Waco has one of the most active volunteer ecosystems in Central Texas. Below is the most complete directory we've put together — 35 organizations across every category, with links, phone numbers, and the details you need to actually show up. Know an org we missed? Reply to this email.
🥫 Food & Basic Needs
Shepherd's Heart Food Pantry
205 S 26th St — shepherdsheartpantry.org
2024: 4.8 million lbs of food. 73,000+ families. 30,000+ senior grocery deliveries. All by volunteers.
One of the most active food ministries in Central Texas. Volunteers package food Mon–Fri and deliver groceries to homebound seniors. No experience needed — just show up.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-722-9517
Caritas of Waco
300 S 15th St — caritas-waco.org
Food assistance, case management, and veteran support. Volunteers stock shelves, assist clients, and support mobile food distributions. Teens 15+ welcome with a chaperone.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-753-4593
Meals on Wheels Waco
McLennan, Falls & Hill Counties — mealsonwheelswaco.org
For many seniors on the route, a Meals on Wheels volunteer is the only person they see that day. Weekday route drivers and kitchen helpers both needed.
Volunteer info →
The Salvation Army Waco
300 Webster Ave — southernusa.salvationarmy.org/waco
Emergency shelter, Community Kitchen, thrift store, Red Kettle ringing, and the Angel Tree program. Year-round needs. Corporate groups especially welcome.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-756-7271
🏠 Housing & Neighborhood
Waco Habitat for Humanity
220 N 11th St — wacohabitat.org
Build homes, build ramps, work the ReStore. You work alongside the actual family moving in. No experience needed. Ages 16+.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-756-7575
Creekside Community Village
3810 S University Parks Dr — missionwaco.org/creekside
346 tiny homes planned. 15% reserved for veterans. City committed $995K. First residents moved in spring 2026.
Mission Waco's tiny-home community for people exiting homelessness. Skilled laborers, general volunteers, and donors all welcome as the build continues.
Volunteer & donate →
Keep Waco Beautiful
510 Austin Ave — keepwacobeautiful.org
2025 Governor's Community Achievement Award winner. Every volunteer hour generates $33.49 in economic impact.
45+ years of beautification projects behind Waco landmarks. Event-based clean-ups and planting projects, great for corporate teams.
Volunteer info →
📚 Youth & Mentorship
Mission Waco
1315 N 15th St — missionwaco.org
Tutoring, mentoring, youth centers, arts, and urban revitalization in Waco's most under-resourced neighborhoods. Background check ($5) and orientation required.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-753-4900 ext. 230
CASA of McLennan County
1208 N 5th St — casaforeverychild.org
700+ kids in McLennan County foster care. About 80 active CASA volunteers. Every new volunteer matters.
Court Appointed Special Advocates speak up for children in the foster care system. Must be 21+, pass a background check, and complete training.
Become a CASA →
📞 254-304-7982
Isaiah 117 House — McLennan County
Waco (address private for security) — isaiah117house.com
Opened June 2024. Over 500 children served on removal day in year one.
When CPS removes a child from their home, they now come here instead of waiting in an office. Volunteer caregivers, donation sorters, yard care, event helpers, and caseworker appreciation roles all available.
Get involved →
The Cove Waco
524 W Waco Dr, Suite B — thecovewaco.org
80% high school graduation rate for youth served in 2025. National average for homeless youth: 68%.
After-school teen nurturing center for Waco youth ages 14–18 experiencing homelessness. Volunteers serve as tutors, mentors, and meal providers. Application and background check required.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-224-6095
Mentoring Alliance Greater Waco
2700 N 21st St — thementoringalliance.com/waco
800+ Waco-area kids in after-school programs. 37 weeks a year, Monday through Friday.
After-school programs at Waco and Robinson ISD campuses, summer camps, and one-on-one Mentor Connect. Faith-centered. Background check required.
Volunteer info →
STARS Book Clubs
505 N 20th St — starsbookclubs.com
69% of Waco students aren't reading on grade level. A child not reading by 3rd grade is 4x less likely to graduate.
