Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season

This time of year, many are seeking out ways to give back to the community. Here, we’ve rounded up some opportunities to volunteer or donate items to those in need:

40th Annual Holiday Drive Benefiting the Star of Hope Mission 
The 40th annual holiday drive takes place on Sun., Dec. 3, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston (5601 South Braeswood Blvd.). Event sponsors include the JCC, B’nai Brith, and Temple Sinai Brotherhood. Volunteers include Bellaire High School students. Ed Gardner started this drive 40 years ago. Requested donations include gently-used or new clothing; gently-used or new shoes; new undergarments; winter coats, sweaters, jackets; new, unopened hygiene products; paper goods; new or gently-used linens; bottled water; canned goods; non-perishable foods; new, unopened over-the-counter medications; new toys and games (no bicycles); alarm clocks. Volunteers are also welcomed. Call Ed Gardner: 713-942-1040.

Be An Angel's Christmas Gift Program
Help provide gifts to financially underprivileged special needs children in the greater Houston area. There are many donation and volunteer opportunities here. They’ll be decorating Christmas gifts on Dec. 12 and delivering Christmas gifts to the children at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Dec. 13. One hundred volunteers are needed each day.

BEAR (BE A Resource)'s BEARing Gifts
BEAR provides help for at-risk and CPS-involved children and their caretakers in the Greater Houston area. The organization provides clothing and personal necessities through its BEAR Necessities program, holiday gifts for children and back-to-school supplies. Its Heart Gallery of Greater Houston is a traveling photo exhibit of children in foster care who need forever homes. BEARing Gifts: BEAR’s holiday program provides brand-new holiday gifts to at-risk and CPS-involved children who may otherwise not experience the joy of the holiday season. There are multiple ways to get involved – sponsor a child/children, host a toy drive, donate monetarily, shop Amazon wishlist, or volunteer. Toys are being accepted through Christmas. If you want to sponsor a child, toys must be dropped off by Dec. 11; fill out the form here. Toys can be dropped off at any Tides Cleaners or at the BEAR warehouse (3572 E TC Jester Blvd., Houston TX 77018).

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston (BGCGH) orchestrates the annual Santa Project, ensuring joy for children and teens across the Greater Houston area, especially those facing financial struggles. Individuals interested in becoming sponsors for a child or teen can participate until Dec. 8.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston’s 15th Annual Santa Project 
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston (BGCGH) orchestrates the annual Santa Project, ensuring joy for children and teens across the Greater Houston area, especially those facing financial struggles. Families in need compile holiday wish lists, encompassing both necessities and desired items. Upon wish list submissions, BGCGH pairs children and teens with donors. Each donor receives a list of requested gifts, purchases them, and delivers the wrapped and labeled items to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston’s “Santa’s Workshop” at 3050 Post Oak Blvd., 3rd Floor, located at The Lakes on Post Oak. The minimum cost to sponsor a wish list is $75. Individuals or companies interested in becoming sponsors for a child or teen can participate until Dec. 8. Gift donations, including toys, books, sports equipment, and clothing, are sorted and distributed among Clubs. Drop-off dates at 3050 Post Oak Blvd. are taking place daily through Dec. 8, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Contact: 713-868-3426 

Bread of Life's Holiday Drive 
Bread of Life, a Houston nonprofit organization committed to eradicating hunger in Houston, is accepting non-perishable food items through the end of December, including canned goods: green beans, sweet potatoes/yams, corn (creamed or whole), cranberry sauce, broth, pie filling; boxed goods: stuffing, mac and cheese, cake or muffin mix, icing, instant potatoes, cornbread; bagged goods: Rice, beans; miscellaneous goods: gravy, oil spray cans. Donations are accepted at the following locations: Bread of Life Campus (2019 Crawford St); Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Bread of Life Warehouse (9110 Paige St); Tuesday to Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) offers its annual Jingle Bell Express program, which serves 2,500 children in need and their families.

Christian Community Service Center's Jingle Express Program
CCSC offers its Jingle Bell Express program, which serves 2,500 children in need and their families. CCSC is collecting new, unwrapped, nonviolent primary gifts for children newborn through 15. Toys can be delivered to CCSC on Dec. 4, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at Bellaire United Methodist Church, 3317 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire, TX 77401. Contact: [email protected] or 713-961-3993.

City Wide Club of America’s Super Feast – Christmas    
City Wide Club of America holds a Super Feast annually Christmas Eve at George R. Brown Convention Center, where thousands are served with traditional hot meals in addition to clothing, household items, shoes, blankets, coats, jackets, flu shots, medical examinations, food baskets, haircuts, new toys, vehicles, and more. The Super Santa Toy Drive benefits the 45th Annual Super Feast, and takes place Mon., Dec. 18, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. with multiple drop-off locations around Houston. There are multiple ways to help: Sign up to volunteer in person; drop off donations (items in need include turkeys, non-perishable foods, toys, household items); or donate funds here. Contact: 713-752-2582

DePelchin Children’s Center's Holiday Wish Lists
DePelchin Children’s Center supports children and the families who care for them; programs include parenting classes and counseling, and services include foster care and adoption. Sponsor a child and help complete their wish list. The deadline for wish list drop-offs is Weds., Dec. 6. Find a child to sponsor here. Contact: 713-730-2335. 

