Volunteer requirements:
APP: Application
OTN: Orientation
BC: Background check
AGE: Under age 18 allowed
Empower Children
1. Boys and Girls Country is a nonprofit certified children’s home for kids from families in crisis. Children receive spiritual guidance, education, counseling and other life-enrichment programs in a safe and nurturing environment. Community members can learn more about the organizations at monthly Walk of Hope tours. The next tour is scheduled for Jan. 7.
Sample activities: tutoring, mentoring, beautifying the campus, hosting collection drives
Donations accepted: paper goods, cleaning products, nonperishables
BC
18806 Roberts Road, Hockley
281-351-4976
www.boysandgirlscountry.org
2. Cy-Hope is a local nonprofit with a mission to make life better for kids in Cy-Fair. Programs range from the Backpack Buddy program—which provides bags of food to students facing food insecurity over the weekends—to counseling services and scholarship programs.
Sample activities: assembling and delivering food bags to local schools, assisting with weekly activities and special events at Hope Centers, serving as an umpire or coach for the Dierker’s Champs baseball program, serving weekly as a mentor at local schools, working weekly shifts at the Hope Chest Resale Market, helping with lawn and building maintenance on Cy-Hope properties
Donations accepted: individually packaged snacks, water bottles, AA and AAA batteries, cleaning supplies; see additional needs at www.cy-hope.org/get-involved
APP OTN BC AGE
12015 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress (Hope Chest Resale Shop)
281-758-1003
12715 Telge Road, Cypress (primary location)
713-466-4673
www.cy-hope.org
3. Cy-Fair ISD’s Volunteers in Public Schools program allows community members to mentor students and assist with campus and community events in the district. Interested applicants should contact Dawn Tryon, CFISD’s director of community engagement at [email protected].
Sample activities: mentoring; reading to classrooms; assisting in the library, field days, festivals and picture day; presenting animal demonstrations to elementary classes
APP OTN BC
4. Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a national nonprofit organization that builds and delivers beds for children in need. Local chapters in the Houston region have built thousands of beds, but volunteers are needed as the waitlist continues to grow.
Sample activities: building and delivering beds
Donations accepted: twin-size “bed-in-a-bag” donations, financial contributions, organizations to sponsor builds
AGE Spring Cypress chapter:
844-432-2337, ext. 5725
www.shpbeds.org/chapter/tx-spring-cypress
Houston NW chapter:
844-432-2337, ext. 5721
www.shpbeds.org/chapter/tx-houston-nw
5. YMCA of Greater Houston is committed to the health of more than half a million people to grow and thrive through programs and services at over 21 locations across the region, including two in Cy-Fair. Interested applicants can sign up to become a volunteer at www.ymcahouston.org/volunteer.
Sample activities: coaching youth sports teams, assisting with adaptive programs for youth and adults with disabilities, serving at community events, fundraising, mentoring youth and serving on the board of advisories
Donations accepted: monetary donations are accepted at www.ymcahouston.org/give-form; YMCA International Services is also accepting items purchased through its Amazon Wishlist to support Afghan families arriving in Houston, including new mattresses, blankets and children’s clothing
APP OTN BC AGE
D. Bradley McWilliams YMCA
19915 Hwy. 249, Houston
281-469-1481
www.ymcahouston.org/locations/d-bradley-mcwilliams-ymca-cypress-creek
Langham Creek Family YMCA
16725 Longenbaugh Drive, Houston
281-859-6143
www.ymcahouston.org/langham-creek
Feed the Hungry
6. Cy-Fair Helping Hands is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that serves homeless adults, families and students as well as individuals and families struggling financially within Cy-Fair ISD’s boundaries.
