Thought for Today:
“I have no distinguished qualities.”
--- Genghis Khan
A GALA DINNER
at a country club in the River Oaks area on the evening of April 20 will help raise funds for an agency that offers multidimensional character-building programs for children. Volunteers will be needed to help with setup, registration, guest seating, and serving as assistants at both a live and silent auction. In return for their time, volunteers will be treated to some outstanding cuisine and a most entertaining experience.
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BE A MENTOR
to a young person in a program sponsored by a juvenile probation department and a nonprofit youth services agency. Coming to any of three of the agency's youth centera (in Spring Branch, the Sunnyside area, or in Missouri City) for an hour or two once or more a week, you can interact with a small group of youngsters to help them with their homework and engage them in light recreational activities, such as shooting baskets or table tennis. Program sessions take place weekdays. between 3:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Check here to get more info by e-mail about this opportunity!
JOIN IN THE FUN
at this year's East End Street Festival, slated for May 5 at a location about a mile east of downtown Houston. Opportunities for volunteers will include assisting with setup or take-down, directing the public to various attractions, overseeing a special children's area, and assisting entertainers with logistical needs. Morning, afternoon, and evening assignments will be available. Volunteers will be accorded free refreshments and event tee-shirts.
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A SENSE OF HISTORY
will stand you in good stead when become a volunteer guide at a downtown museum specializing in Texas history. This museum features a kaleidoscopic collection of artifacts, photographs, and other memorabilia bearing testimony to the trials, triumphs, and occasional foibles of our local heritage. Your time commitment can be as little as two 3-hour shifts a month, on weekdays or weekends. Free parking is provided. Training for new volunteers will begin April 24.
Check here to get more info by e-mail about this opportunity!
CONDUCT INTERVIEWS
for a faith-based Greenway Plaza area agency that helps families experiencing economic hardship. If you can commit three hours a week on the weekday of your choice, you can be trained to interview clients and assess their needs. When appropriate, you'll authorize tangible assistance with food, clothing, or financial aid. The main requirements for this assignment are good judgment and a sympathetic ear.
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A NEW WOMEN'S PAVILION
at a large hospital in the Texas Medical Center needs volunteers. Duties will include greeting visitors, escorting them to the appropriate areas of the facility, and answering the phone at the information desk. Volunteers should be computer literate and have good communication and interpersonal skills. Free parking will be provided.
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HELP STROKE VICTIMS
and persons suffering from other forms of brain trauma regain their communication skills. Serving as a group facilitator for therapy sessions at a health agency's west Houston office, you'll work with rehabilitation professionals to assist these persons along the road to long-term recovery. Group sessions take place on weekday morning and afternoons, with different sessions focusing respectively on conversation, exercise, and art or music therapy.
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THE LONG JOURNEY
toward recovery for many cancer patients begins with a flight to Houston provided by a network of volunteer pilots.
The sponsoring agency is trying to build its corps of other volunteers -- called "Ground Angels"-- to take patients from Bush or
Hobby airports to the hospitals where they will receive treatment. If you can spare an hour or two a month transporting a patient
in your car, the agency will try to schedule your assignments at times convenient to you.
Check here to get more info by e-mail about this opportunity!
SERVE AS RECEPTIONIST
at the office of an agency that provides job-preparedness services to veterans, older workers, persons with persons with disabilities, and the homeless. Duties will include greeting clients, managing incoming phone calls, filing, and data entry. You'll have your choice of weekdays on which to take on this assignment. The agency's office is located near Richmond and Kirby.
Check here to get more info by e-mail about this opportunity!
THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE
will really be appreciated when you read aloud to residents of a nursing home in the Astrodome area. If you have a clear speaking voice, plan on coming by for "Story Time" readings on weekdays or weekends to stimulate patients' minds and keep their spirits bright. Material read can include inspirational passages, poems, or pieces chosen for entertainment value. You are invited to visit on a regular or occasional basis.
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SPANISH-SPEAKING
volunteers are wanted as caseworker aides by an agency that provides a broad range of services to families with children experiencing behavioral or motivational problems. Each of these volunteers will serve as an interpreter for caseworkers whom they'll accompany on home visits to Hispanic families who have limited English communication skills. A typical volunteer commitment would involve two to four home visits a month.
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WOMAN TO WOMAN:
Female mentors are wanted for mothers in a chemical dependency recovery program at a correctional facility in Atascocita.
These mentors will receive in-depth training equipping them to provide the moral and emotional support needed to facilitate
these moms' reentry into society as productive citizens and capable parents. Volunteers should be at least 21 years of age and
willing to commit to a one year involvement.
Check here to get more info by e-mail about this opportunity!
TAKE ON RESPONSIBILITY
as an action-committee member for an all-volunteer organization based in southwest Houston that provides medical services and supplies to impoverished persons in Sierra Leone. Working closely with the organization's board of directors, you'll help develop and implement plans focusing on fundraising and delivery of services. Your time commitment would probably involve about eight hours a week.
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PRIME TIME
awaits you as a volunteer member of the production crew for a nonprofit news organization that airs shows locally on public television. Persons with relevant experience (including college students) are wanted to assist with camera work, editing, graphic design, animation, and set design. Daytime, evening, and weekend assignments are available, and time commitments can be flexible.
Check here to get more info by e-mail about this opportunity!
DOGS HAVE THEIR DAY
each and every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. thanks to volunteers who staff a pet adoption station
at a pet supply store in the Copperfield area for a local animal welfare agency. Duties can include grooming and showing off the dogs, taking them for walks, and keeping the cages clean. Unaccompanied volunteers should be at least 18, but youngsters down to age 15 are welcome if volunteering with their parents.
Check here to get more info by e-mail about this opportunity!
WAITING AREA
and information desk volunteers are needed at a large hospital in the Texas Medical Center. Depending on your choice of assignments, duties can include greeting visitors, providing directions, recording family information, assisting with visits, extending moral support to patients’ loved ones, and generally serving as a liaison to patient care areas. Weekly three-hour shifts are available between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays or weekends. Free valet parking is provided.
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LIVING INDEPENDENTLY
is a little easier for elderly persons in the Spring Branch and Memorial areas thanks to an all-volunteer organization that provides them with transportation to medical appointments and grocery stores. If you have a good driving record, consider using your car or van to help one or more of these folks run essential errands. Assignments can usually be fitted to individual volunteers' schedules.
Check here to get more info by e-mail about this opportunity!
BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS
(active or retired) help small businesses by volunteering for a non-profit agency officially sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
These volunteers can take on a weekly shift counseling with entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs at any of ten offices maintained by the agency throughout the greater Houston area. Currently, the agency is especially interested in recruiting volunteers with expertise in advertising, banking, information technology, marketing, or sales.
Check here to get more info by e-mail about this opportunity!
CHECK OUT BARGAINS
as a volunteer at a popular thrift shop in the Spring Branch area. Taking on a weekly morning or afternoon shift on weekdays or Saturdays, you can assist customers with their selections and help sort, price, display, and sell donated merchandise. Your commitment can be ongoing or just through the holiday season. Proceeds from sales directly support a local church coalition’s broad array of services to the needy.
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