Serve for Good

Volunteer Opportunities for Houston Teens

Heights area

CHRISTMAS BOXES OF BLESSING – CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

What Is It?

“A program that engages families experiencing food insecurity when their children are on Christmas break without school-provided meals. It fills thousands of Boxes of Blessing with enough food to feed a family for about a week during the Christmas holiday. Partner schools and ministries distribute the boxes to families that they work with all year, making this an extension of their long-term, committed community development.”

Help Needed:

High school & college age volunteers assemble the cardboard boxes during one evening in November, and 600 volunteers of all ages fill the boxes in December.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

3 years old

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DESCENDANTS OF OLIVEWOOD, INC.

What Is It?

A nonprofit organization that is working to clean, beautify, and revitalize the 6-acre Olivewood Cemetery, Houston’s first incorporated African American cemetery, which had suffered decades of neglect.

Help Needed:

Tasks include mowing grass, clearing weeds and brush, and planting flowers.  Please contact the organization for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

None.  All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

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FRIENDS FOR LIFE

What Is It?

A no kill shelter and adoption agency that offers other services, including free spay/neuter services for animals in low-income communities, an animal food bank, and free behavioral services.

Help Needed:

Care for cats and dogs, work at adoption centers, help with administration/reception, assist with “Fix Houston” programs in local communities.  Please contact the agency for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16

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HEIGHTS INTERFAITH MINISTRIES FOOD PANTRY

What Is It?

A volunteer-run food pantry, providing nutritious groceries to Houston families who seek help, and delivering frozen meals and groceries to the homebound.

Help Needed:

Help organize donations and stock shelves, help distribute food to clients, assist with monthly food fairs, help unload deliveries, conduct food drives. Please contact the Food Pantry for COVID-related updates. 

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16

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HOUSTON FOOD BANK

What Is It?

A nonprofit that feeds 800,000 hungry people each year by distributing food through nearly 600 hunger relief agencies in 18 southeast Texas counties.

Help Needed:

Projects include sorting and packaging food, preparing meals, helping provide school supplies to teachers, organizing food drives, posting on social media, and helping with special events.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

Minimum age to volunteer: Children as young as age 6 are welcome for many projects. Volunteers under age 17 must be accompanied by an adult parent or guardian while volunteering.

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HOUSTON SPCA

What Is It?

Houston’s first and largest animal protection organization and shelter, offering a comprehensive array of animal adoption, shelter, rescue, rehabilitation, and other programs.

Help Needed:

Volunteers may work directly with animals or in other areas; they must commit to serve for 8 hours a month for 6 months.  The shelter also has a wish list of needed items. 

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16

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INTERFAITH MINISTRIES FOR GREATER HOUSTON – MEALS ON WHEELS

What Is It?

The largest Meals on Wheels program in Texas, serving about 4,000 homebound seniors and persons with disabilities each day. Clients are unable to prepare their own meals and have no one else to help with their daily nutrition, making their meal delivery absolutely essential.

Help Needed:

Assemble breakfast bags, help with meal delivery, work in the warehouse, make greeting cards, and other projects.  Please contact Interfaith Ministries for COVID-related updates. 

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.  Parental consent required for volunteers 17 or younger.

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K-9 ANGELS RESCUE

What Is It?

A 100% volunteer, non-profit  canine rescue organization “committed to rescuing and rehoming shelter dogs in and around the City of Houston, regardless of their breed or their circumstance.”

Help Needed:

Volunteer in the Adoption Center on weekends (walk dogs and help potential adopters find their perfect match), or collect needed items.  Please contact K-9 Angels for COVID-related updates. 

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16.  A parent’s or guardian’s signature is required for 16-17 year old volunteers.

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KIDS’ MEALS

What Is It?

A nonprofit that works to “end childhood hunger” by delivering free, fresh, healthy meals, year-round Monday through Friday, to the doorsteps of hungry preschool-aged children who live within the charity’s delivery areas.

Help Needed:

Volunteers can help prepare meals, collect needed items, decorate lunch bags, and help with special events.  Please contact Kids’ Meals for COVID-related updates. 

Minimum Age to Volunteer

Minimum age to volunteer: 8, for kitchen volunteers. Volunteers under age 8 can help by decorating lunch sacks with crayons, markers, and stickers. 

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MEMORIAL PARK CONSERVANCY

What Is It?

A nonprofit organization that works to preserve, protect, and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.

Help Needed:

Projects range from working outside beautifying landscaped areas, picking up trash, rehabilitating natural surface trails, working on park conservation efforts, and supporting fundraising events. Memorial Park volunteer activities have been postponed until further notice. Please check the park’s volunteer page for COVID-related updates. 

Minimum Age to Volunteer

Volunteers aged 12-15 are welcome with a chaperone 21 years of age or older. There must be at least one adult per ten youth. Volunteers 16 years old and up may be allowed to volunteer without a chaperone at Conservancy events; email volunteer@memorialparkconservancy.org for details.

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SMALL STEPS NURTURING CENTER

What Is It?

A non-profit organization that operates three preschools for economically at-risk children, providing a high-quality education, social and emotional support, a nurturing Christian environment, transportation, and nutritious meals.

Help Needed:

Summer camp volunteers to help teachers in class, at meals, and on the playground; donations of needed items are also always welcome.  Please contact Small Steps for COVID-related updates.

Minimum Age to Volunteer

Volunteers must be entering 7th to 12th grade.

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WILDLIFE CENTER OF TEXAS

What Is It?

A non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured, sick, oiled, and orphaned native wild animals.

 

Help Needed:

Care for animals, help with community education or special events, or collect needed supplies.  Please contact the Center for COVID-related updates. 

Minimum Age to Volunteer

16

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