Outreach
There are a wide variety of opportunities — including high school and college internships, pro bono legal services, licensed clinical care, and much more — to help those in need.
Visit the websites of the organizations listed below, click to send an email, or pick up the phone to find out how you can give your time, talents, and treasure to people in our community.
The Beacon
The mission of The Beacon is to provide essential and next-step services to restore hope and help end homelessness in Houston. This work is accomplished through three programs and each of them offer rewarding volunteer opportunities:
The Beacon Day Center
Day Center Coordinator Ronald Marshall 713-220-9737
Time : 2 – 3 hour shifts Thursday–Monday mornings and/or early afternoons
As the central hub for all individuals visiting the John S. Dunn Outreach Center, Beacon staff and volunteers assist with registration and intake as well as immediate assessment of each client’s needs. A hot lunch, access to showers and laundry services are available to the homeless men and women that who access the building Thursdays through Mondays each week. Beacon Day Center hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and this program serves approximately 300 homeless individuals each operating day.
Brigid's Hope
Program Director Regina Walker, LMSW 713-590-3318
Time : Four hours per month minimum
This program provides services to women ages 35 and older who are in transition from incarceration to self-sufficiency by providing housing, mentoring, spiritual support, and coordination of other relevant resources.
Volunteer mentors support and encourage healthy choices and relationships, and act as role models in helping women develop their fullest potential.
Beacon Law
Pro Bono Coordinator Erin Russell 713-393-8743
Time : varies
This program provides high quality, courteous, and effective legal services to low-income individuals and communities. Staff attorneys, paralegals, and pro bono attorneys work in collaboration with community partners to identify and address the causes and effects of poverty and inequality. Volunteers with a current Texas state bar license may volunteer in the advice clinic or represent a client pro bono. To get started, complete the introductory form.
COMPASS
Time : 2 – 3 hours/week, varies, summer internships available
For 36 years, COMPASS has offered “walk-up” supportive services to the Cathedral’s disadvantaged neighbors, the vast majority of whom are homeless. This includes providing good information, referrals to resources, “direct assistance” in the form of bus fare, referrals to obtain a Texas State ID, required clothing for a new job, and other forms of small help that have a large impact, such as reading glasses. We also offer a mailing address for up to 350 clients. Volunteers may help with administrative work, including sorting, filing, and handing out client mail.
Cathedral Clinic — operated by Healthcare for the Homeless — Houston
Mary Vaughan 713-286-6170
Time : Weekly 3 – 4 hour shifts
This clinic combines primary health care, psychiatric treatment, and mental health counseling with intensive case management to address the unique needs of men, women, and children living on Houston’s streets. The clinic is staffed by Healthcare for the Homeless — Houston. Volunteer clinic assistants need no prior medical training, and are trained on the job. Volunteer clinicians must have current Texas licenses for their profession (primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, dentists, dental hygienists, oral surgeons, and podiatrists) and professional liability insurance.
Cathedral Urban Service Experience
The Cathedral Urban Service Experience (CUSE) provides opportunities for youth and adults from all over the country to serve people who are being denied justice, peace, and dignity by their community. Housing groups in the Ballard Youth Center, CUSE provides the raw materials mission groups need to experience the wide variety of servant ministries in inner-city Houston. CUSE summer internships provide young adults with a significant opportunity to develop their leadership skills and learn about nonprofit management. Interns at CUSE must be US citizens or have legal status, have completed at least one year of college, be a servant leader who can take initiative when needed, and be compassionate with excellent people skills.
New Hope Housing, Inc.
Email [email protected] to volunteer 713-222-0290
Time : varies, can accommodate your schedule
New Hope Housing’s core purpose is to provide life-stabilizing, affordable, and permanent housing with support services for people who live on very limited incomes. Founded at Christ Church Cathedral, New Hope Housing’s vision is to be an enduring institution serving Houston’s most vulnerable citizens. The educational, spiritual and recreational components of the Resident Services Program rely heavily on the involvement of community volunteers. There are opportunities to volunteer in educational, recreational, health, spiritual, financial, and social ways.
Kids Hope
Time : one hour per week during the school year
Kids Hope at Christ Church Cathedral has partnered with two public schools with high need populations on the near east side of downtown.
Members of the congregation, act as mentors and reading buddies for students identified by their teacher. Students in the Kids Hope program benefit from the regular one-on-one presence and support of a caring adult. As a collective, Kids Hope mentors, prayer partners, reading buddies and program supporters also provide and support various one time school based programs throughout the school year.
Direction, training, and the support of a community of volunteers is provided.
Lord of the Streets
One of the many projects of the Mission Outreach Council is to cook breakfast at Lord of the Streets Episcopal Church, served to street community neighbors after service. Cathedral volunteers show up at 6:15 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church at 1015 Holman Street to scramble eggs, cook pounds of bacon and sausage, and stir large pots of grits. We usually wrap up around 8:30 a.m., when a crew from another church arrives to serve the wonderful food to the Lord of the Streets community. Volunteers may join occasionally or on a regular basis. No experience necessary.
Weekday volunteering at Lord of the Streets (LOTS)
Will Symmes
713-526-0311
Time: Weekday mornings 9 a.m. to noon
LOTS has two opportunities to volunteer during the week: to sort, size, and display clothing and assist clients at the clothing and hygiene center; and to sort, date, file, and distribute mail to LOTS clients. Contact Will Symmes at the email address or phone number above to learn more.
