The City of Sugar Land’s The EGGStravaganza Egg Hunt will be at Eldridge Park  on Saturday, April 8, 2017 from noon to 3pm. Festivities include egg hunts, carnival games, a petting zoo, pictures with the Easter bunny, food and beverage, and much more.

Volunteer opportunities include assisting with set up and breakdown of event and helping with various asks related to the event. Volunteers should be able to lift boxes and count items. Other volunteer opportunities include helping at the train ride area, info tent, egg scramble area, carnival area, and prize area.

Volunteers will be assigned to different areas upon arrival.

Eldridge Park
2511 Eldridge Road
Sugar Land, TX 77478

Other EGGStravaganza Egg Hunt related volunteer activities:

Houston’s Bayou City Art Festival will be on Friday, March 29 to Sunday March 31, 2019 from 10am to 6pm at Memorial Park. There will be over 300 artists working in different mediums, with music, food, beverages, and creative zones in the spring. The festivals raised funds to benefit local arts and community service.

Volunteers are needed in below areas:
Children’s Creative Zones
Artist Check-In
Artist Relief
Festival Load-In
Information Booth
Greeters
Festival Marketplace
Festival Load Out
Photographer
Rover
Patron Art Pick Up
Ticket Taker
Usher
Volunteer Check-In
Volunteer Relief
Volunteer Raffle

Benefits of volunteering: Volunteers will get to enter and enjoy the festival before and after the volunteer shift. Volunteers will also get to earn raffle tickets for raffle drawings.

Want to volunteer?: Visit the Bayou City Volunteer Page, see the qualifications required for the volunteer area, check the date and time availability for the interested volunteer area, and fill out a volunteer application.  Volunteers will need to be 18 years or older.  If any questions, you can contact volunteer@bayoucityartfestival.com .

Facebook: Houston Art Festival Facebook Page

Website: Artcolonyassociation.org

The Harris County Animal Shelter is always looking for volunteers. Some of the volunteer opportunities are listed below:

• Adoption Counselor – Volunteers help match pets with their fur-ever home by building a relationship with them.  These volunteers have exceptional people skill and can access an animal’s characteristic to make the perfect match.
• Dog Ambassadors – These volunteers work alongside a certified trainer to increase a dog’s chances of adoption by teaching them basic commands.
• Photography Assistants – You will assist our photographer by handling animals to capture the perfect “Adopt Me!” photo. Professional photos increase the pet’s chances of adoption because it helps showcase the animal’s personality & breed.
• Kennel Assistant – Volunteers help staff with cleaning, sanitizing, and feeding the animals in our shelter. They may also assist the staff reviewing and reporting health status of animals. This is the most flexible opportunity since they are able to come before regular business hours.
• Kitty Committee – This offsite opportunity allows volunteers to care for our adoptable cats at the River Oaks PETCO store. Visits can be made anytime the store is open and they sign up via an online calendar.
• Evens Team – Volunteers sign up to help with events such as: mobile adoptions, spay/neuter events, health fairs, and vaccination clinics.

Want to volunteer?: Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. Those who are 16 or 17 years old can volunteer with parent or guardian attending the orientation.

Orientation will take place in the Education Annex at the shelter, which will be marked with a sign indicating Volunteer Orientation. The orientation will provide information about goals, programs and all the volunteer opportunities in more detail. Orientations are generally on a Saturday morning and on a Wednesday evening, though occasionally there are other dates and times offered. The following website showcases the list of all the upcoming sessions: http://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/Newsroom/Events 

Interested volunteers will need to RSVP to attend volunteer orientation. Contact vphvolunteer@hcphes.org to RSVP.

Facebook: Harris Country Public Health Facebook Page

Website: Publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/About/Organization/VPH/vph

The 2017 BP MS 150 Ride for the South Central Chapter will be on April 29-30, 2017. The starting location is Houston, Texas and the finish location is Austin, Texas.