Sample activities: working in the Day Center, offering support to homeless individuals; providing or sponsoring hot meals for the Day Center; participating in Homeless Street Outreach; serving in the Food Pantry; picking up food from grocery stores for the Food Pantry; serving as a Spanish or Vietnamese translator; assisting with administrative tasks and events
Donations accepted: food items; seasonal items are accepted at back-to-school time, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas; financial donations
APP OTN AGE
Cy-Fair Helping Hands
9606 Kirkton Drive, Houston
832-220-9297
www.cyfairhelpinghands.org
7. MESA Outreach provides assistance so the most vulnerable can improve the quality of their future. MESA’s Food Pantry provides basic food items on the second and fourth Tuesday from 4:30-7 p.m. As a partner agency with the Houston Food Bank, the HFB Mobil Truck comes to MESA’s location on the third Saturday of each month from 8:30-11 a.m. with fresh produce and other items.
Sample activities: unloading trucks; weighing the food, recording the poundage; sorting, dating and restocking shelves; packaging grocery bags for the clients; picking up groceries; packing snack bags; delivering groceries to clients during MESA’s pantry distributions; teaching ESL classes or English to Spanish classes; helping with fundraisers and community events; scheduling volunteers; serving on MESA’s board of directors
Donations accepted: monetary donations, canned and shelf-stable foods, fresh produce, frozen meats, diapers, baby food, formula, personal hygiene products, pens, black sharpie markers, copier paper and packaging tape APP OTN AGE
16000 Rippling Water Drive, Houston
281-599-8536
www.mesa-outreach.org
Support Families
8. Abba’s House is a Christian ministry that welcomes in refugee women and children as they first arrive in the United States. For the first two months of their time in the U.S., it provides a temporary home to live in, mentoring and life skills as they learn to adjust to their new city.
Sample activities: working in the Abba’s House garden, life skills mentoring with the refugee women, educational instruction and tutoring with the children
Donations accepted: kitchen items, small household furniture, electronics, food
APP OTN BC AGE
16614 Mueschke Road, Cypress
832-628-0072
www.abbashousetexas.com
9. Cypress Assistance Ministries is a faith-based nonprofit that provides programs to community members and helps them return to economic stability. Volunteers must tour the facility before starting their service, and children ages 14-16 can volunteer with adult supervision.
Sample activities: sorting clothing in the Donation Center, cashiering in Angel’s Attic, sorting food in the Food Pantry, supporting clients through one-on-one job counseling, providing crisis support aid through Client ServicesDonations accepted: gently used household items including kitchen items, furniture, toys, books, small electrical appliances, clothing.
APP AGE
12930 Cypress North Houston Road, Cypress
281-955-7684
www.cypressassistance.org
10. The Living Legacy Center was established to bridge the gap for underserved families in the Cy-Fair community and surrounding areas by locating and connecting them with legal and social services. The organization is in need of a volunteer to plan events.
Sample activities: garden-related activities in the Oasis Community Gardens, such as weeding, mulching, planting, propagating, harvesting fruits and vegetables, preparing flower and vegetable beds; assembling care packages for local shelters, assisted living facilities and memory care homes.
Donations accepted: monetary donations, toiletries, snack food items and others depending on the specific needs of members of the community and time of year.
OTN AGE
12527 Cypress North Houston Road, Cypress
832-316-1505
www.livinglegacycenter.com
11. Two Lives Changed is an organization that supports young mothers. Two Lives Changed has five centers in multiple cities, including in the Cy-Fair area, providing weekly support groups for mothers 13-30.
Sample activities: dropping off dinners, serving at group gatherings, becoming a mentor, sorting donations, helping with light cleaning, serving as a community advocate, assisting with office and administrative duties
Donations accepted: monetary donations, baby items, maternity clothes, children’s clothing
APP OTN BC AGE
www.twoliveschangedtx.org
Help the Community
12. The Cy-Fair Fire Department is a full-time professional fire department and has a volunteer firefighter base. Extensive training is required as volunteers have to complete the state certification requirements to be a firefighter in Texas. Interested individuals can visit any of the department’s 13 stations on Thursday nights for more volunteer information.Sample activities: covering shifts as firefighters providing emergency services
APP OTN BC
10710 Telge Road, Houston
281-550-6663
www.cyfairfd.org
13. Helping Hands Ladies of Cypress is a nonprofit charity knitting, crocheting and quilting organization that furnishes fabric and yarn to members who make blankets, hats and quilts to donate to organizations such as Ronald McDonald House and the Debakey Veteran’s Hospital. Scheduled work days are from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. the second Thursday and fourth Saturday of each month.