30-minute weekly reading sessions with elementary students during lunch. Church-partnered, citywide. No teaching background needed — just consistency and encouragement.
Volunteer info →
Big Brothers Big Sisters
McLennan County — bbbstexas.org
Spend a few hours a month with a Waco kid who needs a consistent adult in their corner. Matched by shared interests. Background check and training required.
Volunteer info →
Talitha Koum Institute
talithakoum.org
Therapeutic, relationship-based care for young children in poverty. Volunteers become mentors who walk with a child from kindergarten through college. As little as 1 hr/week or biweekly.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-753-1144
Boys & Girls Club of Waco
Joe Troy Brownfield Memorial Branch, N 21st St
After-school and summer programs for youth ages 6–18. Full gym, game room, craft room. Volunteers help with homework, coaching, mentoring, and activities.
📞 254-752-6443
Communities in Schools
Waco ISD campuses — ciswaco.org
One hour a week, one-on-one mentoring directly inside Waco ISD schools. No teaching degree needed — just showing up consistently is the whole point.
Volunteer info →
Waco Center for Youth (VSC)
wacovsc.org
The VSC raises funds and organizes volunteer support for Waco Center for Youth, a state psychiatric facility serving teens ages 13–17. A meaningful, less-visible corner of Waco's youth services network.
Learn more →
🐾 Animals
Fuzzy Friends Rescue
fuzzyfriendsrescue.com
Since 1997, 10,000+ animals saved. Walk dogs, socialize cats, help at adoption events, or foster. Nike the dog also visits elementary schools so kids can practice reading to her. Ages 18+.
Volunteer info →
Humane Society of Central Texas
wacohumanesociety.com
Free orientation every Wednesday at 4 PM — that's your starting point. Weekly shelter shifts: animal care, grooming, and socialization.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-754-1454
🌿 Environment & Nature
World Hunger Relief Farm
356 Spring Lake Rd — worldhungerrelief.org
A 40-acre working farm operating since 1976. Volunteers pull weeds, turn compost, care for livestock, and plant crops. Farm Partner program for deeper ongoing involvement. Live-in option available.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-799-5611
Cameron Park Zoo
1701 N 4th St — cameronparkzoo.com
Animal education, conservation, and guest engagement at Waco's 52-acre zoo on the Brazos. Zoo Crew is their summer teen volunteer program for high schoolers.
Volunteer info →
Lake Waco Wetlands
City of Waco
Habitat restoration, invasive species removal, and environmental education workdays at the wetlands along Lake Waco. All training provided on-site. Great for groups.
Volunteer info →
💛 Women, Families & Pregnancy Support
Care Net Pregnancy Center of Central Texas
7110 Sanger Ave (Medical) & 800 W Waco Dr (Support) — carenetcentraltexas.com
Free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counseling, diapers, formula, parenting classes (with childcare and a full meal), and case management. All services free since 1984. Volunteer counselors, instructors, and peer support. Training required.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-772-6175
Lovely Village
Ministry of Jesus Said Love — jesussaidlove.org
Nearly 20 years walking alongside women in Waco rebuilding after exploitation and trauma. Safe housing, steady employment, and a community that believes in second chances. Reach out directly for current needs.
Learn more →
Family Abuse Center
familyabusecenter.org
McLennan County's primary resource for survivors of domestic violence. Emergency shelter, legal advocacy, and counseling. Volunteer roles in office support, thrift store, and events. Orientation required.
Volunteer info →
📞 800-283-8401
🧓 Seniors & Independent Living
Friends for Life
5000 Lakewood Dr — friendsforlife.org
Founded in Waco in 1989. Volunteers grocery shop, run errands, drive seniors to appointments, make minor home repairs, call homebound seniors weekly, and read to those who are visually impaired. All ages welcome. Biggest volunteer pushes at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-772-7600
⚖️ Justice & Advocacy
Unbound Now Waco
4300 W Waco Dr, Ste 2 — unboundnow.org/waco
Texas has the 2nd highest number of human trafficking cases in the US. Unbound Now was founded right here in Waco in 2012.