• Pre-Event volunteer opportunities include Packet-Pick Up which is a 3-5+ hours time commitment. Activities include greeting riders, rider registration, distributing rider acknowledgement forms, t-shirts, goodie-bags, and more.
• Event Weekend Opportunities include volunteers at the Start Lines, Bellville Lunch Stop, Fayette County Overnight Day 1 and 2, Bastrop Lunch Stop, and Austin Finish Line. Each of the areas have various different volunteer opportunities like setting up, taking down the site, greeting riders, serving food and drink, handing out medals at finish lines, etc.
• Skilled Volunteer Positions include Bike Medic, Bike Police, Breakpoint Controllers (CERT), Amateur/HAM Radio Operators, Medical Support Team, Motorcyle Marshal, Ride Marshal, SAG (Special Assistance Group), Box/Bus Combo, Breakpoints, Green Initiatives & Recycling Volunteers, and Supply Truck and Van Drivers.

For more details on above opportunities, please visit: BPMS150 Volunteer Page

Want to volunteer?: Fill out the General Volunteer form to select location(s) and shift(s).

Facebook: Bike MS Facebook Page

Website: 2017 BP MS 150 (from Houston, Texas to Austin, Texas)

Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston brings people of diverse faith traditions together for dialogue, collaboration, and service.The organization has a vision to ensure peace, understanding, tolerance, and respect in the Houston community. The organization’s major programs help serve the elderly and refugees.

Ongoing  Program Volunteer Opportunities:

1.Meals on Wheels:

• Meal Delivery: Volunteers pick-up hot, nutritious meals during lunchtime (Monday – Friday) and hand-deliver them directly to the homes of seniors and persons with disabilities. Pick up times are between 10:30-11am from of one of five Interfaith Ministries distribution sites. Deliveries typically take about 1-1.5 hours to complete.
• Volunteer Coordinator: Coordinate meal distribution for volunteer drivers at an assigned distribution site. Volunteer Coordinator shifts are Monday-Friday from 9am-Noon.
• Warehouse Crew: Work with warehouse staff and volunteers to organize and pack meal components including hot meals, sides, and beverages to be delivered to Meals on Wheels clients. Shifts are Monday-Friday from 8am-11am. This opportunity is only available at Midtown locations.
• Volunteers are needed and register at 5 locations:
  • Meals on Wheels Midtown (3202 San Jacinto Street Houston, Texas 77004)
  • St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in the Heights
  • Humble Area Assistance Ministries in Humble
  • Covenant Lutheran Church in Katy
  • Katy Methodist Church in Katy
  • Galveston County location(s) (coming soon!)

2.aniMeals on Wheels

• aniMeals on Wheels Delivery Driver: Once a month help to deliver aniMeals pet food to Meals on Wheels clients.
• aniMeals on Wheels Donation Pickup Driver: Support the aniMeals on Wheels program by picking up pet food and supply donations from designated vendors, on a route designed by aniMeals on Wheels staff.
• Volunteers are needed:
  • The aniMeals on Wheels Delivery and Pickup routes are perfect for someone in need of a flexible volunteer opportunity. IM offers a number of convenient weekday and Saturday time slots for volunteers to make their pet food deliveries or donation pickups.
  • aniMeals on Wheels routes typically have 4-6 stops that are located close together. Currently, there are routes throughout the entire service area including Harris County and Galveston County. Volunteers are assigned to routes as they become available. There is no guarantee that a route will always be available in your preferred neighborhood but IM will work with each volunteer to find a route with which they are comfortable.

3. Chore Corp

• Chore Corps Volunteer: Volunteers sign up for the available chore(s) of their choice. Volunteers may choose to sign up for multiple chores, sign up for different chores each week, or sign up for the same chore(s) consistently. Volunteers are required to complete at least 1 chore/month to remain active in the program. Chores include:
  •  Dishes/kitchen help
  •  Laundry (washing, drying, folding and putting away)
  •  Yard work (mowing, weeding, light gardening)
  •  “grocery shopping” (collecting grocery items from designated food pantry)
• Volunteers are needed:
  • Chores can be completed in the evenings or on weekends as long as it is convenient for both client and volunteer.
  • Currently, Chore Corps is limited to clients within the 610 loop. Volunteers may sign up for chores based on client’s zip code

