Upcoming Opportunities

Agape Development works to transform our neighborhood by preparing Christ-following, independent, community leaders. Agape does this by building relationships with families through a wide variety of age-specific programs. Read more, here. 

Ongoing ways to serve:

• AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM READING & HOMEWORK ASSISTANT:  With an average of 53 children a day, Agape needs your help keeping the kids on grade level with math and reading. Commitment is twice a month from 4:00-5:15pm
• PROVIDE RELIABLE CHILDCARE: We do not want the lack of childcare to prevent neighbors from participating in a program. Providing safe and reliable childcare allows neighbors to attend programs with peace of mind. By volunteering your time, you are allowing parents to become independent community leaders. Commitment is to volunteer at least once a month on the 2nd or 4th Monday from 6:30pm-8:30pm.

Returning citizens need advocates, guides, and encouraging re-entry coaches to walk alongside them upon release from prison and as they re-enter, transitioning to live out their faith in freedom. CrossWalk Center bridges critical social services and ministry between prison life and freedom with the goal of “Seamless Re-entry Discipleship from the Inside Out.” Visit Crosswalk Center’s website for more information. 

Ongoing ways to serve:

• Admin volunteer
• Re-entry Coach (qualified to coach after taking a training class)

Feeding Houston’s Heroes delivers food to a variety of first responders and frontline workers like Houston Fire Department Stations, Police Department, and other front-line workers each week. Learn more, here. 

Ongoing ways to serve:

• Meal Delivery Volunteer 
• Cookie Baker 

Contact Missions for more information. 

Our neighborhood partner through Attack Poverty is Friends of Northside. Learn more about Attack Poverty, an organization connecting communities with neighbors who care to help break the cycle of generational poverty, here. 

Ongoing ways to serve:

• ESL 1- 9:00am- 10:30 am
• ESL 2- 11:00am- 12:30pm
• Duties would include assisting with small group conversation practice. Supporting the ESL Teacher

• ESL 1- 9:00am- 10:30 am
• ESL 2- 11:00am- 12:30pm
• Duties would include caring for children of students attending ESL classes.

Working in the Third Ward, Generation One is a living laboratory for education research and development. With high-quality early education, engaging after-school programming, and family support, Generation One empowers children and families to thrive and reach their fullest potential. Learn more, here. 

Ongoing ways to serve:

• Next Gen program volunteer for after-school and/or distance learning
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• “Each One Reach One” Mentoring volunteer: two-year commitment to spending a minimum of six hours a month, meeting at least twice a month with their mentee.

Houston Welcomes Refugees’ mission is to help ease the resettlement process for refugees coming to Houston by mobilizing invested, caring volunteers and fostering hope amidst crisis. Visit the HWR website to learn more. 

Ongoing ways to serve:

• Welcome Kits are in-kind donations of household goods designed to furnish every room in a refugee family’s new home. Volunteers can donate Welcome Kits, serve at our weekly Collection Drives, and/or host their own collection drive – we can share a toolkit! Commitment: Varies, but generally 2 hours or less.
• Move-In Teams prepare the refugee’s apartment for arrival by unpacking Welcome Kits, providing groceries and a hot meal for the family, and praying over the apartment. Volunteers are invited to serve on Move-In Teams as arrivals are received throughout the month! Commitment: 2 to 4 hours.
• Welcome Teams partner with a refugee family new to Houston for their first six months, connecting them with resources and honoring them with the gift of friendship. HWR provides in-depth training for teams and an experienced volunteer as a team mentor. Teams are deployed throughout the month as new families arrive. Commitment: 4 to 6 months.

The Main Street Ministries’ Community Garden, located adjacent to our campus,  grows produce year-round benefitting the Heights Food Pantry.

Ongoing ways to serve:

Harvesters | Fridays | 8:30-10 AM
Produce Packagers | Fridays | 10:30-11:30 AM 
Volunteer for 1st/3rd/5th or 2nd/4th Fridays

Garden Volunteers | Sundays | 2-4 PM

Monthly Volunteers | First Saturday of the Month | 9-10:30 AM

Email the garden manager, Aviana Hightower, to join in on monthly projects. A water bottle and garden gloves are recommended.

Main Street Ministries Houston was established in 2009 to unite and strengthen Operation ID and Shepherd’s Center, two long-running, volunteer outreach ministries of First Presbyterian Church Houston. Learn more, here.

Ongoing ways to serve:

• Life Empowerment opportunities volunteer | Multiple options available
  • Come once a week at a time that fits your schedule and support the workshop team prepare for upcoming workshops. You will support putting participants’ packages together, filing assistance checks, writing notes to participants, and other clerical tasks.
  • To learn more about this transformative work, click here. If you’d like to learn more about these volunteer roles, please click here or contact Carrie Sadler at csadler@msmhouston.org or 281-833-3505.
• Operation ID | Mon—Thurs mornings
  • they have several open roles in OPID including the personal interviewer, document interviewer, administrative help, and ID navigator. Ask Carrie how you can help Houstonians get government IDs.
• Garden volunteer | See above information for MSM Community Garden
  • If you like working up a sweat when you volunteer this is the position for you! Volunteers are especially needed on Friday mornings and Sunday afternoons.

Visit the MSM website for more information.

Mentors and tutors serve as the foundation on which the Nehemiah Center impacts the futures of at-risk children and their families. Learn more, here. 

Ongoing ways to serve:

• Pre-K Volunteer | Mon – Fri | 9:00-11:30 AM 
• One on One Mentor for K-5th grade in after-school enrichment
• College Prep Program with 6-12th grade

Open Door Mission is a faith and evidence-based recovery program and facility helping the homeless in Houston TX since 1954. They are dedicated to transforming the lives of the most severely addicted, destitute, homeless, and disabled men in our community for free. Learn more, here. 

Ongoing ways to serve:

• Food Service Volunteer | Sat | 9:30-1:00 PM 
• Tutoring in the education department | Mon-Fri | 10 AM-2 PM

The mission of Restoring Justice is to end mass incarceration, one client and heart at a time. They provide holistic defense and social services for the marginalized in our community. Learn more, here. 

Ongoing ways to serve:

• Serve as an Adelphoi volunteer: walk alongside a client on their legal process path, committing to be a friend and support who can meet or talk to weekly. 

YMCA International Services is the official refugee resettlement agency that our partner, Houston Welcomes Refugees, works with.

Ongoing ways to serve:

• Volunteer for tutoring and/or the food pantry.

Contact Darlean Lewis, Volunteer Specialist, at hwrforymca@gmail.com.