Volunteer Opportunities From: United Way of Greater Baytown Area and Chambers County

Project Lead: Anthony Zamora

At Ashbel Smith Elementary, recess is more than a break—it’s a chance for students to move, play, and grow. With the support of United Way’s Day of Caring volunteers, we’ll transform the blacktop and concrete areas into colorful, purposeful activity zones that encourage healthy, engaging play every day.

Using a mix of stencils and freestyle designs, volunteers will paint games, movement paths, and activity stations that bring energy and creativity to recess. These new markings will help teachers implement Active Recess, a program already supported with training and equipment, ensuring students enjoy structured, fun, and inclusive play opportunities.

Volunteers will:
✔ Paint activity zones on blacktop and concrete surfaces
✔ Use stencils and freestyle designs for a variety of games
✔ Bring color, creativity, and joy to the playground

Where: Ashbel Smith Elementary
Volunteers Needed: 25

Impact: With your help, the playground will become a space that inspires movement, friendship, and healthy habits. Every painted line or design is an invitation for children to laugh, play, and thrive.

The City of Baytown’s EPIC! Spooktacular is back—a fun, non-scary Halloween event for kids with indoor trick-or-treating and games at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center. Volunteers are needed to help clean and set up decorations to transform the space into a festive, family-friendly celebration.

When: Saturday, October 4, 2025

All decorations will be provided—just bring your creativity and teamwork to help set the scene!

Sign up and help make this year’s Spooktacular unforgettable for Baytown families.

Volunteers are welcome to come and go as needed. Whether you have 30 minutes or 3 hours – everyone is welcome!

Project Lead: Jacob Olivo

At Bridgehaven Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), even the parking lot tells a story. When families and partners arrive, their very first impression should reflect the safety, care, and professionalism they’ll experience inside. The Bright Paths Parking Lot Project will restore that welcome by cleaning and refreshing our lot for all who visit.

Sweep and pressure wash the lot to remove debris and buildup

Repaint parking lines, accessibility markers, and traffic guides with bright, high-visibility paint

Where: 2601 N Winfree Street, Dayton, TX 77535
Volunteers Needed: 10

Project Lead: Andrew Eisterhold

Create to Celebrate Courage

Each October, Bay Area Turning Point hosts the Annual Survivors Dinner during Domestic Violence Awareness Month—a powerful evening honoring the courage and resilience of survivors. This year’s event will feature a Western theme, with décor, gifts, and details designed to make every participant feel valued and celebrated.

Volunteer Tasks:

Assemble three centerpiece designs (bandanas, vases, and flowers)

Prepare takeaway gifts (Western-themed bracelets & cow stress balls in velvet bags)

Organize photo booth and balloon materials for installation closer to the event

Help us keep the joy of reading alive! Volunteers will work together to refresh and restock five Little Free Libraries across Baytown—community hubs where families, children, and neighbors gather to discover free books.

Your tasks will include:
Painting and touch-ups to keep libraries bright and welcoming
Light repairs to ensure each library is sturdy and safe
Replenishing shelves with books for all ages
Tidying surrounding areas to create inviting community spaces

Locations on Route 2:

Love Network of Baytown – 206 N. Whiting St.

Church Women Child Center – 2 Price St.

Baytown Sun – 1301 Memorial Dr.

Tejas Park – 505 Hafer Ave.

Hearts & Hands Pantry – 307 Cedar Bayou Rd

Volunteers Needed: 4

Safety: Volunteers should take care with paint, small tools, and ladders. Be mindful of traffic/parking near sites.

Impact: By revitalizing these free book-sharing spots, you’ll not only promote literacy but also create safe, inviting spaces that strengthen neighborhoods and spread the joy of learning across our community.

At United Way, we believe literacy starts right where families live, play, and gather. Our Little Free Libraries are community treasures, giving children, seniors, and neighbors easy access to books that inspire curiosity and lifelong learning.

That’s where you come in. Volunteers will spend the day refreshing and restocking libraries located in family recreation areas and school parks:

Jenkins Park (4334 Crosby Cedar Bayou Rd.)
Stream of Life Christian Academy (720 Cedar Bayou)
Bowie School Park (2200 Clayton Dr.)
Newcastle Park (3208 Newcastle Dr.)

Your tasks may include:
Painting and sealing library boxes to protect them from weather
Cleaning and sprucing up the areas around each library
Restocking shelves with books for kids, teens, and adults

Volunteers Needed: 2

Impact: By keeping these Little Free Libraries safe, colorful, and stocked, you’ll help brighten neighborhood spaces, encourage reading for all ages, and make literacy more accessible in our community parks and gathering spots

Help us keep literacy alive and thriving in east Chambers County and Mont Belvieu! Volunteers will team up to refresh five Little Free Libraries, ensuring they remain safe, inviting, and stocked with books for families, seniors, and children.

What you’ll do:

Paint, clean, and seal the library boxes

Restock books so every visitor finds something to read

Beautify the surrounding spaces to make them welcoming

Locations on Route 5:

Mont Belvieu Park (10900 Eagle Dr.)

Eagle Point Recreation Park (12450 Eagle Pointe Dr.)

Anahuac Elementary (905 S. Ross Sterling)

East Chambers Primary (316 Fear Rd.)