4. Refugee Services Volunteer:

• Family Mentor: Volunteers are assigned to a refugee family or client with the purpose of serving as cultural mentors. The number of volunteers assigned to a family may vary depending on size and circumstance. Activities may include exploring the city, practicing English, and teaching clients about public transportation – anything that involves sharing local culture and customs as clients acclimate to their new lives in Houston. Time commitment: 1-2 hours every week or every other week for approximately 6 months.
• Employment Mentor: Volunteers will work with a specific client to assist with resume writing, practicing interview techniques, discussing US culture, helping fill out and submit job applications, and if available, transporting the client to and from the job interviews. Time commitment: 2-3 hours weekly or bi-weekly, until the client is hired.
• Case Management: Volunteers assist with the ongoing needs of refugee clients & caseworkers – airport pick-ups, school registrations, transportation to and from DPS and Social Security offices and other assignments as needed. Volunteer opportunities often occur on short notice. Time commitment: requires schedule flexibility as many of the activities where help is needed the most occur during business hours.
• Medical Case Management: Volunteers work closely with medical case managers to assist clients regularly attending health-related appointments. Activities may include transporting the client to and from appointments, accompany clients during clinic visits, translating, demonstrating how to fill a prescription at a nearby pharmacy, etc. A medical, health or social work background is an asset for this position. Proficiency in relevant languages (Arabic, Farsi/Pashto, and Swahili) is especially advantageous for this position. Time commitment: requires schedule flexibility as many of the activities where help is needed the most occur during business hours.
• Special Events/ Projects: Volunteers assist Refugee Services staff with special events and projects throughout the year. Some of the events include the annual scholarship luncheon, Women’s Group, the annual fundraising luncheon, storage unit clean up, etc. Time commitment: some events and projects take place during the day and some after work hours or on weekend.
• Translators: Volunteers assist clients, caseworkers or other volunteers and community members with translation either in person or by phone. Language needs are diverse but IM has recently utilized Arabic and Swahili translators. Time commitment: depends on the need, during the regular business hours as well as events and weekends.
• Volunteers are needed:
  • You may think that you need to speak multiple languages or have previous experience to be a volunteer in Refugee Services. This is not the case at all! It is requested that volunteers are patient, flexible, and reliable. In fact, IM prefers to partner refugees with volunteers who do not speak their native language in order for refugees to practice English.
  • Most refugees are resettled in the Southwest area of Houston, a global community that is also convenient for the Refugee Case Managers to travel to. Since most of the refugees do not have vehicles, the volunteer opportunities are limited to the refugee’s residence or IM headquarters located at 3303 Main Street Houston, Texas 77002.
  • Since most of the Refugee Services volunteer opportunities involve working one-on-one with the client(s), volunteer shifts may vary. Many Refugees who have found work will need to meet in the evenings or weekends, while some may be available during the day.

5.Administrative & Leadership crew

• Special Events Volunteer: IM holds large and small events throughout the year to help raise funds to support IM programs, spread awareness or recruit new volunteers. Special event volunteers may help by setting up an IM fundraiser, going to a fair, or representing IM at a recruitment event.  Special events may be weekday, weekend or evenings.
• Administrative Team: Volunteers help with miscellaneous administrative tasks, such as filing, data entry, and answering phone calls. Larger projects may also be available. Administrative opportunities are available throughout IM. Opportunities are available weekdays from 8am-5pm and Saturday Mornings.
• Group Supervisor: Are you a natural leader?  Are you a coach/teacher? Take on a leadership role by providing training and supervision to onsite groups.  Opportunities to lead groups, from large corporations to small local chapters, faith based or youth, occur on weekdays from 8am-5pm and Saturday Mornings.
• Volunteers are needed:
  • Administrative Team & Group Supervisors volunteer exclusively at W. T. and Louise J. Moran Meals on Wheels Building, 3202 San Jacinto Street, 77004.  While Special Events Volunteers are usually assigned to events that take place at various locations.
  • Training is required and provided by IM staff but you don’t need any previous experience or special expertise to help with these projects. For each of these opportunities you’ll have a one-on-one meeting with a staff member to determine the best fit.

For more details on the above opportunities, please visit the Interfaith Ministries’s volunteer page. Interfaith Ministries also has group volunteering opportunities. You can check them out on their group volunteering page or contact Hannah Weier or 713-533-4948. 

