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Volunteer Opportunities for Houston Teens

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The Birthday Joy Program: Supporting Homeless Children

November 25, 2017: One of our newest charities is the Birthday Joy Program, which brings birthday parties to children in homeless shelters, group homes, & other disadvantaged situations in Harris and Galveston counties.

You can help host birthday parties in Houston, LaPorte, and Liverpool, collect gifts or other party supplies, assemble goody bags, or make decorations.

Many of the children have never had a birthday party or even a birthday cake. Each child with a birthday in that month receives a gift and a personalized pillow, and the other children in the shelter are included as party guests. Between 120-150 children attend these birthday parties each month.

Volunteers must be 14 to help independently, but younger children may volunteer with a parent. Parents must sign a waiver for volunteers under 18.  For more ways to help or other information, check out the Birthday Joy Program’s profile.

Houston volunteer opportunities

Thanksgiving Projects

November 19, 2017: Thanksgiving week is the perfect time to volunteer!  

A few of the big feasts around town already have all the volunteers they need.  The Star of Hope‘s meal at its shelter, Gallery Furniture‘s feast, Promulgate‘s meal at Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen, the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Meals on Wheels event, and the Thanksgiving Big Super Feast at George R. Brown Convention Center have all said that they can’t accept more volunteers.  The Katy Area YMCA Turkey Dash volunteer registration has closed.  

But here are some other Thanksgiving-related projects to consider:

TXU Energy Turkey Trot

This annual 5k run takes place on Thanksgiving morning, and attracts more than 15,000 runners. The money raised benefits BakerRipley, a community development organization that serves more than a half million people in our area. Many more volunteers are needed.  More info is here.

Operation Turkey – Houston

Operation Turkey’s Turkey Tailgate is “the volunteer party where we smoke 300+ turkeys. We accept donations of clothing, care packages, and drinks to distribute with meals Thanksgiving Day. We also stage food and supplies at P.F. Chang’s for Thursday’s event.” It takes place on Wednesday, November 22nd, from 7 AM-7 PM.

Then, on Thanksgiving morning from 8 AM to noon, hundreds of volunteers prepare, package, and deliver food to the homeless and less fortunate throughout Houston.  Locations are P.F. Chang’s, 18250 Tomball Parkway; VFW Post 8790, 1560 Foley Street; and Grace Presbyterian Church, 10221 Ella Lee Lane.  More information is here. 

Houston Food Bank

The Food Bank is holding a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on Monday, November 20th, from 6-9 PM. 

Volunteers age 6 and older are invited to come for a short volunteer shift followed by a screening of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and a “Snoopy-style Thanksgiving feast full of pretzels, popcorn, and jelly beans.” Volunteers are encouraged to donate $5, which is the equivalent of 15 meals, or 5 canned items to help feed neighbors in need. The Food Bank’s description is here.

Register online at houstonfoodbank.civicore.com. Please contact Rocio Rubio for more information.  Update: This event is now FULL.

Interfaith Ministries Meals on Wheels 

Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston is providing 11,000 holiday meals for seniors, and needs volunteers to deliver the hot meals on Thanksgiving Day.  More information and route registration is here. In Houston, the event will be held in the north parking lot of First Presbyterian Church at 5300 Main Street.  In Galveston County, please go to the Wayne Johnson Community Center, 4102 Main Street, LaMarque, TX 77568.

Please arrive by 9 am to claim your delivery route.  Families and children are welcome; there will be an area where children can participate in games and make Thanksgiving cards for the seniors who will receive meals.

HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade

Houston’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade needs volunteers, age 16 and up.  Positions include Seating Ushers/Crowd Control, ADA Seating Ushers, Costumed Character (Training Required), Banner Carriers, Back Lot/Staging Volunteers, Balloon Handlers, and Volunteer Headquarter Assistance.  More information is here.

Children’s Activity Center Thanksgiving

Children’s Activity Center is a faith based, Christian children’s ministry that serves “at-risk kids in Houston’s toughest neighborhoods.” On Thanksgiving Day it will serve a traditional dinner to the neighborhood kids and families that attend its services.  Volunteers are needed to set up and decorate, serve tables and beverages, visit with children and families, and clean up.

CAC also needs macaroni and cheese, gravies, corn, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, soft drinks, CapriSun, and desserts. Food can be delivered the morning of Thanksgiving Day from 9-11 AM.  Volunteers can start arriving at 9:30 AM; clean-up crew needed from 1-1:30 PM. More information is here.

