Volunteer to help children and your community this holiday season

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The holidays are here and a number of organizations are looking for volunteers.

City Wide Club - Downtown

City Wide Club is best known for its annual events, including a Christmas Eve feast held at the George R. Brown Convention Center with volunteer shifts available in the morning and afternoon. If you can't attend its annual events, there are many other ways to help, including donating canned foods or home goods or even hosting a food and toy drive benefiting City Wide Club. To register, click here.

Kids Meals, Inc. - Inner Loop

Monday through Friday, volunteers prepare thousands of lunches and then deliver the meals to children enrolled in the program. Outside of the holiday season, the group needs at least 20 volunteers a day. You can imagine how the need increases this time of year. Volunteers at the Garden Oaks Center need to be 8 years of age or older. All volunteers need to sign up ahead of time either online or by emailing volunteer@kidsmealshouston.org.

Star of Hope - West University Place

Help prepare Christmas meals by signing up for a shift this holiday season. If they're all full, there are plenty of other ways to get involved. Star of Hope also operates a shelter where volunteers are needed to prepare food, play games and interact with the residents, as well as working at its donation and distribution center and even writing notes of encouragement for the center's clients. To volunteer, click here.

Citizens for Animal Protection - West Houston

Have animal-loving kids? Volunteer at CAP's animal shelter to care for their furry residents or even consider fostering. CAP volunteers must be at least 14 years old. If CAP is too much of a hike from your home, try reaching out to a shelter near you to see if they have additional needs this holiday season.

Toys For Tots - Various Locations

When families need assistance providing a joy-filled holiday for their children, Toys For Tots steps in with in-kind donations of new toys for kids who otherwise might not receive anything to open on Christmas morning. Your kids can get in the spirit of giving by selecting toys for a child and dropping them off at one of the many collection locations throughout the greater Houston area. Additionally, the entire family can volunteer to sort, wrap, or distribute toys by contacting the Toys For Tots campaign location nearest you.

More opportunities

But you don't have to wait for the holidays to give back to our community. Organizations like Volunteer Match can help you find opportunities to help others year round.