With summertime comes relaxation and fun. However, instead of binge-watching another TV show, spend time helping the town through community service.
Any community requires individuals’ help in order to thrive. With a simple application, students can lend a hand and assist the following organizations and businesses.
PAWS Shelter
Kyle is home to a non-profit animal shelter that houses and cares for animals in Central Texas with a no-kill policy. PAWS Shelter needs volunteers for a variety of jobs like dog walking, transporting animals, fundraising or sponsoring events that promote adoptions and recruits volunteers.
Applications are accepted year-round. An application and orientation are required in order to volunteer.
Daiza Fogle, PAWS volunteer, has been walking dogs for over a year.
“The PAWS staff really appreciates their volunteers and spoil us,” Fogle said. “Volunteers are important because there is always something to be done at PAWS. There’s always an animal to give attention to and love.”
To learn more about volunteering at PAWS visit their website.
Hays County Food Bank
With a mission to create a well-nourished community, the Hays County Food Bank provides food and nutritional education to those in need.
According to Feeding America’s national study, one in seven Hays County residents are food insecure. Therefore, demand for volunteers at the Hays County Food Bank is essential for working in the warehouse, transporting food or harvesting at local farms that donate a portion to the food bank.
Volunteers typically take on four-hour shifts and need to apply online and read the orientation manual.
Mallory Best, Hays County Food Bank communications coordinator, said the staff makes a welcoming environment for its volunteers.
“Volunteers are the majority of our work force,” Best said. “We rely on students a lot to volunteer and in the summer we lose a lot of our volunteer base.”
Applications and more information is available online.
Keep San Marcos Beautiful 
Committed to maintaining and improving the environment of San Marcos, Keep San Marcos Beautiful members organize litter clean ups and environmental education.
On the first Saturday of every month, Keep San Marcos Beautiful hosts a hot spot cleanup where the Habitat Conservation Plan recommends an area in the city in need of a cleanup.
Amy Kirwin, Community Enhancement Initiatives Manager, keeps in touch with volunteers to reminds them when a cleanup is.
“Because it is litter cleanup, volunteers get a short explanation of why they were doing it,” Kirwin said. “We talk about the environmental impacts of litter on the river and on the wildlife in the river.”
In order to get involved, more information can be found on their website.
San Marcos Public Library 
Volunteer opportunities at the San Marcos Public Library include computer class instructors and daycare story-time readers.
Computer class instructors teach computer and Microsoft basics on Wednesday’s at different times throughout the day. Daycare story-time readers work with three and four-year-old children in the library’s childcare center.
For application information on volunteering at the library go to online.
Volunteering is more than just a resume builder. It helps the community in different ways. More volunteer options can be found online.