Volunteer Opportunities for Houston Teens
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 applicants complete their naturalization (citizenship) applications at monthly Citizenship & Immigration forums, serve as runners or interpreters, or assist at registration.
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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 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.
16, with a valid ID. Younger children may assist if a parent or guardian is volunteering as well.
An adaptive program for those with a variety of medical, developmental, and intellectual challenges, where all can participate in sports, aided by Buddies, in an inclusive, safe, and protected environment.
Buddies help their challenged partners, enabling them to participate in football, basketball, or cheer. Other volunteers may help with check-in or with other tasks. Please visit the Challenger website for COVID-related updates.
Volunteers must be in high school.
A nonprofit that offers a variety of community-based services that give people with disabilities opportunities to live, learn, work, and play as vital parts of their own communities or neighborhoods, and providing respite, support, and education for family members and caregivers.
Collect unwanted electronics to help provide training opportunities for Easter Seals clients, or collect gently used tablets, which will be loaned to adults and children with disabilities to help them communicate and learn. Please note that these collection/donation programs are on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic.
No minimum age.
The HCHSA works “to attract sporting events to Houston and to promote the city as a home for sports-related activities, to ultimately enhance Houston’s economic development and bring better quality of life for its residents.”
Volunteers assist at various events during the year, including championship games and other competitions. Please contact the Sports Authority for COVID-related updates.
Minors aged 16-17 may volunteer, but a waiver form must be signed by a parent/legal guardian and a chaperone (at least 18 years old) must be present with the minor at all times during each event.
A healthcare system that cares for all residents of Harris County and includes community health centers, school-based clinics, mobile health units, a rehabilitation and specialty hospital, and two full-service hospitals.
Volunteers serve at least 4 hours per week for 8 weeks; duties may include being a host/greeter, performing clerical duties, or assisting in a nursing station.
14 (entering 9th grade).
A conservation, education, and advocacy organization that focuses on protecting the natural environment for birds and people. It owns and manages 17 nature sanctuaries to protect habitat for birds and to give people recreational opportunities in nature.
Trail maintenance, invasive species removal, filling bird feeders and baths, litter pick-up, native gardening, and other habitat improvement projects. Please contact Houston Audubon for COVID-related updates.
Varies. For most events, everyone is welcome, but volunteers under 14 must to attend with a parent or other adult. Volunteers must be 15 to work on trails.
A nonprofit that, with thousands of sponsors and volunteers, helps build homes for low-income Houstonians. Future homeowners contribute “sweat equity” and complete home maintenance and financial training to buy homes with zero interest mortgages.
Assist with home construction or help at ReStore, Habitat’s donation-based retail store.
16 or older to work on the build site, and at least 18 to use power tools and to participate in roof work.
A no-kill rescue organization that creates programs to save animals most at risk of euthanasia. Its goal is to “prevent animals from entering a shelter, and for those that do, get them out alive.”
Help care for adoptable cats at various local PetSmart stores, help with adoption events, collect needed items. Please contact Pets Alive for COVID-related updates.
14. Volunteers ages 14-17 must be supervised by a parent or legal guardian and may not volunteer in the dog area for liability reasons.
A Central Library complex and 40 branch locations, “providing a network of materials, services, and programs to Houston’s diverse neighborhoods.”
Share library information, work with children, help organize materials, help at book sales or other events, or help with special projects. Please contact the Library for COVID-related updates.
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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.
Collect, organize, or repackage pet food donations, or deliver pet food to needy homebound seniors. Please contact Interfaith Ministries for COVID-related updates.
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.
An Interfaith Ministries program that matches volunteers with homebound clients to help with chores and tasks that the clients may be unable to do on their own.
Lawn care such as mowing and weeding, laundry, kitchen help, and more. Volunteers choose the services they want to provide. Please contact Interfaith Ministries for COVID-related updates.
17, to volunteer independently. No minimum age to volunteer off-site (at food pantry or a client’s home) with a parent.
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.
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.
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.
The city’s leading organization focused on litter reduction, beautification, and recycling education; it provides resources and education to inspire individuals and Houston communities toward greater environmental stewardship.
Help with clean-up, planting, and other beautification projects organized by Keep Houston Beautiful or partner organizations.
All ages are welcome unless a particular project specifies otherwise. Adult supervision is required for all volunteers under 18 years of age.
