Houston Area Women’s Center - 24th Annual Race against Violence http://www.hawc.org/raceagainstviolence Mission: The Houston Area Women's Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence, as well as providing prevention education to youth and the community. We advocate for those whose voices are silenced by the abuse of a stranger or a loved one. Join us in our mission as we work to end domestic and sexual violence. Description of Activity: Volunteers will be helping with many activities of the 24th Annual Race against Violence. The day's events include: Competitive 5K run with prizes for individual runners Non-competitive 5K family walk that welcomes strollers Kids K non-competitive 1K for kids ages 11 & under A post-race festival at the American General Campus and Whole Foods Montrose with children’s activities, prizes, great food, music, & fun! Time Frame: 6:30 - 11:00 am Numbers of Volunteers needed: 5+ volunteers Habitat for Humanity - Baytown http://baytownhabitat.org Mission: Baytown Habitat for Humanity was incorporated in August, 1990, and as a non-profit organization immediately began operations. Our first home was completed in September, 1991, and since then, we have completed 33 more homes in the Baytown Community alongside families in need, offering them a hand up, and restoring the hope and dignity they deserve. Description of Activity: Crews usually gather at 8:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and work until noon, under the capable leadership of Construction Manager Doug Relyea, Assistant Construction Manager Glenn Reilly, Superintendent Lin Bright and Supervisor Bill Bradbury. Habitat does not build houses for families; rather, it builds alongside those who demonstrate need and willingness to partner with Habitat. Homeowner families invest hundreds of hours of their own “sweat equity” labor into the houses. Their monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity to help fund the construction of more houses. Through this approach, Habitat gives partner families a hand up, restoring the hope and dignity that poverty can strip away. Time Frame: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Numbers of Volunteers Needed: 12-15 Krause Children’s Center – First Healing Hearts Benefit www.krausechildrenscenter.org Mission: Providing help, healing and hope to troubled boys and girls 11-17. Many of the children served by the Krause Children's Center have been removed from their homes because of extreme physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Krause staff evaluates and addresses social, physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs of each child to provide individual, family and group therapy through an individualized program. Description of Activity: Volunteers will be helping with the first Healing Hearts Benefit, “Wild About Krause,” at the Houston Zoo. Proceeds raised at the benefit will help fund the programs, therapy, and renovations at Krause. Time Frame: 3:00 - 8:00 pm (shifts available) Number of Volunteers Needed: 5+ volunteers Houston Food Bank www.houstonfoodbank.com Mission: Houston Food Bank's mission is leading the fight against hunger. Now operating from a new, 308,000 square-foot facilities, the Houston Food Bank is the nation’s largest size Feeding America food bank and source of food for hunger relief charities in 18 southeast Texas counties. A network of nearly 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and other agencies, feeding a total of 137,000 people each week, provides more than 70 million pounds of food and prepared meals annually. Fresh produce, meat and nonperishables are distributed from the new warehouse at 535 Portwall, and hot meals are prepared and distributed from Keegan Center, a 15,000 square-foot industrial kitchen. Additional community services range from nutrition education to assistance with food stamp applications and hands-on job training. Red Barrels offer a convenient way for grocery shoppers to donate nonperishable’s for their neighbors in need. Description of Activity: Volunteers will be helping at the Main Warehouse. Time Frame: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:00 - 4:00 pm Number of Volunteers needed: 200+ volunteers Moody Gardens® – Spring Break Palm Beach Set Up www.moodygardens.org Mission: Moody Gardens® is a public, non-profit educational destination utilizing nature in the advancement of rehabilitation, conservation, recreation, and research. Description of Activity: We are a public, non-profit organization and we depend greatly on the generosity of our volunteers. They are essential in providing a rich and enjoyable experience for all our visitors. Volunteers provide assistance in a wide range of departments throughout the property. This is an educational experience and an opportunity to help the community with as little or as much time as you would like to commit. Time Frame: Open Times Number of Volunteers needed: 5-30 volunteers Descendents of Olivewood, Inc. – Olivewood Cemetery www.descendantsofolivewood.org Mission: Nestled against a bend of White Oak Bayou, and surrounded by rich Houston history, lies Olivewood, the city's first incorporated African American cemetery. It's been a jungle for years - the headstones have been literally buried under massive carpets of vegetation. Extending over an estimated 8 acres, only the front quarter of the cemetery had been successfully cleared of the seemingly endless tropical abundance including poison ivy and oak. For a long time, only the larger mortuary architecture rising above the undergrowth has hinted at Olivewood's location. Descendants of Olivewood, Inc. are dedicated to the reclamation of this cemetery for the benefit of the present and future generations of Houston. Description of Activity: Volunteers will be helping with restoring, preserving and maintaining Olivewood Cemetery as a historic, educational, charitable, religious and cultural site of importance. Time Frame: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Number of Volunteers needed: 10-30 volunteers Interfaith Caring Ministries www.icmtx.org Mission: Interfaith Caring Ministries (ICM) assists southern Harris and northern Galveston County, Texas, residents, who have a documented financial crisis. Specifically, ICM supports qualifying individuals, families and seniors who live in the zip codes of Clear Creek and Friendswood Independent School Districts. ICM services include: emergency food, rent and utility assistance; medical assistance; mental health counseling; vouchers for agency resale shops; and a senior outreach program. Description of Activity: Volunteers will be helping at the Bay Area Resale Shop straightening, sizing clothes, putting out merchandise, and tidying up the store in general. Time Frame: Open from 10:30 am - 7:00 pm Number of Volunteers needed: 10-15 volunteers Bible Way Fellowship Baptist Church ONE Powerful Movement http://www.bibleway1.org Mission: Bible Way Fellowship Baptist Church has many ministries to support the vision to build a spiritual and physical house and mission to be ONE with God. Description of Activity: Volunteers will be helping at the ONEPoweful MovementCommunity Development Center Food Fair handing out bags of food. Concurrently, there will also be a math, science, and engineering tutoring lab for children that we are seeking volunteer assistance with. Time Frame: 8:00 am - 1:00 pm Number of Volunteers needed: 10 - 20 volunteers