THIS IS AUSTIN

Volunteer opportunites

Local organizations offer a variety of ways for residents to get involved in the community. Whatever interests you have — animals, children, education, the environment, health or seniors — there's a volunteer opportunity for you.

Animals

Animal Trustees of Austin — Make surgical appointments and confirmation calls, answer general questions, help with animal pick-ups and assist at fast-paced spay/neuter and wellness clinics. 450-0111, www.animaltrustees.org.

Austin Humane Society —Help care for animals, foster an animal or assist staff members. 124 W. Anderson Lane. 646-7387, www.austinhumanesociety.org.

Austin Pets Alive! — Assist with off-site adoptions, dog behavior training, dog and cat foster homes, foster coordinators, fundraising, marketing, public relations, help line and transporting pets. www.austinpetsalive.org.

Elgin Humane Society — Care for animals, help with adoptions and special events and perform office duties. 725 W. Cleveland St., Elgin. (512) 285-9636, www.elginhumanesociety.com.

Georgetown Animal Services — Adults help with off-site adoptions, care for animals, assist staff with visitors and walk, groom and bathe dogs. 110 W.L. Walden Drive, Georgetown. (512) 930-3592, www.georgetown.org/departments/animalservices/.

Lifelong Friends Pet Adoptions — Help with dog and cat care-giving, adoption events, administrative activities, public relations/fundraising and pet socialization or provide foster homes for pets. 20803 RM 1431, Lago Vista. (512) 267-6876, www.lifelongfriends.org.

Town Lake Animal Center — Provide socialization interaction for animals in adoption, assist customers at the reception area, provide educational information on responsible pet ownership at event booths. 1156 W. Cesar Chavez St. 311, www.ci.austin.tx.us/tlac.

Thundering Paws Animal Sanctuary — Help with cleaning, feeding and socializing animals, adoption events, collecting donations, maintenance, landscaping and more. In Dripping Springs. (512) 402-9725, www.thunderingpaws.org.

Children/youths

Any Baby Can Child and Family Resource Center — Assist families in the 'Family Literacy' program. 1121 E. Seventh St. 454-3743, www.abcaus.org.

Arrow Child and Family Ministries — 231 E. Main St., Round Rock. 388-2400, www.arrow.org.

Big Brothers Big Sisters — Adults mentor children ages 6 to 15. 1400 Tillery St. 472-5437, www.bbbscentraltx.org.

Center for Child Protection — Help greet children and families, assist in the distribution of information packets, educate families about the court process, assist pediatricians, shop for supplies, provide child care, perform administrative activities, assist with center upkeep and more. 8509 FM 969, Building 2. 472-1164, www.centerforchildprotection.org.

Court Appointed Special Advocates —Serve as a child's voice in court cases that involve the child's removal from a home due to abuse and neglect. 6330 U.S. 290 E., Suite 350. 459-2272, www.casatravis.org.

Easter Seals-Central Texas — Perform administrative duties, help with community outreach activities, assist therapists in treatment of clients, help translate for families and therapists and help with other specialized projects. 1611 Headway Circle, Building 2. 478-2581, www.centraltx.easterseals.com.

Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin — Help with office work and with pasteurizing donations of surplus milk from healthy breast-feeding women. 900 E. 30th St., Suite 214. 494-0800, www.milkbank.org.

Neighborhood Conference Committee — Serve as a committee member and maintain direct involvement with youths ages 10 to 16 who have committed misdemeanor offenses. 100 Interstate 35 N. 854-4580.

Austin Child Guidance Center — Play Leader volunteers supervise and interact with children in the waiting area providing a fun, structured, safe and friendly environment for children. 810 W. 45th St. 451-2242, www.austinchildguidance.org.

SafePlace — Provide assistance to families and shelter, help as hospital and legal advocates, speak publicly, teach and tutor various subjects, foster client's pets and more. 267-7233, www.austin-safeplace.org.

Taylor Head Start Center —Read books to young children of low-income families, clean facilities, watch children and help prepare meals. 303 Ferguson St., Taylor. 365-1070.