Houston Children’s Charity's Adopt-a-Family and Toy Distribution 
Houston Children's Charity offers an Adopt-A-Family program and Annual Toy Distribution, helping thousands of families in need within and around the Greater Houton area. Donate toys through the distribution that takes place the week of Dec. 5. HCC teams up with the U.S. Marine Toys for Tots program to provide toys for underserved children. The Annual Toy Distribution takes place in the George R. Brown Convention Center. Contact: [email protected] or 713-524-2878. 

Houston Fire Department’s Operation Stocking Stuffer Toy Drive 
The Houston Fire Department collects thousands of toys to help families in the Houston area each year. Shop their toy list here. Donations are accepted through Dec. 10. Or donate funds here. The Great Toy Giveaway, Dec. 16, starts at 9 a.m. at 2400 Reed R., Houston, TX 77051, entrance at Airport at Kirby, until all toys are gone. The giveaway will be a drive-through format, first-come, first-serve, with no registration. 

There are many ways to support the Houston Food Bank, including volunteering time, donating food, or sending a holiday card benefiting the Houston Food Bank. (Photo: Barbara Alicea-Aponte, Houston Food Bank)

Houston Food Bank
The Houston Food Bank distributes food and other essentials to those in need through a network of more than 1,800 community partners. There are multiple ways to give to the Houston Food Bank: Donate funds; donate food; sign up to volunteer your time at the Food Bank (535 Portwall St.), either individually or as a group; or send a holiday card benefiting the Houston Food Bank. Contact: 713-223-3700 or [email protected]. 

Houston SPCA’s Home For the Holidays Program
Animal lovers can sign up to volunteer or foster a pet in need at Houston SPCA. The organization provides all the supplies and will work around volunteers’ schedules. All potential volunteers must be at least 16 years old. Families interested in potentially adopting a pet this holiday season can see adoptable pets at the storefront windows at Neiman Marcus every weekend, and then daily Dec. 15-Dec. 23, for their annual Home For the Holidays program. This holiday season marks 35 years for this annual pet adoption event. Or donate funds here. Contact: 713-869-SPCA (7722).

Kids’ Meals Houston's Adopt a Family and Holiday Hope Toy Drive 
Kids’ Meals (330 Garden Oaks Blvd.) makes and delivers free, healthy meals directly to the homes of children in need. There are several ways to help out this holiday season: Adopt a family this Christmas; to participate, fill out this interest form. Wrapped, labeled gifts should be delivered to adopted families no later than Fri., Dec. 22. Or host a toy drive benefiting children on Kids’ Meals routes. Toys must be delivered before Dec. 8. Toys are accepted Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. To volunteer time: Decorate bags to spread holiday cheer or sign up to volunteer (kids ages 8+ are welcome) here. Contact: 713-695-5437 or [email protected]. 

Project One Day 
Local nonprofit Project One Day uses a unique model to help solve the problem of providing childcare to low-income single parents. The organization trains parents to work as assistant teachers alongside a lead teacher to care for children ages 6 weeks-3 years of age. This spring, the organization will expand from 10 children to 35. Requested donations include: board books (for ages newborn to 3 years), diapers (sizes 2-5), baby wipes (unscented), and outdoor toddler toys like dump trucks, playground balls, and ride-on toys. Toys can be new or gently used. Items could be dropped off in Braes Heights, ideally by Dec. 29. Contact Wendy Badgwell to arrange drop-off: [email protected]. Interested in volunteering? Fill out the interest form here.

Ronald McDonald House’s Home for the Holidays Program 
Ronald McDonald House (1907 Holcombe Blvd.) provides a “home away from home” for families whose children are being treated at the Texas Medical Center. RMH’s Home for the Holidays program includes multiple ways to give to families being served at RMH.  Holiday Market: In the weeks before Christmas, families “shop” RMH’s market and choose gifts for their family members at no cost. Over 100 families visit during the first week! Our elves wrap the gifts and deliver directly to each family’s door on Christmas morning! Donations needed on or before Dec. 6, 2023. Items must be new, unwrapped, and in the original packaging. See the wishlists and more information here. Or send cards through their Holiday Card program. Contact: 713-795-3500 or [email protected]  

The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program provides Christmas gifts to disadvantaged children in Houston. Select and support an Angel by Dec. 8.

Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program 
The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program provides Christmas gifts to disadvantaged children in our area. Houstonians can select Angels, purchase gifts in person or online, and return them to The Salvation Army by Dec. 8. Online gift registries are available through Walmart, Amazon, and Target. To adopt online, visit virtualangel.org from now until Friday, Dec. 8. The average amount a donor spends on gifts is $75 per angel.  

Star of Hope
Star of Hope serves homeless individuals and families every day, helping with immediate and longer-term needs. Visit their Urgent and Ongoing Needs to learn about our current needs for clothing, supplies, food, and other items. For questions concerning specific items you would like to donate send an email to [email protected]. Donations can be brought to: Donation and Distribution Center, 2320 Lamar, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Contact: 713-748-0700 or [email protected].

The West University Place Fire Department supports the Toys for Tots campaign each year. Donate new, unwrapped toys by Dec. 9 to one of the West U collection points. Pictured (from left) are Andrew Whitener, Aaron Rosenfield, Dustin Gibson, Preston Elder, and Cassie Durrett.

West U Fire Department’s Toy Drive for Toys for Tots 
The West University Place Fire Department supports the Toys for Tots campaign each year. If you’d like to participate, donate new, unwrapped toys at one of the collection points: West U Fire Station, West U City Hall, West U Rec Center, or West U Community Building. Donations must be received by Dec. 9. 

More Opportunities to Give Back
We'll update this list as we hear of more opportunities. If you know of an opportunity to help this holiday season, comment below or contact us here.