Want to volunteer?: Interested volunteers would need to complete a volunteer application and attend a volunteer orientation. Training is required for most volunteer opportunities. For more information, you can email volunteerinfo@imgh.org

Facebook: Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (Official Page)

Website: Imgh.org

The Lighthouse of Houston is a nonprofit education and service center working to assist the blind and visually impaired.

Below is a list of volunteer opportunities available.

Home Visitor – The single largest need for volunteers. A home visitor is a volunteer who assists a blind adult with grocery shopping, mail reading, letter writing, bill paying and/or running errands. Commitment: 1 or 2 times a month. Adult, Family. Weekdays & Weekends (Flexible)

Telephone Reassurance – Volunteers call homebound clients to determine well-being and provide friendship. Commitment: 2 to 4 times a month. Adult, Family. Weekdays & Weekends (Flexible)

Medical Transportation Aide – Volunteers provide transportation for clients during the week to/from medical appointments. Commitment: This is an “on call” position. Volunteers work only when available. Adult. Weekdays & Weekends (Flexible)

Adult Day Care Assistant – Assist with recreation classes, serve coffee/lunch, and offer companionship to blind/visually impaired persons in this day program. Commitment: Varies depending on availability and need. Adult, Family, Junior, Group. Weekdays Only

Store Sales – Volunteers are needed to assist in our store, Reflections, selling adaptive aids in a retail setting including catalog and telephone orders. Needed during lunch hours. Commitment: Varies depending on availability. Adult. Weekdays Only

Wellness Aide – Volunteers work with our registered nurse in the Multi Care Center on chronic disease management, health and wellness education, weight and nutrition management, basic mobility and exercise assistance with impaired adults, assisting with preventive health screenings, assisting with memory stimulation and appropriate activities. Commitment: Once a week, during week. Adult, nursing student preferred. Weekdays Only

Tandem Bike Rider – As a volunteer, you would be the sighted rider on the front of a tandem bike with a blind or visually impaired rider on the back. Group bike rides occur twice a month. Commitment: Once or twice a month. Adult, Group.  Specific Saturdays

Want to volunteer?: Please fill out the contact the ‘Become A Volunteer Form’ on The Houston Lighthouse Volunteer Page. If any questions, you can also contact Coordinator of Volunteer and Outreach Services, Kristina Derrick at kderrick@houstonlighthouse.org or call 713-284-8473.

Facebook: The Lighthouse of Houston Facebook Page

Website: Houstonlighthouse.org

Keep Houston Beautiful is a non-profit organization that works on the beautification, litter reduction, and recycling education for Houston and the community. The organization has cleanup volunteer opportunities during the week and the weekend.

Want to volunteer?: Volunteer activities are given on the calendar on the Keep Houston Beautiful website. Interested volunteers should browse the upcoming events on the calendar and decide whether they would like to participate. Fill out the registration form on the website, and then confirm attendance with responsible party.

Facebook: Keep Houston Beautiful Facebook Page

Website: Houstonbeautiful.org

The Center for Hearing and Speech, a United Way agency, offers classes and resources to teach deaf children to listen, speak, and read.

The organization has an annual event, Via Colori, that requires more than 600 volunteers. It will be on November 18 and 19 this year. You can learn more about this opportunity on the Via Colori Website. Volunteer recruitment for this event will begin in September 2017.

Most of the Center for Hearing and Speech’s other volunteer opportunities are during the week, from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Thursday and from 8:00 am – 3:00 pm on Friday. The Center for Hearing and Speech is closed on the weekends. Volunteer opportunities during the week (that require orientation) include translation, classroom volunteering, administrative and clerical support, development helpers, tutors. Volunteer opportunities during the week (that do not require orientation) include carpentry/building work, craft makers/painters/decorators, and or help on supply, book, and toy drives.

Want to volunteer?: If you are interested in volunteer opportunities during the week, please visit The Center for Hearing and Speech’s volunteer webpage for more information. You can also contact Outreach and Volunteer Manager, Erica Perez, at eperez@centerhearingandspeech.org or (713) 523-3633.

Facebook: The Center for Hearing and Speech’s Facebook Page and Via Colori Houston Facebook Page

Website: Centerhearingandspeech.org and Via Colori Website