Sample activities: cutting fabric for quilts, designing quilt tops, sewing lap quilts; crocheting or knitting hats and blankets; tagging and counting completed projects, organizing and sorting fabric and yarn donations on work days; delivering completed items
Donations accepted: cotton fabric and thread, yarn, monetary donations
AGE
14215 Whispering Lake Court, Cypress
346-337-2774
www.hhloctx.org
14. Houston Healthcare North Cypress volunteer opportunities are available in various departments including the front desk. Volunteers must complete a minimum of one four-hour shift every week. People under age 18 are able to volunteer only during the hospital’s summer junior volunteer programs.
Sample activities: answering visitor questions, giving directions, escorting patients and families to various areas of the hospital, assisting with office duties, helping with patient and visitor customer service
Donations accepted: stuffed animals for pediatric patients and nonperishable food items, blood donations from blood drives APP OTN BC AGE
21214 Hwy. 290, Cypress
832-912-3500
www.hcahoustonhealthcare.com/locations/north-cypress
15. Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital has an active volunteer service program for adults and a summer program for high school students. Volunteers must undergo a drug screen, a tuberculosis test, mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccines and safety training.
Sample activities: patient interaction, assisting in various departments across campus, clerical support.
APP OTN AGE
18220 Hwy. 249, Houston
281-737-1063
www.houstonmethodist.org/giving/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities/willowbrook
16 Jersey Village Fire Department’s Community Emergency Response Team is seeking volunteers. Volunteers must be age 18 or older to join and a resident of Jersey Village. The annual class will be held Nov. 7 and run for four weeks Monday and Thursday evenings with one Saturday on Nov. 10. Up to 25 participants are accepted. Contact Rob Missall for further information at [email protected] or 713-466-2145.
APP OTN
16501 Jersey Drive, Jersey Village
17. Memorial Hermann Cypress
Hospital’s adult volunteer program requires participants to commit to one year of service, work one day a week, complete orientation and training, and adhere to the uniform dress code. The application for the 2023 Summer Junior Volunteer Program will be available in mid-March.
Sample activities: information desk, family support in waiting areas, hospital support and transportation, escorting patients and visitors, nursing units, clerical assistance
APP OTN BC AGE
27800 Hwy. 290, Cypress
www.memorialhermann.org/locations/cypress/volunteer
18. Reach Unlimited provides support services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Volunteers enrich the lives of members by engaging in meaningful interactions and forming positive relationships.
Sample activities: assisting in a classroom at the Learning Activity Center, sharing a talent or teaching a class, assisting in a group home, assisting in the greenhouse and/or gift shop, assisting with administrative business office duties, serving on an events committee, becoming an ambassador, becoming a board member
Donations accepted: in-kind donations, sponsorships, donations
APP OTN BC AGE
11832 Mueller Cemetery Road, Cypress
281-213-8132 ext. 308
www.reachunlimited.org
19. Shield Bearer Counseling Center provides mental health services on a sliding scale to people in need.
Sample activities: assisting with monthly events, such as tearing and breaking down and working booths
Donations accepted: monetary donations
AGE 12337 Jones Road, Ste. 114, Houston
281-894-7222
www.shieldbearer.org
Take Part in Government
20. League of Women Voters-Cy-Fair is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to protecting voter rights and empowering voters.
Sample activities: registering eligible voters, educating voters on the voting process, serving as observers at public meetings of local elected bodies, planning programs for monthly public meetings and community events.
Donations accepted: monetary donations
APP OTN BC AGE
Care for the environment
21. Bayou Land Conservancy is an accredited land trust with a mission to preserve land along streams for flood control, clean water and wildlife. Group and corporate volunteer opportunities are available upon request. Sample activities: trail maintenance, invasive plant removal, outreach and education.
Donations accepted: monetary donations; joining the Land Lover Club helps fund the ambassador program and trail maintenance efforts
OTN AGE
10330 Lake Road, Bldg. J., Houston
281-576-1634
www.bayoulandconservancy.org
