6 San Antonio Community Service & Charity Organizations To Volunteer With
San Antonio, Texas, has plenty of fun attractions and charities that help support the community. If you want to help others and meet some new people, consider volunteering at one of the many organizations in the area. Here are some of the places where you can donate your time in San Antonio.
Briscoe Western Art Museum
The Briscoe Western Art Museum helps people learn about the history of the West and Western art. The building was San Antonio’s public library in the 1930s, and there’s still a branch of the San Antonio Public Library on the first floor. Outside, the McNutt Sculpture Garden has a variety of bronze sculptures with a Western theme. The organization often hosts art sales for local artists, and it’s next to the San Antonio River Walk. Volunteers can help with office work, customer service, sales at the museum store, special events, and more.
If you’re interested in Western art and history, you can sign up for the docent training program. Docents act as tour guides, helping others learn about the exhibits, the history and culture of San Antonio and the rest of the West. Becoming a docent is a great way to meet others with similar interests as well.
Location: 210 West Market St., San Antonio, TX 78205
Hours: Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Taking It to the Streets
Taking It to the Streets helps feed homeless people every Saturday night. You can sign up to help shop for the nightly meal, prepare it, or help serve it. Many groups from other organizations help alongside individual volunteers. Taking It to the Streets serves about 250 men and women every week. Along with a hot meal, they offer friendship and a sense of community to people who are struggling.
Location: 724 Chestnut St., San Antonio, TX, 78202
Hours: Volunteers should arrive on Saturdays between 5:30 and 5:45 p.m. The meals usually finish around 8:30 p.m.
San Antonio Pets Alive!
Kittens by Jennifer C. is licensed with CC BY 2.0
San Antonio Pets Alive! started in 2011, and it saves about 5,000 dogs and cats from euthanasia every year. You can help this organization save more lives by adopting a pet or being a foster parent. Pets Alive! is one of only three shelters in Texas that accepts puppies with parvovirus.
Many of the animals that Pets Alive! accept need medical attention, and you can volunteer to help with routine procedures like grooming, playing with the animals, bathing them, training them, and taking care of other tasks. To get involved, you can apply for a volunteer orientation class. If you want to interact with dogs, you’ll need to take a dog handling class as well. People can also complete their court-appointed community service hours with approval from the Volunteer Coordinator.
Locations: 4710 Highway 151, San Antonio, TX 78227; 6001 NW Loop 410, Suite 103, San Antonio, TX 78238; and 9107 Marbach Rd., Suite 109, San Antonio, TX 78245
Hours: The Rescue Center on Highway 151 is open from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The Petco Love Adoption Center on NW Loop 410 is open every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the Medical Care Center on Marbach Road is open from noon to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from noon to 4 p.m. on weekends. People can do court-appointed community service between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
United Way
United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County helps mentor young people, prepare food for people in need, spend time with senior citizens, and more. You can deliver meals, drive people who don’t have other transportation to doctors’ appointments and other errands, read to first- through third-graders, and put together literacy kits for families who need help improving their kids’ reading skills. This organization runs many different programs, and the volunteer opportunities available often change.
Location: 700 South Alamo St., San Antonio, TX 78205
Hours: Weekdays from 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
San Antonio Parks
There are more than 250 parks in San Antonio, where there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer. You can help with gardening and landscaping, educate visitors about dog park safety and etiquette, or become a Trail Watch volunteer who answers questions and monitors vandalism while visiting local parks. You can also donate to one of the many Little Free Libraries in the area and make sure that these places are organized and welcoming for users.
The Cemetery Steward program is open to people aged 15 and older. You can keep the area’s cemeteries looking beautiful and help people search for historical records at the San Antonio Public Library. Volunteers are welcome to teach Fitness in the Park classes as well.
Location: You can volunteer at parks and other facilities throughout the city.
Hours: Most San Antonio parks are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The San Antonio Botanical Garden
People aged 14 and older can volunteer at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. You can help educate visitors, learn about horticulture and gardening, help care for plants, and teach kids. Internships are available in horticulture, marketing, and education. Corporate groups are welcome as well. Volunteers get free admission to many lectures and classes, an invitation to the annual volunteer-recognition picnic, and a 20% discount at the Garden Gift Shop on the days you help out.
Location: 555 Funson Place, San Antonio, TX 78209
Hours: You can visit March through October from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. most days, and closing is at 9 p.m. on Thursdays. From November through February, the Botanical Gardens are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
These are just some of the excellent places where you can volunteer in the San Antonio area. Contact us at South Park Nissan and let us know where you enjoy donating your time most. You can use your talents to help others, meet new people, and gain valuable work experience. We give to many charities in the area.