Travis County RSVP

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Renovating or remodeling your home?  Did you ever think of the Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore as a place to donate those old fixtures, windows, doors, building materials, or appliances to?  You can also get a great deal on both new and gently used items to help achieve that new “look” for your home.  The ReStore was started here in Austin and has developed into a national model for Habitat for Humanity. They are a building materials recycling and retail center.  They work to salvage materials and “recycle” them, keeping tons of waste out of our landfills each year and providing community members with affordable remodeling solutions.  Donate your time to this worthwhile organization in various ways like pricing and sorting incoming merchandise, maintaining the store, doing data entry, working in the product receiving area and much more.  The time you give helps in so many ways; providing cost effective remodeling materials for our community, recycling materials that would have ended up in landfills, and helping to eliminate poverty housing in our community!

Become a Classroom Coach with Austin Partners in Education’s effort to strengthen our schools, support our teachers. Choose a program/location/schedule that works best for you. You will volunteer for 45 minutes once a week for about 25 weeks, working with the same group of 2-3 students each week to build important mentoring relationships. Classroom Coaching programs help students at key points in their education, such as 2nd grade Reading, 8th grade Math, and College Readiness programs. Contact the RSVP office for more details

Do something for yourself while doing something for others! The Austin Steam Train Association is looking for docents to meet and greet passengers on our train excursions Saturdays and Sundays into the Hill Country. They welcome volunteers from every background to spend one day a month visiting with their out of town guests on the train. You’ll help passengers find their seats and settle in for an enjoyable escape to the countryside. You’ll have many opportunities to point out historic landmarks along the line and talk about the history of central Texas railroads. Training is easy, the work is vital, and the experience is energizing. Call today to find out how you can get started!

Created from the merger of Reading Is Fundamental of Austin and Capital Area Reach Out and Read, BookSpring instills in children a love of reading and promotes books as a means to success. By offering a range of programs that support early childhood literacy, BookSpring champions the value of reading and encourages parents to read to their children from birth forward, resulting in stronger families and increased lifelong opportunities for every child. Volunteers are needed to help with administrative duties and special projects, such as filing, sorting, and labeling; developing forms, processes, and procedures; developing a BookSpring photo archive; stuffing envelopes for special event invitations and fundraising campaigns. Learn about next generation techniques to build reading skills in groups that include our youngest and most disadvantaged families. Help open the world to children through reading! Volunteers should be able to communicate well in oral and written format, be able to work well with others or to work independently, and have excellent organizational and analytical skills.

Food Pantry volunteers are needed at the El Buen Samaritano food pantry. The food pantry volunteers provide an important service to the community by helping offer emergency food assistance to needy families. Volunteers assist with unloading food boxes, organizing food by shelves, and distributing food to clients. Consistent volunteers who are able to commit 2-3 hours a week, Monday though Thursday are needed. For those learning Spanish, it is a good opportunity to practice the language, although not required.

You probably know about Foundation Communities’ good work with tax preparation assistance.  But did you know that they also provide high quality affordable housing and empower low-income families and individuals with programs that educate, support and improve their financial standing?  Garden Terrace is one of Foundation Communities affordable housing properties and they are in the process of setting up a new program that needs your help!  Volunteers would be asked to cook and serve breakfast (brunch) to approximately 20 residents once a month at their property.  Everything would be provided; food, a kitchen, and cookware.  All you need to supply is your time, cooking skills, and a positive attitude.  65% of the Garden Terrace residents were formerly homeless and are now living on a fixed income.  Help them continue on their path to success!  Contact us for more information.

The LifeWorks Literacy Program seeks tutors to work with our Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Classes meet two days a week and tutors may teach both weekly sessions or opt to "co-tutor" and teach one day per week. Sessions meet either at their Center in East Austin or at various locations throughout the community. They offer morning, afternoon, and evening sessions. Tutors are asked to make a 6-month minimum commitment and are provided with an orientation and 12 hours of pre-service training. No prior experience is required, and knowledge of a language other than English is not necessary. The only required skills are motivation, energy, and patience!

Now let’s think about how much fun it can be to recycle – at a consignment store. When you realize that the Next to New Shop is a charitable consignment ministry of St. David's Episcopal Church specializing in furniture, ladies clothing, housewares, and jewelry – you know that volunteering there would not only support a good cause, it ultimately is designed to be environmentally friendly.  This Shop also provides consignment, downsizing, and estate services to the Austin area.  Volunteers are needed there to work in data entry, and as floor clerks to make attractive arrangements of the available merchandise.

As refugees/asylum seekers arrive in our area, many are in need of resources, referrals and guidance in building self-sufficient lives.  Refugee Services of Texas has offered such help locally for over 25 years. Now the Service needs help in the office  to answer phones and do light paperwork, in addition to volunteers who can organize donations on-site at IH-35 and 38th Street.  Call RSVP today to answer the call to serve.  

Seton Medical Center Austin is beginning an exciting new volunteer project - the Customer Service volunteer.  The goal of the customer service program is to provide exceptional service at every contact point. Customer Service volunteers will greet and assist patients and visitors in the public areas of the hospital with the aim of fostering an environment where both patients and visitors feel comfortable. Volunteers for this program will be walking throughout the hospital. SMCA also needs volunteers for three information desks, two gift shops and admitting. Hours for all volunteers are flexible although in some areas 4-hours shifts are preferred. All training will be provided.

Seton Northwest is looking for volunteers to support families/patients who visit and who are admitted into the hospital and help support the hospital staff. Help is needed in various areas of the hospital from the ER to Admitting/Registration, Information Desk, Gift Shop, Little Miracles Baby Boutique and more. All shifts are 4 hours long and training is available.

Have you ever thought about being a museum docent?  Try serving as one at the  Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum – it just may be the place for you.  Docents are needed to take diverse groups on tours of the facility.  Volunteers should be outgoing, interested in art and enjoy talking to and educating people.  Join the staff at this beautiful setting in the Zilker Park area.  You can help to promote a very special part of Austin’s natural setting as you educate others about the art that you will find there.

Be part of University Medical Center Brackenridge’s “A-team” Volunteer Ambassador Team. Volunteers are needed in key areas such as the Information Desk providing guidance and assistance and offering a welcoming face as they enter the hospital. Volunteers are also needed to help the nursing staff with basic but important support such as taking food trays, offering water or a blanket along with other tasks. Volunteers are offered free parking, free flu shots, and free drink per shift, discounted prices at the cafeteria, and discounts at the gift shop.



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