Please contact the organization for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

2

THE BEACON

What Is It?

A nonprofit that provides services — meals, showers, laundry service, case management, medical and psychiatric care, pro bono legal services, and pastoral care — that “help restore dignity, self-respect, and hope to Houston’s poor and homeless.”

Help Needed:

Volunteer activities include helping prepare and serve meals, laundering and folding clothes, and greeting clients. Please contact The Beacon for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16 to volunteer independently. Young adults ages 13-15 may volunteer with an adult guardian. Due to safety concerns and liability reasons, no children under the age of 13 are permitted to volunteer.

BEAR / BE A RESOURCE FOR CPS KIDS

What Is It?

A nonprofit “dedicated to restoring dignity and hope to abused and neglected children involved in Harris County Child Protective Services. BEAR provides basic necessities to the children in care, and support to the caseworkers of CPS.”

Help Needed:

Help provide and/or organize donations of basic supplies, holiday gifts, or school supplies, or help with celebrations for youth who are graduating from CPS care. Please contact BEAR for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

12

BEST BUDDIES TEXAS

What Is It?

A nonprofit “dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for friendships, employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

Help Needed:

Assist with the Friendship Walk & 5K fundraiser in April, or help with event planning in the office. The 2021 Friendship Walk date was April 17.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

14 to help at the Friendship Walk, and 16 to help in the office.

THE BIRTHDAY JOY PROGRAM

What Is It?

A nonprofit dedicated to bringing birthday parties to children in homeless shelters, group homes, & other disadvantaged situations in Harris and Galveston counties.

Help Needed:

Help host birthday parties in Houston, LaPorte, Liverpool, and Texas City; collect gifts or other party supplies; assemble goody bags, make decorations. Please contact Birthday Joy for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

14 independently; younger children may volunteer with a parent. Parents must sign a waiver for volunteers under 18.

BO’S PLACE

What Is It?

A “bereavement center offering grief support services to children, ages 3 to 18, and their families who have experienced the death of a child or an adult in their immediate family, as well as programs for grieving adults.”

Help Needed:

Help serve potluck meals that families provide, or bring and serve a meal; help supervise children in the playground. Please contact Bo’s Place for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

13-15, depending on the project.

BOOKS BETWEEN KIDS

What Is It?

A charity that collects gently used books and distributes them to Houston’s at-risk children. Since 2013 Books Between Kids has distributed more than 1,769,000 books.

Help Needed:

Help organize books at the warehouse on Harwin Drive, or collect books to donate. Please check with BBK about COVID-related changes; small groups of volunteers are permitted.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

Children as young as 5 are welcome, but all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Please provide 1 adult to supervise every 2 children under age 10 and 1 adult for every 5 children ages 10-15.

BOOKS FOR DEVELOPMENT

What Is It?

A nonprofit that works with teams of volunteers to gather donated books, sort them, and box them for transport. These recycled books are donated to underdeveloped countries around the world to help them create and maintain local libraries.

Help Needed:

Help sort and package books in the warehouse, or collect books, especially those in subjects such as health and medicine, social science, and applied science. Currently volunteer groups are limited to ten people. Please contact BFD for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16

THE BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS

What Is It?

A comprehensive crisis intervention and prevention center whose services include a 100-bed emergency shelter, transitional housing for women, permanent housing for adults with disabilities and children in their care, and many other programs.

Help Needed:

Projects include collecting needed supplies, organizing the shelter food pantry, arranging activities for children, helping with mailings, and working on annual charity races and other events.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

There is no strict age limit for volunteers. Depending on the project, adults may be asked to accompany student volunteers.

BRIGHTER BITES

What Is It?

A nonprofit that delivers fresh produce and nutrition education to underserved communities where access to grocery stores stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables is sorely limited.

Help Needed:

Help unload and bag the fresh fruits and vegetables that are sent home with families each week, help distribute food, and other tasks. Please contact Brighter Bites for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16, with a valid ID. Younger children may assist if a parent or guardian is volunteering as well.

THE BROOKWOOD COMMUNITY

What Is It?

A “God-centered educational, residential, entrepreneurial community” that provides spiritual, educational, & vocational opportunities for adults with special needs.

Help Needed:

Help with Saturday fitness activities such as team sports, walking, and biking, and/or assist with Sunday worship services. Please contact Brookwood for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

Sports Fitness volunteers must be 6th graders and up. All ages are welcome to help with worship services.

BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP

What Is It?

A non-profit organization that is revitalizing and transforming Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource. Work includes addition of major destinations, landscaping, water features, and pedestrian bridges in Buffalo Bayou Park.

Help Needed:

Groups or individuals can help with gardening, invasive species removal, trash pickup, trail work, special events such as KBR Kids Day, or administrative tasks. Please contact BBP for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

Volunteers ages 9-17 years are welcome with a chaperone 21 years of age or older. There must be one adult per ten youth present.

CASA DE ESPERANZA DE LOS NIÑOS

What Is It?

A safe place for children in crisis due to abuse, neglect, or the effects of HIV. Casa de Esperanza provides residential care, and coordinates medical and psychological services according to the needs of each child.

Help Needed:

Collect basic needs or items for welcome packages; students may propose other projects.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

In general, volunteers must be 18 to participate in hands-on activities with the children, but volunteers of all ages may collect items. The agency may also consider one-time group projects with volunteers under 18.

CASA EL BUEN SAMARITANO

What Is It?

A free, non-profit health clinic that “shares the love of Jesus Christ while providing whole-person — body, soul, spirit — healthcare to the low-income and uninsured population in our community.”

Help Needed:

Projects could include computer work, child care, patient education materials, website updates, organization, and building maintenance. Please contact the clinic for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16 to volunteer independently; 14-15 year olds are considered for specific tasks on a case-by-case basis.

THE CENTER FOR HEARING AND SPEECH - VIA COLORI

What Is It?

The most comprehensive resource for pediatric hearing loss in Texas, offering health services and “enabling children with hearing loss to reach their full potential by teaching them listening, speaking, and literacy skills.”

Help Needed:

Help with Via Colori, the annual street painting festival that supports the Center. Via Colori usually takes place on a November weekend.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16

THE CENTER FOR PURSUIT

What Is It?

A nonprofit organization that provides “residential, vocational, and day services that promote individual choice, personal growth, and independence for persons with developmental disabilities.”

Help Needed:

Assist with campus beautification projects, engage with clients, collect needed items, and/or package gingersnaps and other baked goods for sale. Please contact the Center for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

15 to volunteer independently. Any volunteer younger than 15 years old must be accompanied by a parent/guardian/teacher.