Texas Runaway Hotline — Answer statewide hot line for troubled youths and their families. 929-6877, www.texasrunaway.org.

Texas Youth Commission — Serve as mentors, tutors and advocates and provide religious services to assist youth offenders in rehabilitation. 4900 N. Lamar Blvd. 424-6090, www.tyc.state.tx.us.

Hope Alliance — Help with administrative duties, answer crisis calls, conduct public presentations, work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and more. 1011 Gattis School Road, Suite 106, Round Rock. 255-1212, www.wccc.info/volunteer.html.

Education

Austin Jewish Academy — Work with children, perform clerical duties, serve at special events and work as a mentor. 7300 Hart Lane. 735-8350, www.austinjewishacademy.org.

Austin Museum of Art-Downtown — Help with administrative duties and more. 823 Congress Ave. 495-9224, www.amoa.org.

Austin Museum of Art-Laguna Gloria — Help studio instructors with children's program and volunteer in the school's office. 3809 W. 35th St. 458-8191, ext. 257, www.amoa.org.

Bullock Texas State History Museum — Welcome and assist museum patrons, help with special exhibits and assist with administrative activities or work as a docent or educator. 1800 N. Congress Ave. 936-4634, www.thestoryoftexas.com.

Girlstart — Serve as role model and encourage girls to excel in math, science and technology or assist with landscaping, administrative duties and various other behind-the-scenes activities. 1400 W. Anderson Lane. 916-4775, www.girlstart.org.

Junior Achievement of Central Texas — Volunteers commit five to eight hours over the course of a school semester to teaching the fundamentals of free enterprise. 6001 Westcreek Drive, Unit G. 466-6331, www.jacentex.org.

Literacy Austin — Teach computer literacy and basic literacy, provide technical help, assist with administrative duties, teach English to adults and assist with various maintenance duties. 2222 Rosewood Ave. 478-7323, www.literacyaustin.org.

Literacy Council of Williamson County — Teach basic literacy and English instruction, hold General Educational Development classes and literacy workshops, serve on board of directors, assist with administrative tasks, help with special events or write grants. 1009 N. Georgetown St., Bluebonnet Trails Community MHMR Building, Suite A, Round Rock. 244-8445, www.literacycouncil-wc.org.

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic — Help with all aspects of recording educational materials into computerized formats. 1314 W. 45th St. 323-9390, www.rfbd.org/Texas_Unit.htm.

Texas Memorial Museum — Help with projects and exhibits, work at information desk and guide tours. 2400 Trinity St. 232-5509, www.utexas.edu/tmm.

Women & Their Work — Assist in daily gallery operations for nonprofit art gallery. 1710 Lavaca St. E-mail info@womenandtheirwork.org, call 477-1064 or visit www.womenandtheirwork.org for more information.

Environment/gardening

American Botanical Council —Provide assistance in art, education, gardening and public relations departments. 6200 Manor Road. 926-4900, ext. 114, www.herbalgram.org.

Austin Sierra Club — Assist with variety of administrative and outdoor projects. www.texas.sierraclub.org/austin/volunteer.html.

Central Texas Trail Tamers — Help build, maintain and enhance public hike-and-bike trails. 394-9998, ext. 2, www.trailtamers.org.

Ecology Action — Sort plastics, paper, aluminum, cardboard and glass and assist with various projects. 707 E. Ninth St. 322-0000, www.ecology-action.org.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Help with family programming, work in display gardens, lead tours, work in gift store. 4801 La Crosse Ave. 292-4100, www.wildflower.org.

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve — Give tours, help with trail maintenance and work in office and gift shop. 805 Capital of Texas Highway N. (Loop 360). 327-7622, www.wildbasin.org.

Zilker Botanical Garden — Lead tours, work in gift shop, help with ground maintenance or office work. 2220 Barton Springs Road. 477-1750, www.zilkergarden.org.

Health

American Heart Association — Assist with events and projects. 1700 Rutherford Lane. 433-4000, www.americanheart.org.

Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas —Assist with clinical and nonclinical opportunities. 4900 Mueller Blvd. 324-0161, www.dellchildrens.net.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Lone Star Chapter —Advocacy, Neighbor to Neighbor Community Outreach, events, Austin MS Walk, support group leaders, administrative support. Stone Bridge Plaza 2, 9600 MoPac Blvd. N. (Loop 1), Suite 150. 1-800-344-4867, option 2, www.nmsslonestar.org.

Odyssey HealthCare — Work with terminally ill patients as a companion, assist with administrative work or work on special projects. 4201 W. Parmer Lane, Building C, Suite 100. 310-0214, www.odsyhealth.com.

People's Community Clinic — Help meet health care needs of 11,000 Central Texans by reading stories to children in the waiting room, assisting with medical records, special events and clerical tasks. 2909 Interstate 35 N. 708-3156, www.austinpcc.org/support/volunteer.html.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure — Opportunities in community outreach and supporting the Komen Austin Race for the Cure, special events, fundraising, education, public relations, individual, small and large group opportunities and more. Volunteer@komenaustin.org, 473-0900, www.komenaustin.org.

Miscellaneous

Austin Habitat for Humanity — Construct and deconstruct homes, work in the Restore or provide lunch. 310 Comal St., Suite 100. 472-8788, ext. 106, www.austinhabitat.org.

The Austin Project — Help families with individual and neighborhood improvements. 5221 Ledesma Road. 929-3545, www.theaustinproject.org.

Capital Area Food Bank — Assist with general food bank activities. 8201 S. Congress Ave. 282-2111, www.austinfoodbank.org.

Caring Place — Answer phones, assist in social services or in thrift store or work as cashier. 2000 Railroad St., Georgetown. (512) 869-4735, www.caringplacegeorgetown.com.

Community Partnership for the Homeless — Offers a variety of opportunities from working in the food pantry to fixing houses for veterans. 1503 Interstate 35 S. 469-9130, www.austinhomeless.org.

El Buen Samaritano — Volunteer services in the Child Learning Center, education department, outreach department, in social services or in the Wallace Mallory Clinic. 7000 Woodhue Drive. 439-0700, www.elbuen.org.

Hands on Housing — Skilled and unskilled volunteers rehabilitate homes for elderly and low-income homeowners, perform administrative tasks, assist in community outreach and other duties. Coordinated by the Austin Area Interreligious Ministries. 701 Tillery St., Suite 8. 386-9145, www.aaimaustin.org.

Hill Country Community Ministries — Assist in the clothes closet, food pantry or administrative office, or train to be a substitute caseworker. 1005 Lacy Drive, Leander. (512) 259-0360, www.hccm.org/volunteer.html.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and South Texas — Grant wishes, organize fund-raisers and plan events and celebrations for wish families. 2224 Walsh Tarlton Lane, Suite 200. 329-9474, centralandsouthtexas.wish.org/volunteering.htm.

Meals on Wheels and More — Assist homebound people by delivering meals, grocery shopping, keeping in touch by telephone, taking them to doctor's appointments and providing minor home repairs. 3227 E. Fifth St. 476-6325, www.mealsonwheelsandmore.org.

Next-To-New Consignment — Help with administrative duties, merchandising and special projects for St. David's Episcopal Church resale shop. 5435 Burnet Road. 459-1288, www.next2new.org.

Project Transitions —Help with care-giving in the AIDS hospice, landscaping, merchandising in the consignment store and various administrative duties. 7101-B Woodrow Ave. 454-8646, www.projecttransitions.org/volunteer.shtml.

Round Rock Volunteer Center — Volunteers are placed at nonprofit organizations in Williamson County. Baca Center, 301 W. Bagdad, Building 2, Round Rock. 733-7625, www.volrock.org.

United Way Capital Area — Individuals, families, groups or businesses seeking volunteer work are matched to specific projects. 2000 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 472-6267, www.liveunitedcentraltexas.org/volunteer.