Volunteer Opportunities for Kids Around Houston

CYCLE is an acronym for "Changing Young Children’s Lives through Education," which is exactly what this charity aims to do by rewarding kids with a bicycle if they show academic improvement. Children and family are welcome to participate in their annual bicycle build events.

Houston Food Bank offers several volunteer opportunities for kids around Houston. They feed around 1 million people across Southeast Texas each year—that's a lot of meals to coordinate! Volunteers produce the equivalent of a meal a minute while helping the Houston Food Bank sort, process, and pack food.

Northwest Assistance Ministries describes itself as "neighbors helping neighbors" meet basic needs. NAM provides assistance in areas including food, shelter, health, education, safety and financial education. Volunteer opportunities include helping out at the food pantry, with their emergency and housing services programs, and annual events.

Target Hunger is a community-based nonprofit that helps feed needy families and seniors in Houston by operating multiple food pantries, a senior home delivery program, a community garden, educational events, and more. They have had children volunteer with their parents at all of their volunteer events. Their garden shifts are usually great for younger kids, and their food distribution events like food fairs and mobile pantry support shifts are great for older kids.

Looking for a volunteer opportunity for an animal lover? BARC may be the perfect fit. They help find foster placements and forever homes for thousands of animals in Houston each year. Volunteers are able to help care for animals, assist at adoption events, help with administrative duties and more.

Japhet Creek Nature Park is a tributary of the Buffalo Bayou that was used as a dumping ground for decades. It recently became part of the Houston park system and will be preserved for wildlife -- but there is still lots of work to do to clean it up, which is where volunteers come in! Volunteers are recruited to help pick up trash, plant native trees and bushes, clear out brush, and more. It's a great volunteer opportunity for kids interested in environmental stewardship.

Kids' Meals seeks to end the cycle of poverty by providing free meals to hungry preschool children in Houston and resources for their parents. Volunteer opportunities for kids include helping to make and assemble the meals that will be distributed across the area, as well as sorting and packing food donations. They also offer ideas for kids younger than eight to get involved in supporting the mission as well, such as decorating the lunch bags used for distributing food.

SEARCH Homeless Services is dedicated to providing housing and services to individuals and families living on the streets in Houston. One of the ways they serve the homeless is by distributing Snack Packs and Survival Kits. Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to assemble these kits and donate them for distribution -- a great project for a group of kids who all want to be involved! Assemble individual snack packs for their outreach team to distribute. Non-perishable, single-serving items like granola bars, crackers, jerky, apple sauce, and pudding work well.

The Beacon is a nonprofit organization serving Houston's homeless community, assisting with meals, personal care, laundry, legal services, medical care, and more. Teens can help out with meal prep and serving, washing and folding clothes, and making clients feel welcome. Teen volunteers must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Hey there, birthday enthusiast! The Birthday Party Project needs your help to make birthday celebrations happen. Birthdays are for everyone – and so are opportunities to make magic! The Birthday Party Project seeks volunteers at their agency celebrations as well as wrapping gifts and helping prepare for parties at Party HQ.

Special Olympics is an organization dedicated to empowering people with intellectual disabilities through sports -- and inspiring their families and communities in the process. Regional, statewide, national, and even international competition are held in a wide variety of athletic disciplines, and volunteers are always needed! Volunteering on the day of the event is most popular with new volunteers, and duties may include working as a timer, scorekeeper, or escort. Preregistration is required; volunteers younger than 15 are also welcome if they are accompanied by an adult.

Participate in one of the seasonal beach cleanups and join thousands of other volunteers in keeping Texas beaches clean and pristine.

They say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago....and the second best time is right now! Trees for Houston accepts volunteers to help plant trees all around the city and the greater Houston area. Trees reduce air pollution, provide oxygen, reduce stress, and more. The more trees planted, the better! Please note that volunteers under 18 should have a parent or guardian present.

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.

The Nehemiah Center aims to provide high-quality education to at-risk inner-city students of all ages, accomplished largely through volunteer mentors and tutors. They also have some volunteer opportunities available for families.