Austin Angels, which expanded to Buda in 2010,  supports foster children and families through its Love Box program, in which groups of friends or neighbors or church groups are matched with a foster family whom they sponsor for a year. Each month, the group delivers a box to the family filled with household necessities and activities to do together. 512-577-0465 www.austinangels.com

AWARE (Always Wanted A Riding Experience) Inc. provides therapeutic horseback riding for children and adults with special needs. Therapeutic riding benefits the body, mind and spirit. Volunteers are needed to help groom and care for horses. Volunteers are also sought to lead horses during sessions.

1708 Centerpoint Road, San Marcos 512-754-6773 www.awaresmtx.org

Bobcat Build is a student-led service event intended to build relationships between Texas State University and its surrounding communities through volunteerism and service. Over 4,500 students volunteer and over 275 job sites participate every spring. This year’s event takes place April 1. The organization will begin accepting job site requests from residents and donations from local businesses in January.

512-245-4245 601 University Drive, LBJ Student Center 4–7.1, San Marcos www.bobcatbuild.txstate.edu Twitter: @bobcatbuild

CASA of Central Texas advocates for abused and neglected children in the court system by recruiting, training and supporting community volunteers. A CASA volunteer is appointed by a judge to be an independent voice for a child in and out of the courtroom.

Historic Hays County Courthouse, second floor, 111 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos 830-626-2272 www.casacentex.org Twitter: @casacentex

Volunteer opportunities abound for individuals of all ages and walks of life at Central Texas Medical Center. From the auxiliary to hospice to junior volunteers, internships and residencies, volunteerism extends CTMC’s healing ministry throughout the city of San Marcos and Hays County.

1301 Wonder World Drive, San Marcos 512-753-3685 (general), 512-754-6159 (hospice) www.ctmc.org Twitter: @CTMC_SanMarcos

The Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is dedicated to educating the public about World War II through the display of restored aircraft and vehicles from the era. The Central Texas Wing houses nine  vintage aircraft, a WWII museum and library with historic artifacts. Volunteers receive training in restoration and maintenance and have the opportunity to fly in historic aircraft.

512-396-1943 www.commemorativeairforce.org

Circle of Living Hope is a child placing agency that is licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The organization recruits, trains and verifies foster families to provide family-based therapeutic care to abused and neglected children from birth to age 21. The organization has expanded to five branch locations in Austin, San Antonio, Brownsville, Red Oak and Houston.

1216 Estival Drive, Kyle 512-216-9615 www.colh.org Twitter: @colh_inc

Daughters of the Republic of Texas is a statewide nonprofit organization whose members descend from those living in Texas from 1820 to February 1846. The local Moon-McGehee Chapter promotes the education and preservation of Texas history. The organization is looking for volunteers who can research and find particular graves for marking with memorial DRT medallions and also help research a person’s ancestry.

512-667-7778 www.sanmarcosdrt.org

Dick’s Classic Garage is dedicated to the preservation and display of classic cars. Volunteers are needed to dust cars on the showroom floor and to walk the floor answering guests’ questions.

120 Stagecoach Trail, San Marcos 512-878-2406 www.dicksclassicgarage.com

Dream of Hopes Ranch provides job and life skills training and respite care for children and adults with special needs. Program Manager Laura Stock said the organization is seeking volunteers to help organize and staff camps and fundraisers, maintain landscaping at the nonprofit’s facility, care for animals and assist with adult care during the day.

16250 Oak Grove Road, Buda 512-791-0160 www.dreamofhopesranch.org

Habitat for Humanity San Marcos is an all-volunteer affiliate of Habitat International. All donations go to construct new homes for low- to moderate-income people in San Marcos. The organization is looking for those with experience in construction to help at worksites. Volunteers who live in or near San Marcos are also needed to serve on the board of directors.

P.O. Box 1594, San Marcos 512-754-8142 www.habitatforhumanitysanmarcos.org

Hands of Hope provides education in subjects including math, English and Bible study, as well as career-readiness training for women of all ages in Hays County. Volunteers can help teach classes, provide child care and serve meals.

325 W. McCarty Lane, San Marcos 512-618-0723 www.handsofhopesanmarcos.org

Hays County 4-H focuses on the development of head, heart, hands and health to help youth to reach their fullest potential. Hays County 4-H includes nine 4-H clubs and a variety of school and community programs. Volunteers serve as project leaders, activity coordinators and judges.

Hays County, 1253 Civic Center Loop, San Marcos 512-393-2120 http://hays4-h.blogspot.com

Established in 1984, the Hays County Food Bank is passionately committed to improving lives through food-assistance programs, nutrition education and advocacy. Volunteer opportunities include driving food to delivery sites, weighing, sorting and packing food at the food bank warehouse as well as working with distribution, front office and client services, special projects and events. Volunteers are also needed to work at a local farm to help plant, weed, harvest and wash fresh produce for the food bank.

220 Herndon St., San Marcos 512-392-8300, ext. 222 www.haysfoodbank.org [email protected] Twitter: @HaysFoodBank

The purpose of the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center is to create an environment where violence and abuse are not tolerated in the communities it serves. The center will provide emergency shelter, education, violence-prevention services and crisis intervention to victims of family violence, dating violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

P.O. Box 234, San Marcos 512-396-3404 www.hcwc.org [email protected]

Volunteers with Hays Drive A Senior provide people age 60 and older with transportation to and from medical appointments. The organization currently operates in the city of Buda, but hopes to expand to serve the Kyle area. Flexible schedule are available for volunteers.