This Lions Club program collects used prescription eyeglasses and reading glasses. Volunteers at their recycling centers clean the glasses, sort them by prescription strength, and package them. The recycled glasses are distributed to nonprofits that provide vision screening and assistance to people in need, mainly in developing countries.
Volunteers are invited to collect used eyeglasses to donate. Usually this is done by placing collection boxes at local businesses, schools, optical shops, libraries, places of worship, city administrative centers, or eye care professionals.
All ages are welcome to collect eyeglasses.
A nonprofit dedicated to bringing together veterans and non-profit community partners to address issues facing our communities. The projects also empower veterans to find purpose through community impact, and inspire future generations to serve.
Events include helping at back-to-school events, sprucing up parks and schools, storm recovery projects, working at food banks and farmers’ markets, placing flags at military cemeteries, and more. Please contact The Mission Continues for COVID-related updates.
None. Children and teens are welcome at most projects.
A non-profit that improves the lives of young refugees as they face the great challenges of learning a new language and adapting to a new way of life. “Our programs assist youth in adjusting to American life, achieving academic success, and becoming self-sufficient and engaged members of our community.”
Serve as an after-school mentor and tutor, or help lead the middle school summer program, including field trips and other activities. Please contact PAIR for COVID-related updates.
16. Parental permission is required if volunteer is under 18.
A nonprofit that offers economically disadvantaged refugees an opportunity to become self-sufficient through growing, harvesting, and selling produce from a sustainable urban farm in Houston, while providing fresh, local produce to Houstonians.
Help with farming activities, prepare produce for market, sell produce at farmers’ markets, work on fundraisers or other special projects, take photos, help with social media, or assist in the office. Please contact Plant It Forward for COVID-related updates.
7. Volunteers age 7-16 must have adult supervision. Students over 16 can work independently (or in groups) with parental approval.
A nonprofit that rescues pregnant dogs, nursing litters, and orphaned puppies from the streets, shelters, and other life-threatening situations and matches them with permanent adoptive homes.
Fostering, helping with events, fundraising, hosting supply drives, and more. Please contact Pup Squad for COVID-related updates.
16, to volunteer independently. If aged 12-15, the volunteer must be accompanied at all times by an adult (preferably a parent).
Houston’s only prepared food rescue organization; it picks up surplus unserved food from caterers, hotels, sports venues, and other regulated food businesses and delivers it the same day to dozens of approved charity meal sites, serving more than 6,500 needy people a week.
Help rescue food at various events and venues and load the refrigerated vehicles for delivery to charity sites, or help at the office with internet research, analysis, and administrative tasks. Please contact Second Servings for COVID-related updates.
Volunteers age 12 and up are welcome. Volunteers must be at least age 16 to ride in Second Servings’ vans.
A charity that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, “giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship.”
Help with competitions / events by serving as a timer, scorekeeper, escort, or similar position.
15, to volunteer independently. Ages 8-14 must have an adult chaperone. (Children aged 7 and younger are welcome to come as spectators with an adult chaperone.)
This program’s goal is to mark every storm drain in Harris County in order to prevent pollution from entering our local waterways.
Affix special markers to neighborhood drains that say “No Dumping, Flows to Galveston Bay.” These remind residents to keep pollutants and trash out of the drains. More than 41,000 markers have been placed so far.
None
SCA’s Community Programs “aim to build the next generation of conservation leaders and environmental stewards by getting local Houston youth out into their community and environment to do hands-on service to the land.”
Work on conservation projects throughout Houston, learn about environmental issues, and enjoy outdoor recreation during a 4-week summer program or during 5 weekends during the school year. Please contact SCA for COVID-related updates.
Applicants must be 14-19 years old and be enrolled in high school.
A charity that plants, protects, and promotes trees throughout the greater Houston area. Since 1983 it has planted more than 500,000 trees along streets, esplanades, and trails; in parks; and around schools.
Help plant trees on Saturday planting days that take place several times each year, usually in November and December.
None, but volunteers under 18 must have a parent’s waiver, and parents should accompany young children.
A nonprofit that, through its community gardens, education, and Farmers’ Markets, “inspires and empowers people of diverse backgrounds to grow and share healthy foods, in the process enriching the city we all call home.”
Gardening; helping with classes or events, such as the annual fruit tree sale; working on large-scale Earth Day projects. Please contact Urban Harvest for COVID-related updates.
3. Volunteers under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout the activity. Volunteers aged 12-17 must provide a waiver signed by a parent or guardian.
