RED Arena provides equine therapy services, including horseback riding lessons, to disabled youth and adults. (Courtesy Red Arena)
Interested in volunteering in the Southwest Austin and Dripping Springs communities? Check out this list of local nonprofit organizations that offer a wide range of opportunities.
This list is not comprehensive.
Animal services
PAWS Shelter of Central Texas
The animal welfare nonprofit is a no-kill rescue dedicated to saving vulnerable pets in Hays County and the surrounding areas.
volunteer activities: walking dogs, laundry, landscaping, playing with cats, cleaning, maintenance
Donations accepted: money, towels, clumpable cat litter, Purina One cat and dog food, cat toys, dog toys, water bowls, 13-gallon kitchen trash bags, bleach, Feliway refills, Odo Ban
Volunteers with Austin Angels can help with the Love Box program, which organizes household items and other resources into boxes to give to children and families experiencing foster care.Courtesy Austin Angels
Austin Angels
Austin Angels walks alongside children and families experiencing foster care through consistent relationships and intentional support. Through the Love Box® and Dare to Dream® programs, volunteers build long-term relationships with families and young people—showing up month after month with practical support, mentorship, encouragement and connection.
Sample volunteer activities: Individuals, families, and groups can serve through the organization's Love Box® and Dare to Dream® programs. Volunteers can also support special events, help organize and stock resources at the Foster Care Community Center, participate in group service projects and help with seasonal needs throughout the year.
Donations accepted: monetary donations, gift cards, new items for children and families and select in-kind donations
Con Mi MADRE partners with local school districts to help students prepare for college and to build social and emotional skills. The nonprofit’s mission is to support young Latinas through their education, while engaging their mothers in every step of the journey.
Education Connection is a nonprofit that organizes volunteers to provide reading support to Central Texas public school students. Their mission is to ensure every child can read before 4th grade.
Sample volunteer activities: Reading partners will volunteer during the school day with elementary students in 1st–5th grade.
Foster Village aims to bridge the gap between people experiencing the foster care system, including parents and children, and those who want to help, according to the website.
Sample volunteer activities: provide freezer meals, start a donation drive, organize donated items at the resource center, build welcome packs for placements, help with childcare during connection gatherings
Donations accepted: monetary donations, new infant care items (bottles, teether toys, baby lotion and soap, pacifiers, etc.), hygiene items (body wash, shampoo, brushes, etc.), and sleep essentials (Sleep Sacks, Pajama sets, white noise machines, etc.)
LifeWorks supports young people aged 16 to 26, including young parents.Courtesy LifeWorks
LifeWorks
LifeWorks serves youth and young families with services including housing and basic needs, mental health and well-being and education and workforce. These services are designed for young people ages 16 to 26, including young parents, youth transitioning from foster care, and those experiencing homelessness, housing instability, or significant mental health needs.
Sample volunteer activities: Volunteer opportunities change throughout the year.
Donations accepted: HEB Gift Cards, monetary donations, food pantry items
The Central Texas Food Bank has various volunteer opportunities, such as warehouse food sorting.Courtesy Central Texas Food Bank
Central Texas Food Bank
This hunger-relief nonprofit provides immediate, equitable access to nutritious food for individuals throughout its 21-county service area. Through direct service programs and a network of nearly 250 nonprofit community partners, CTFB supports more than 590,000 food-insecure individuals annually.
Sample volunteer activities: Volunteers are needed in warehouse food sorting, kitchen, market restocking, mobile food pantry and farm. Registration is required.
HAAM provides Austin-area musicians with access to affordable health, wellness and prevention services to strengthen their quality of life in support of Austin's vibrant music culture.
Sample volunteer activities: Most HAAM ambassador shifts involve tabling at local concerts, festivals and community events to share HAAM’s mission and collect donations. The organization's annual Signature and Pearl Society events offer roles such as guest check-in, auction assistance and interactive stations. Volunteers also enjoy helping with office tasks and occasional errands to donor and sponsor locations.
SAFE is a Central Texas nonprofit committed to providing safety, stability and healing to anyone who has experienced violence and abuse. Locally, they provide housing, support services and prevention programs to stop the cycle of violence. Globally, they engage in conversations that shape a culture free from violence and abuse.
Sample volunteer activities: Volunteers make a meaningful difference at SAFE in so many ways—from one-time special events and community projects to ongoing opportunities that support the organization's programs and facilities. Volunteers may help sort and organize the warehouse and pantry, beautify the campuses, support special events, or, with appropriate training, work directly alongside survivors. Individuals and groups can volunteer in a variety of ways to make an impact.
RED Arena empowers children and adults with disabilities through equine-assisted therapies, adaptive horseback riding lessons, reading programs, family support, social skill groups, job training programs and inclusive summer horse camps.
Sample volunteer activities: Barn work (sweeping, cleaning stalls, dusting, grooming, tacking horses, and sidewalking during riding sessions); gift shop (helping RED PROs make crafts, cleaning, and organizing); and helping with special projects and big events.
Donations accepted: monetary donations, gifts from an Amazon wishlist, shopping the gift shop, annual horse show sponsorships.
We Are Blood is a nonprofit blood center that serves Central Texans. The organization serves more than 50 hospitals and medical facilities in a 10-county area.
Sample volunteer activities: blood donors, canteen areas of donor locations, transportation (volunteers who pick up blood from satellite locations), outreach volunteers, administrative tasks, mobile blood drive hosts
