Holiday Volunteering & Giving Opportunities in Round Rock & Beyond

November 8, 2021November 19, 2021 Rebecca 7666 Views 0 Comment

As the Holiday Season approaches, many of us are reminded of our good fortunes. We are also reminded that this is a time of great sharing and giving. One of our good fortunes, here in Round Rock and the surrounding areas, are the many opportunities we have to give back to our community.

Holiday Volunteering & Giving Opportunities in Round Rock is sponsored by Mays Street Boutique.

Listed below are eight area non-profits with seasonal events for which they need volunteers. Most of these events require a volunteer application, which can be completed online. Please check the event date and the date the volunteer application is due, to make sure you apply on time.

Round Rock Area Serving Center
1099 E Main Street
Round Rock, TX

The Round Rock Area Serving Center is always looking for volunteers. If you can’t do that, here are the most pressing needs they have:

Donate food to the food pantry
Make a monetary donation
Donate paper or plastic grocery bags
Donate computers to the Computers for Kids project
Donate gently used coats to Keep Round Rock Warm. Coats are accepted all year.
Donate clothing, furniture, books, appliances, and household goods
Distribute food at Fresh Food for Families

More information about these programs, as well as other year round volunteer opportunities, can be found at https://www.rrasc.org/,

The Volunteer Center
Round Rock

The Volunteer Center lists very specific needs for volunteer opportunities. Right now, there are needs to visit Hospice patients, teen volunteers with The Salvation Army and more. More details.

Operation Turkey
Ongoing
H-E-B Center at Cedar Park

This 100% volunteer organization, started in Austin, strives to “feed and clothe the homeless and less fortunate on Thanksgiving Day.” This organization, now in six states, has a goal this year of providing 50,000 meals to homeless people. Locally, there are volunteer opportunities in Cedar Park and Round Rock. On Thanksgiving Day from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm, the HEB Center at Cedar Park will serve as the hub for food preparation, packaging and delivery. More information can be found at http://www.operationturkey.com.

Operation Blue Santa
Ongoing

This organization provides meals and toys on Christmas for families in need. Round Rock and several surrounding towns have an Operation Blue Santa program, generally sponsored by their local police department. In Round Rock, the program is sponsored by the Round Rock Police Department, Fire Department and Parks and Recreation Department. In Taylor, Red Santa, is sponsored by the Taylor Fire Department. Below is contact information for each of the various program.

Round Rock – https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/departments/police/community-programs/round-rock-operation-blue-santa/ or (512)218-6655

Pflugerville – (512) 990-6861 or email jallen@pflugervilletx.gov

Georgetown – https://bluesanta.georgetown.org or (512) 930-3510

Cedar Park – http://www.cedarparktexas.gov/departments/police-department/blue-santa-program or (512) 260-4646

Leander – http://www.leandertx.gov/police/page/blue-santa-program

Taylor – http://www.ci.taylor.tx.us/725/Red-Santa-Program

Texas State Guard Toy Drive
Ongoing
Five Below Stores

The Texas State Guard – Young Heroes of the Guard toy drive was started in 2009. The first year, we collected 2,444 toys, and since then, the toy drive has collected more than 100,000 toys. Our mission is to deliver a year’s worth of toys to all the children’s hospitals and women’s shelters in the state of Texas. Donate at your local Five Below store today! More information can be found at https://www.txsgtoydrive.com/

Brown Santa
Ongoing

This organization “provides assistance to families in Williamson County living outside the geographical city limits of any town or city within Williamson County that does not provide a similar program.” Information on Brown Santa can be found at https://www.wilco.org/brownsanta.

Texas Baptist Children’s Home
Ongoing

Texas Baptist Children’s Home counts on friends, volunteers, donors, and other supporters to help provide those who are most vulnerable with the support and structure that they need. By volunteering, you are donating your time to help meet a tangible need that directly impacts the lives of the children and families we serve. Whether you are coordinating a food drive or painting walls in a cottage, you are making a difference! For more information about volunteering, please email one of our Volunteer Coordinators Brenda Gilbert (512-246-4244) or Libbie Seaton (512-246-4234). Some volunteer assignments may require background checks, particularly those that will place volunteers in close proximity to children in care. Find out more

Giving back to others with STARRY can be one of the most rewarding things you have ever done. We really appreciate our volunteers who help improve the quality of life for all of the children in care at STARRY. There are many ways you can help by giving your time as a volunteer, helping provide items on our Current Needs list, participating in a special event, or supporting us financially. For more information, please email the Volunteer Office or call 512-246-4283. To donate items, please bring them to the STARRY Volunteer Office located in Cottage 6 and view our campus map below. Some volunteer assignments may require background checks, particularly those that will place volunteers in close proximity to children in care. Find out more

Year Round Volunteer Opportunities

In addition to the non-profits above, there are several who need volunteers year round. Twelve of these are listed below along with contact information. If you don’t see exactly what you are interested in, there are two websites – www.volunteermatch.org and www.volrock.org, that can help you look for other volunteer opportunities in our communities.

Round Rock Serving Center – https://www.rrasc.org

Habitat for Humanity –https://williamsonhabitat.org/

Hope Alliance – https://www.hopealliancetx.org/

Age of Central Texas – http://www.ageofcentraltx.org/

Senior Access (formerly Drive a Senior) – https://driveasenior.org/round-rock/

Round Rock Empty Bowls – http://emptybowlsroundrock.com/

The Caring Place – http://www.caringplacetx.org/

Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter – http://pets.wilco.org/

Texas Humane Heroes – https://humaneheroes.org

Habitat for Humanity – https://williamsonhabitat.org/

Williamson County Museum – http://williamsonmuseum.org/

Good luck finding the right volunteer opportunity for you and your family. Thanks for helping make our communities some of the best in the state. Happy Holidays and Happy Volunteering!