Volunteer Opportunities for Kids Around Houston

Urban Harvest was founded on the idea that thriving communities have access to healthy, local food. With several areas of Houston falling under the "food desert" designation, community gardens are a much-needed resource! Urban Harvest provides education, farmer's markets, and community gardens in neighborhoods across the city. Volunteer opportunities may include preparing gardens for seasonal planting, seed sorting in the office, organizing plant starts for our Hub Distribution, setting up and breaking down a class or event, and more.

Hermann Park is a much-needed respite for many Houstonians -- or people visiting Houston since it's located right next to the Texas Medical Center. The Hermann Park Conservancy recruits volunteers to care for the park through weeding, planting, repairing trails, and maintaining picnic tables. A job shadow program is also available for teens.

Star of Hope offers a wide variety of onsite and offsite opportunities for volunteers of all ages - there is something for everyone! 

The mission of Memorial Park Conservancy is to preserve, restore, and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow. Volunteers are an integral part of the restoration and maintenance of the Park.

The Christian Community Service Center is a nonprofit dedicated to serving the Houston community. Disaster relief, job placement services, back-to-school events, and healthcare assistance are some of the services they provide, and it's made possible by thousands (literally!) of volunteers each year. Because the scope of their work around the city is so broad, a wide range of volunteer opportunities are available for all ages, abilities, and time commitments -- both onsite and at home.

Undies for Everyone provides new underwear for over 225,000 U.S. children living in poverty or crisis. With newfound confidence and self-esteem, students are ready to learn and grow. At the Undies for Everyone warehouse, you can join them for a two-hour shift in the air-conditioned UFE warehouse. You’ll sort, pack and sticker endless pairs of undies that will end up in underwear drawers around the country. 

City Wide Club is best known for its Annual Events, However, they are committed to serving the community on a daily basis through their Program Services. Your support is needed. To help meet their goals, they need non-perishable foods, toys, and household items.

Miracle Ranch is an equine sanctuary like no other. If you agree that life is just better when you’re next to a horse, then volunteering at Habitat For Horses may be right for you! You can help them do the physical work of grooming and caring for rescues at Miracle Ranch in Alvin, Texas, but there are also ways to help from your home.

Memorial Assistance Ministries is dedicated to helping Houston families meet their basic needs, and ultimately find the resources to support themselves. They operate a resale shop to raise money, and youth volunteers are able to assist in sorting and pricing donations. Other volunteer opportunities include helping with ESL classes, administrative tasks, or helping at special events.

Bike repair volunteers work at their well-equipped shop to increase the number of people–refugees, veterans and youth from low-income families–who receive bikes that will enable them to get to work or school, shop for their families and explore Houston’s many opportunities.  Volunteers younger than 14 are welcome to volunteer with their parents.

Houston is home to many refugees, and Plant It Forward gives them the chance to make a living by growing, harvesting, and selling produce in Houston. This is a win/win for the community, as many Houston neighborhoods don't have access to fresh food. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up for Community Work Days, where they can help with various tasks on the farms - usually lots of mulching, weeding, and composting.

For kiddos who receive free meals at school, the weekend may mean going hungry. To bridge the gap from Friday to Monday, Bayou City Blessings in a Backpack delivers meals to the school that are sent home with needy students each weekend. Meals are assembled by volunteers once a month at a one-hour session at Holy Spirit Episcopal, so this is a volunteer opportunity that's perfect for families to engage in together!

Books Between Kids is one of the best places to find volunteer opportunities for kids of all ages to get involved. When you are living in poverty (which is a reality for many families in the Houston ISD), building a home library is the last thing on your mind. However, a 2010 study found that kids without books at home are less likely to finish school. In an effort to keep that from happening, Books Between Kids has distributed over a million books to Houston kids since 2013!

House of Amos is a nonprofit that runs an Emergency Food Pantry, a resale shop, offers ESL and citizenship classes, and additional services to help relieve hunger, reduce homelessness, and improve the lives of immigrants. Volunteers are essential to the success of their mission!