Home » Volunteer
Be one of the 500 volunteers that give life to the mission of El Buen!
We offer a variety of volunteer opportunities to accommodate all who are interested in devoting time and energy to our mission. From high school students to retired seniors, we welcome volunteers from all walks of life and do our best to find the perfect placement for everyone.
For further information regarding volunteer opportunities, contact Claudia Arniella.
You don’t speak Spanish?
While many of our clients are native Spanish speakers, we do not require Spanish skills from all our volunteers. Our entire staff is bilingual in English and Spanish, and therefore can offer language support to our volunteers as needed. However, some volunteer opportunities do require an intermediate mastery of the Spanish language.
Cultural sensitivity:
Our mission is to serve working-poor Hispanic families; therefore, cultural and socioeconomic sensitivity is needed from all volunteers. We hope that every volunteer who contributes to our efforts will share our passion for helping underprivileged families.
Volunteer opportunities
With the exception of food pantry volunteers, all long-term volunteers of El Buen are required to take a three-hour training session on the prevention of sexual abuse in children conducted by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. For information on scheduled training sessions and registration, click here. For more information, refer to El Buen’s Volunteer Handbook.
(Volunteers must be 12 years of age and older. Volunteers between 12 and 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.)
Food Pantry volunteers prepare the food for distribution, clean and prep the food pantry, assist clients with their food to their cars and assist food pantry staff. No experience necessary.
Days: Monday 9:45-12 p.m., 1-3 p.m.
Tuesday 8:45-12 p.m., 1-3 p.m.
Wednesday 8:45-12 p.m., 1-3 p.m.
Thursday 8:45-12 p.m.
Time commitment: Two hours per week
Child Learning Center teaching assistants help the teaching staff with program activities for children six months to five years of age. No experience necessary.
Days: Monday 9-11:30 a.m., 7-8:30 p.m.
Tuesday 9-11:30 a.m., 7-8:30 p.m.
Wednesday 9-11:30 a.m., 7-8:30 p.m.
Thursday 9-11:30 a.m., 7-8:30 p.m.
Friday 9-11:30 a.m.
Time commitment: A minimum of two hours per week
Adult Education Program volunteer instructors and teaching assistants impart a variety of classes, such as English as a Second Language, GED Preparation, Computer Literacy Skills, Adult Basic Education and Citizenship. El Buen supplies volunteers with materials, a curriculum and lesson-planning support. Duties include assisting with class registration, following a set curriculum, working closely with other team instructors, and administering and grading examinations. No experience necessary.
Days: Monday 9-11:30 a.m., 7-8:30p.m.
Tuesday 9-11:30 a.m., 7-8:30 p.m.
Wednesday 9-11:30 a.m., 7-8:30 p.m.
Thursday 9-11:30 a.m., 7-8:30 p.m.
Friday 9-11:30 a.m.
Time commitment: A minimum of two hours per week
Reading Buddies Program assistants work with groups of about 5-25 participants six to 12 years of age. El Buen supplies volunteers with materials, a curriculum and lesson-planning support. No experience necessary.
Days: Monday 9-11:15a.m.
Tuesday 9-11:15a.m.
Wednesday 9-11:15a.m.
Thursday 9-11:15a.m.
Friday 9-11:15a.m.
Time commitment: A minimum of two hours per week
Would you like to volunteer but have a tight schedule? Check out our short-term volunteer opportunities below.
Note: Volunteers must be 12 years of age and older. Volunteers between 12 and 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Holiday Event Preparation
In preparation for El Buen’s Hands for Hope Thanksgiving Event and Christmas Toy Giveaway, El Buen needs volunteers to help register 1,000 families for a turkey and Thanksgiving ingredients and 500 children of low-income families for Christmas presents. Only bilingual (Spanish and English) volunteers.
Date: TBA
Volunteer Shifts: TBA
Hands for Hope Thanksgiving Basket Event
El Buen’s Hands for Hope Thanksgiving Basket Event will need the assistance of 30 volunteers to distribute turkeys to recipient families.
Date: TBA
Volunteer Shifts: TBA
Present-wrapping for Christmas Toy Giveaway
In preparation for El Buen’s 2009 Christmas Toy Giveaway, volunteers will wrap toys and assemble family bags with presents.
Date: TBA
Volunteer Shifts: TBA
Christmas Toy Giveaway
Volunteers will hand out present bags to all the recipient families of El Buen’s 2009 Christmas Toy Giveaway.
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
El Buen’s Child Learning Center welcomes volunteer groups of up to 10 people to read to its youngest learners, help them make arts and crafts, sing Christmas carols or perform a play for them.
