On Tuesday, Dec. 3, communities across the country will rally together for Giving Tuesday, the global day of generosity that encourages people to support the organizations doing the hard, everyday work of strengthening neighborhoods. Here in the Heights, Garden Oaks, and Oak Forest, dozens of nonprofits are transforming lives—feeding families, rescuing animals, supporting students, empowering vulnerable neighbors, preserving local history, expanding arts access, and much more.
To help residents give back in meaningful, local ways, The Leader has compiled a guide to community-rooted nonprofits serving our readership area and beyond. Whether you’re looking to donate, volunteer, adopt, mentor, sponsor, or spread the word, these organizations represent opportunities to make an immediate and lasting difference.
(Listed in alphabetical order)
Avenue CDC
Mission: Builds affordable housing, strengthens local neighborhoods, and advocates for equitable development across Houston.
Website: https://www.avenuecdc.org
BakerRipley
Mission: Offers youth programming, economic empowerment, small business support, tax assistance, and community centers throughout Houston.
Website: https://www.bakerripley.org
BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions
Mission: Houston’s municipal animal shelter, rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming thousands of pets each year.
Website: http://www.houstontx.gov/barc
BEAR (BE A Resource)
Mission: Supports children under CPS care by providing clothing, diapers, emergency essentials, and holiday gifts. Their programs ensure vulnerable youth receive comfort and stability during crisis.
Website:Â www.bearesourcehouston.org
Buffalo Soldiers National Museum
Mission: Preserves the legacy of African American soldiers through exhibits, tours, and education programs.
Website: https://buffalosoldiersmuseum.org
CanCare
Mission: Provides one-on-one emotional support for cancer patients and caregivers through trained survivor volunteers.
Website: https://www.cancare.org
Career and Recovery Resources, Inc.
Mission: Helps individuals overcome addiction, unemployment, and homelessness through counseling, job readiness training, and recovery programs.
Website: https://www.careerandrecovery.org
C-STEM (Communication, Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
Mission: Engages underserved youth through robotics, engineering, and creative STEM programs that build critical thinking and confidence.
Website: https://www.cstem.org
CYCLE Houston
Mission: Provides new bicycles to students who meet academic goals, motivating children to improve performance in school. Each year, volunteers assemble and deliver thousands of bikes to students across the city.
Website: www.cyclehouston.org
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Fresh Arts
Mission: Strengthens Houston’s artist community through workshops, fiscal sponsorship, and career-building resources.
Website: https://www.fresharts.org
Friends For Life Animal Shelter
Mission: A no-kill shelter focused on innovative animal welfare programs, lifesaving medical care, and community pet support.
Website: https://friends4life.org
Houston Audubon
Mission: Protects birds and their habitats through conservation, land stewardship, and education programs.
Website: https://houstonaudubon.org
Houston Diaper Bank
Mission: Supports families experiencing poverty by providing diapers, period products, and incontinence supplies.
Website: https://houstondiaperbank.org
Houston Food Bank
Mission: The largest food bank in the U.S., distributing food to hunger relief partners across 18 counties.
Website: https://houstonfoodbank.org
Houston Humane Society
Mission: Provides pet adoptions, low-cost vet care, cruelty investigations, and wildlife rehabilitation.
Website: https://www.houstonhumane.org
Houston Junior Forum
Mission: A 78-year-old volunteer-led nonprofit providing early childhood education, senior services, and community assistance programs.
Website: https://houstonjuniorforum.org
Houston Land Bank
Mission: Expands access to affordable housing by transforming vacant parcels into quality homes for underinvested neighborhoods.
Website: https://www.houstonlandbank.org
Kids’ MealsÂ
Mission: Delivers free, healthy meals directly to the homes of preschool-aged children facing food insecurity.
Website: https://kidsmealshouston.org
Memorial Assistance Ministries (MAM)
Mission: Offers rent assistance, job training, resale stores, and stability programs for families in crisis.
Website: https://www.mamhouston.org
Rescue America
Mission: Operates a 24/7 hotline and safe extraction program for survivors of sex trafficking.
Website: https://rescueamerica.ngo
Target Hunger
Mission: Serving Northeast Houston neighborhoods—including many Leader-area ZIP codes—Target Hunger provides food pantries, mobile distributions, community gardens, and home delivery to seniors.
Website:Â www.targethunger.org
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The Rose
Mission: Provides breast health care—including mammograms—for uninsured and underinsured women.
Website: https://www.therose.org
SEARCH Homeless Services
Mission: Connects unhoused individuals with housing, healthcare, job support, and case management.
Website: https://www.SEARCHhomeless.org
Second Servings
Mission: Houston’s only prepared-food rescue organization, redirecting surplus meals to shelters and pantries.
Website: https://secondservingshouston.org
The Beacon
Mission: Provides meals, laundry services, showers, case management, and legal aid for people experiencing homelessness.
Website: https://www.beaconhomeless.org
The Council on Recovery
Mission: Offers substance use treatment, prevention, and family support services.
Website: https://www.councilonrecovery.org
Undies for Everyone
Mission: Supplies underwear—a basic but often overlooked need—to children in crisis.
Website: https://www.undiesforeveryone.org
Wesley Community Center
Mission: Offers early childhood education, food assistance, senior support, and financial programs.
Website: https://wesleyhousehouston.org
West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM)
Mission: Provides essentials like food, rent assistance, employment services, and crisis support.
Website: https://www.whamministries.org
Women’s Home
Mission: Supports women experiencing homelessness, addiction, or mental health challenges with long-term residential care and vocational support.
Website: https://www.thewomenshome.org
Giving Tuesday isn’t just a global movement—it’s a reminder that local impact matters most. Every dollar donated to neighborhood nonprofits returns as meals on tables, pets rescued, teens supported, artists funded, housing created, and vital programs delivered where they are needed most.Â
Even a small gift can:
✔ Keep a family in their home
✔ Feed a child
✔ Support an emerging artist
✔ Provide a mammogram
✔ Rescue an abandoned pet
✔ Help a student discover STEM
✔ Support a survivor in crisis
This list is by no means comprehensive. There are hundreds of nonprofit organizations in the area that work daily to improve and support area communities. This year, consider choosing at least one local nonprofit that aligns with your values and making a donation—even $10 helps.