by Melody Landeros

Created on: June 13, 2009   Last Updated: August 13, 2009

Texans, especially Austinites are staunch supporters of community service. Volunteering to help through community organizations, disasters, or to help a neighbor, Austinites are always eager with a warm smile and an extra hand. Volunteering in Austin is easy and gives everyone a sense of pride in the community.

Children hold a special place in Austinites hearts for community involvement. Whether the programs are literacy, after school activities or countless other programs or projects, volunteers are needed and appreciated. One special program many Austinites volunteer for is the CASA program, Texas Court Appointed Advocates that provide children safe and secure environments. These children have been neglected or abused and many Austinites speak out loudly for these children, when the children cannot.

Animal lovers are volunteering for places such as Paws of Austin and Small Change. Animal shelters are filled with animals needing care, a hug and a new home. Providing foster care for those tiny animals or animals that need a home is an excellent cause. Volunteering at animal shelters ensures animals receive proper care and attention that may not always be in a large supply depending on the number of animals and size of staff.

Senior Citizens care needs volunteers, young and old. Programs such as Meals on Wheels ensure that Senior Citizens receive hot meals and warm attention by their meal delivery people. Senior Citizen centers always need volunteers as well as rest homes to come in and provide company, entertainment, care and simple affection for Austin's oldest residents.

Volunteers with a green thumb will find a place in Austin as well. Becoming a member of Citizen Gardener has attracted many people to this program. Citizen gardener allows a volunteer to be trained on basic food growing and to volunteer to maintain and harvest gardens and farms. In exchange, the volunteer will receive a portion of the food harvested. Here is an opportunity to plant and harvest food and encourage more local produce.

Austinites take pride in the appearance of their community. With many beautiful creeks, lakes and parks. Volunteers are needed to keep these areas clean and beautiful. The Clean Creek program organizes volunteers to clean creeks inundated with trash and debris after storms. With the program Keep Austin Beautiful, any person can organize a clean up activity for a park or area close to their homes.

Events such as South by Southwest and Austin City Limits, as well as countless smaller music or arts festivals always seek, volunteers. Volunteers become a part of these events while enjoying the music and arts. Every event has countless activities needing an extra hand and smile, and Austinites have an endless supply of both.

Austinites love their city and many volunteering programs are available to attract the volunteer in all of them. Although only a handful of suggestions have been mentioned, the list is endless for volunteers. Volunteers are needed for literacy, blood drives, parks, museums, libraries, hospices, homeless shelters, and many more places and causes. Anyone seeking to volunteer can find a cause or activity that fits an interest, skill or belief. Austinites always have room and a welcoming smile for another volunteer.

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