INTERFAITH MINISTRIES FOR GREATER HOUSTON - ANIMEALS ON WHEELS Houston Volunteer Opportunities ⋆ Serve for Good

About

What Is It?

An Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston program that delivers pet food to the disabled adults and homebound elderly clients that Meals on Wheels serves, so they do not feel compelled to share their limited food and resources with their pets.

Help Needed:

Collect, organize, or repackage pet food donations, or deliver pet food to needy homebound seniors. Please contact Interfaith Ministries for COVID-related updates.

Details

Minimum Age to Volunteer

17 to volunteer independently. Children aged 6-16 may volunteer with parental supervision on-site (at the IM offices); no minimum age to volunteer with a parent off-site. Youth under the age of 17 must have a parental consent form signed by an adult who has attended orientation and additional trainings. Volunteers aged 17 years or older must attend orientation.

Time Commitment

Volunteers can serve one time or many. Typical volunteer shifts are 2 hours long.

Training Needed

None needed to help prepare donations for delivery. All volunteers age 17 or older who want to deliver food must attend a one-hour orientation before making deliveries. Personal vehicles are used for deliveries.

Help Needed

ORGANIZE AND REPACKAGE PET FOOD

Groups of volunteers (10 or more) can sign up to help inventory donations, repack donated pet food for delivery to Meals on Wheels clients, and/or help organize the pet food room. 2 hour shifts.

DELIVER FOOD

Once a month, 200 volunteers deliver 9,000 pounds of pet food, along with pet treats, to the approximately 500 homebound seniors who are currently signed up for this service.

“aniMeals on Wheels routes typically have 4-6 stops that are located close together. Currently, there are routes throughout our entire service area, including Harris County and Galveston County. Volunteers are assigned to routes as they become available. We cannot guarantee that a route will always be available in your preferred neighborhood but we work with each volunteer to find a route with which they are comfortable.”

COLLECT AND DONATE PET FOOD

AniMeals welcomes donations of dog and cat food (both wet and dry), as well as treats, toys, cat litter, and pet beds. Wet food is especially appreciated as it is donated less frequently, but helpful to older animals with weaker teeth.

Pet food donations are accepted year round Monday – Friday from 10 AM–4 PM at 3202 San Jacinto Street, Houston, TX 77002.

Volunteers are also needed to drive to help collect donations from Houston businesses, churches, and other organizations.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Volunteers are needed to represent aniMeals on Wheels at tables at festivals and other community events. Responsibilities include passing out information and telling people about volunteer opportunities.