Fighting human trafficking through outreach, training, youth prevention, and survivor services. Volunteer roles include outreach events, the annual Light Up the Dark 5K, and community training teams. Ages 18+, background check required.
Volunteer info →
Mobilize Waco
mobilizewaco.org
A disability justice coalition making Waco more accessible for everyone. Monthly Action Team meetings, Grandy's Stash (donated medical equipment delivery), and infrastructure advocacy. Volunteers join the Action Team or help at events.
Volunteer info →
🎨 Arts & Inclusion
Creative Waco
creativewaco.org
The nonprofit arts development agency for Waco and McLennan County. Volunteer at events, support local artists through the Culturalyst platform, and help champion arts and culture as a driver of Waco's future.
Get involved →
Waco Arts Initiative
wacoartsinitiative.org
One hour a week, one semester, mentoring an elementary student in music, theater, or visual arts. Background check required. Mon (Visual Art), Wed (Theatre), Fri (Visual Art & Music).
Volunteer info →
REACH Therapeutic Riding Center
McGregor (near Waco) — reachtrc.org
Horseback riding as therapy for people with physical, developmental, and emotional disabilities — including veterans with PTSD. Volunteer as horse leader, sidewalker, or stable hand. No horse experience needed. Ages 14+.
Volunteer info →
📞 254-848-7888
🤝 Community Connectors
United Way of Waco–McLennan County
unitedwaywaco.org
$1 million in grants to 27 local nonprofits in 2025. Over 100 years of community investment in McLennan County.
Waco's anchor connector organization. If you're not sure where to plug in, this is a great first call. They connect volunteers with causes across health, education, financial stability, and safety net services.
Get involved →
📞 254-313-3480
Startup Waco
605 Austin Ave — startupwaco.com
Waco's nonprofit entrepreneurial hub. If you have business, legal, marketing, or finance experience, their mentor program is how you give back. Weekly Meetup every Tuesday is free and open to all.
Get involved →
Prosper Waco
prosperwaco.org
Coordinates dozens of organizations working on education, health, and financial wellness for Waco families. A useful hub for understanding the big-picture landscape and finding where you fit.
Learn more →
⛪ Local Churches
Waco's churches are arguably the single largest volunteer force in the city. Many of the organizations in this guide — STARS Book Clubs, Shepherd's Heart, Mission Waco, Mentoring Alliance, Lovely Village, Unbound Now — were founded by or operate primarily through local congregations.
If you attend a church in Waco, the best first step is simple: ask your church what they're doing in the community and how you can plug in. Most congregations have food pantry partnerships, school mentoring programs, or outreach you can join immediately.
If your church runs organized volunteer programs worth highlighting here, reply to this email and tell us about them.
If you attend a church in Waco, the best first step is simple: ask your church what they're doing in the community and how you can plug in. Most congregations have food pantry partnerships, school mentoring programs, or outreach you can join immediately.
If your church runs organized volunteer programs worth highlighting here, reply to this email and tell us about them.
🔍 Find Even More
MCC Highlanders for Community — 25+ organizations with contact info and role descriptions. The most thorough local volunteer database. Browse all →
Act Locally Waco — Covers Waco's nonprofit scene and regularly posts volunteer opportunities. actlocallywaco.org →
AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP (55+) — Matches volunteers 55+ with 50+ Heart of Texas partner organizations on your schedule. Based at MCC. Learn more →
Dial 2-1-1 — United Way's 24/7 helpline to connect with local services and resources. Also useful for finding the right volunteer fit.
Act Locally Waco — Covers Waco's nonprofit scene and regularly posts volunteer opportunities. actlocallywaco.org →
AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP (55+) — Matches volunteers 55+ with 50+ Heart of Texas partner organizations on your schedule. Based at MCC. Learn more →
Dial 2-1-1 — United Way's 24/7 helpline to connect with local services and resources. Also useful for finding the right volunteer fit.