512-618-4820 www.haysdriveasenior.org info.hdsc@gmail

Keep San Marcos Beautiful strives to educate and engage San Marcos residents and visitors to take responsibility for improving the community environment.  The organization focuses on litter prevention, waste reduction, and beautification. KSMB hosts Hot Spot Clean Ups on the first Saturday of every month as well as planting and weeding days throughout the year. The first Saturday in March the organization co-sponsors the Great Texas River Clean Up, a litter-collecting event along the San Marcos River.

630 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos 512-393-8407 www.sanmarcostx.gov

PALS (Prevent a Litter) has been helping people and their pets for more than 20 years in Hays County. Volunteer opportunities include fostering kittens and nursing mother cats for four- to eight-week assignments, feeding feral colonies, grant writing, bookkeeping and information technology assistance.

P.O. Box 401, San Marcos, TX  78667 www.preventalitter.com www.facebook.com/preventalitter [email protected]

PAWS Shelter of Central Texas is a nonprofit, no-kill animal shelter that has been saving homeless pets since 1986. The organization is dependent on donations, fostering and volunteerism from the community to give pets the chance to live a great life. Volunteer work can include working and play with cats and dogs data entry, event assistance or cleaning.

500 E. FM 150, Kyle [email protected] www.pawsshelter.org Twitter: @pawsshelter

Salvation Army of San Marcos serves Hays County in a variety of ways, including providing clothing, housewares, school supplies and emergency response. Volunteer opportunities include ringing the red kettle bell during the holidays and handling clothing at the San Marcos service center.

300 CM Allen Parkway, Ste. 100, San Marcos www.salvationarmytexas.org www.facebook.com/salvationarmytexas Twitter: @salarmytexas

San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance is creating an interconnected system of parks and natural areas in and around San Marcos. Volunteers can help with trail work; restoration and natural area monitoring; outreach efforts including social media support and hikes; working with community leaders and landowners; and administrative activities.

107 E. Hopkins St., Ste. 123 A,  San Marcos 512-392-7457 www.smgreenbelt.org

The San Marcos River Foundation protects public access to and preserves the flow, purity, and natural beauty of the San Marcos River, its watershed and estuaries with the help of volunteers. Volunteer opportunities include helping care for and plant cypress trees on the riverbanks and maintaining a ring of fencing around them to protect the trees from beavers and vandalism. Volunteers can also plant native flora on riverbanks to hold the soil in place and provide food for wildlife. Cleanups of litter in the parks and along tributaries are regularly scheduled and need many volunteers.

222 W. San Antonio St., San Marcos 512-787-6392 www.sanmarcosriver.org

San Marcos Youth Service Bureau is an after-school and summer program for at-risk youth ages 11-17. YSB focuses on service projects, life skills and educational workshops inside the program’s facility and in the community. Volunteers are needed to work alongside youth in activities, demonstrate good citizenship and model positive behaviors as youth are engaged in all aspects of learning and in volunteer work.

518 S. Guadalupe St. San Marcos 512-396-5437 www.ysb.org [email protected] [email protected]

Serve San Marcos connects volunteers with local nonprofit projects. Volunteers can use the www.servesanmarcos.org website calendar to view upcoming projects and then easily sign up to volunteer. A personal account tracks volunteers hours and sends reminders with directions to volunteer events. Serve San Marcos has connected over 3,500 volunteers with local organizations working on a variety of projects, including flood recovery; education; arts; nature; wellness; food and hunger; and homelessness..

129 W. Hutchison St., San Marcos www.servesanmarcos.org facebook.com/serveSanMarcos Twitter & Instagram: @serveSanMarcos [email protected] #serveSanMarcos

Southside Community Center has been helping those in poverty in Hays County since 1927. The organization provides a family homeless shelter and after-school programs for youth and assists those living in poverty with rent and utility bill payments, housing rehabilitation and senior housing. The community center is accepting volunteers for the thrift store and for administrative work at the organization’s office. Volunteers can also serve dinner to those in need. Dinner preparation typically begins at 3 p.m., and dinner is served from 5-7 p.m. daily.

518 S. Guadalupe St., San Marcos 512-392-6694 www.southsidecommunitycenter.org

Sozo Mentoring, a faith-based program of San Marcos-based church Sozo, aims to create relationships with children who need positive influences in their lives, create a safe place for children who do not have a safe place at home and be a friend to a child who has never had a friend. Volunteers for this program will meet with the same child once a week for about 45 minutes of encouragement and mentorship. [email protected]

United Way of Hays and Caldwell Counties, together with community partners, fights for the education, health and financial stability of those in communities served by investing in and creating programs that serve over 75,000 residents each year.

P.O. Box 1728, San Marcos 512-353-1420 www.unitedwayhaysco.org www. facebook.com unitedwayofhayscaldwellcounties Twitter: @uwhaysco

These listings are valid as of December, and this guide is not a comprehensive list of all area organizations that need volunteers.