Food Donations

Promulgate is asking for donations of canned goods for the homeless and hungry; you can drop them off at Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen.  More information is here.

Northwest Assistance Ministries is closed on Thanksgiving Day, but through December 15th NAM is collecting refrigerated or frozen turkeys, along with dry and canned goods, for those in need of holiday meals. NAM’s holiday food “Wish List” is here.

Also, remember that you can always drop off cookies, fruit plates, thank-you cards, and/or other treats for first responders who are working on Thanksgiving.  Do you have other suggestions about places to volunteer during Thanksgiving week?  Please post a comment or email me at cfurse@sjs.org.  Thanks!

Claire

Assemble ‘Christmas Boxes of Blessing’

November 13, 2017: I’ll be adding this charity, Christmas Boxes of Blessing, to ServeforGood.org this week, but wanted to let you know about a volunteer Box Prep Event on Wednesday night (11/15). It’s for high school and college students only and will happen at a warehouse space at 1201 Oliver, near Arne’s in the Heights.

The Houston chapter of Christmas Boxes of Blessing is run by Christ the King Presbyterian Church. The program prepares 6,000 boxes, each with enough food to feed a food-insecure family for a week during the Christmas holiday. (Partner schools and ministries distribute the boxes.)

Hundreds of volunteers fill the boxes on December 9th (and you’re welcome to help with that), but before that happens the program needs lots of teen volunteers to prepare the boxes.

On Wednesday, pizza will be served at 5:30, and the box prep work will start by 6 PM.  The project will be finished by 8:30 PM.

You don’t need to register in advance. They will have volunteer hour forms, but if you need a specific one, please bring it. Please email Brenda Pounds if you have any questions.

Help Protect Galveston Bay through the SWIM Program

November 11, 2017: It’s the perfect time of year to be outside! If you want to plan an outdoor service project with a group of friends, or if you’re looking for a big group activity like an Eagle Project, you should consider the SWIM (Storm Water Inlet Marking) program.

Did you know that everything that goes into the storm drains on your street ends up in Galveston Bay?  The water isn’t treated; it just pours right into the ocean.  Many people don’t realize this, though, and they pour old paint or oil into the drains, or dump garbage into them. 

SWIM is run by the state and the county, and its goal is to mark every storm drain in Harris County with a bright emblem that says, “No Dumping – Flows to Galveston Bay.” More than 41,000 markers have been placed so far, but there are many more to go.

You can sign up with your group and say how many markers you want to install.  You’ll get markers and glue, and you can borrow gloves; scrub brushes; and safety vests, flags, and cones.  All you do is put the special glue on the back and press down hard, and the markers will stay in place for years.  They really help remind people to keep pollutants and trash out of the drains.  If you try this, please comment and tell us whether you’d recommend it as a service project, and whether you have any tips.

 

The Mission Continues: Empowering Veterans

November 3, 2017: One of the newest nonprofits on ServeforGood.org is The Mission Continues.  Its goal is to “empower veterans who are adjusting to life at home to find purpose through community impact. We deploy veterans on new missions in their communities, so that their actions will inspire future generations to serve.”  Non-veterans who want to help, including kids, are welcome.

In Houston there are 5 separate platoons, each with its own area of the city and its own projects.  Projects include painting and landscaping at local parks and schools, packaging and giving out food to needy families, working at an urban farm, and placing flags at military cemeteries.  The platoons did a lot of Harvey recovery work, too.

Next weekend is Veteran’s Day Weekend, and all 5 platoons will be working together to help fix up a neglected historic cemetery where an African American WWI veteran, among other people, is buried.  Information about this project is here.

Working with The Mission Continues sounds like a great experience for anyone, but may be especially good for kids or teens who are interested in learning more about what it’s like to serve in the military. Have you volunteered with The Mission Continues?  If so, please post a comment about it.  Thanks!

Newest Charity: Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen

The newest charity on our site, Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen, serves 200-400 nutritious, home-cooked lunches per day, six days a week (Tuesday-Sunday), to downtown Houston’s needy.

If you want to help the homeless but can’t commit to a regular volunteer schedule, Loaves & Fishes is a great option.  You can come once or many times.  Teen volunteers are welcome to help prepare food, serve the meal, chat with diners, and/or clean up.

Shifts run from 9:30 AM to noon.  For more information and/or to volunteer, call Ron at (832) 987-8302.