Coastal Gateway Health Center (2584 TX-124)

Volunteers Needed: 2
When: Saturday, October 4, 2025

Impact: Each library restored means stronger literacy access, more neighborhood pride, and brighter spaces where kids, families, and neighbors can connect through books.

Project Lead: Ryan Shipley

At Dr. Antonio Banuelos Elementary, students and families will soon have a hands-on space to connect with nature, grow healthy foods, and learn through play. The Community Learning Garden Project will bring volunteers together to transform an outdoor area into a thriving garden that supports science learning, nutrition education, and mental wellness.

By installing raised beds, prepping soil, and planting vegetables and herbs, we’ll create a space that helps kids build responsibility, curiosity, and a lifelong appreciation for healthy living. Green schoolyards don’t just look good—they reduce stress, boost focus, and give children a safe, engaging place to grow.

Volunteer Tasks May Include:
Assembling raised garden beds
Filling beds with soil and preparing them for planting
Painting and decorating garden signage
Organizing supplies and supporting student engagement

Where: Dr. Antonio Banuelos Elementary – 7770 East Point Blvd. (volunteer check-in at the main entrance; parking available in the front lot)
Volunteers Needed: 12
When: Thursday, October 2, 2025
Ages: Volunteers of all skill levels welcome

Who We Need: No special skills required—just a willingness to dig in and get your hands dirty! Gloves and tools will be available, but bringing extras is encouraged.

Impact: Every bed planted and every sign painted is an investment in healthier futures. By giving children the chance to grow fruits and vegetables, you’ll help them discover the joy of gardening, the importance of nutrition, and the pride of caring for their community.

At United Way, we believe literacy opens doors to opportunity, imagination, and lifelong learning. Our Little Free Libraries are community treasures—small but mighty hubs that provide free books to children, families, and neighbors across Baytown.

This project will bring volunteers together to refresh and restock three Little Free Libraries serving central Baytown neighborhoods:

Bay Area Homeless Services (3406 Wisconsin St.)

Missouri St Church of Christ (3400 S Highway 146)

Carver Elementary (610 S. Pruett St.)

Your tasks may include:
Cleaning and painting library boxes to keep them safe and inviting
Adding a protective sealant to withstand the weather
Restocking shelves with donated books for all ages
Beautifying the surrounding area to make each site a welcoming stop for readers

Every step matters in the fight to end Alzheimer’s. On Saturday, October 4, join the Alzheimer’s Association and hundreds of neighbors at Bayland Park & Bayland Marina for the annual Baytown Walk to End Alzheimer’s—a powerful community event raising funds and awareness for care, support, and research.

Volunteers are essential to making this event a success! From setting up and cheering on walkers to helping with logistics and participant support, you’ll play a key role in creating an uplifting, seamless experience for everyone involved.

Volunteer tasks may include:
✔ Event setup and cleanup
✔ Registration and check-in support
✔ Water stations and route guidance
✔ Cheering on walkers and creating a fun, welcoming atmosphere

Where: Bayland Park & Bayland Marina
When: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Volunteers Needed: 30

Impact: This event supports the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Houston chapter, providing local care consultations, support groups, caregiver resources, and a 24/7 helpline—while also fueling national research toward a cure. By volunteering, you’ll help bring hope, connection, and strength to families facing Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Project Lead: Jodie - Ann Barber

Communities In Schools of Baytown needs volunteer support to improve storage for the Snack It program, which provides essential snacks to students. Currently, the portable classroom lacks adequate space, making it difficult to keep supplies organized and accessible.

Project Tasks:

Assemble shelving units

Set up standalone storage containers

Organize snack inventory for easy access

Holiday & Festival Game Painting

Love to paint? We need creative volunteers to bring four new yard games and photo ops to life for two of Baytown’s biggest FREE community events!

Projects include:

Grito Festival (Oct. 4): Paint a Sugar Skull and Chancla Toss game in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Holiday Hangout (Dec.–Jan.): Paint a Reindeer Ring Toss and a Yeti photo/game board for thousands of families to enjoy at Town Square.

The Parks team will cut and prep the designs—we just need your artistic touch with acrylic paint. Think paint-by-numbers with room for creativity

Team Lead: Carrie Campbell

Bowie’s Kindness Garden 

Join us in building Bowie’s Kindness Garden, a hands-on outdoor program that teaches students healthy habits through gardening, nutrition education, and social-emotional learning. Volunteers will help with planting, building raised beds, setting up irrigation, and preparing spaces for future family events that foster kindness, wellness, and community connection.

Your time and effort will help students:

Gain nutrition knowledge

Increase fruit and vegetable consumption

Build social-emotional skills

Stay engaged in learning

Team Lead: Esteban Garcia

Parking Lot Refresh

Hearts and Hands of Baytown needs volunteers to help complete a Parking Lot Refresh that will improve safety and accessibility for the hundreds of families, seniors, and neighbors we serve each week.

What we’ll do together:

Repaint parking spaces and add new handicap-accessible spots

Highlight curbs, sidewalks, and ramps for safety

Install a new handrail on access ramps

Volunteer roles: Prepping, taping, and painting lines and safety zones (staff and skilled leads will handle handrail installation). All supplies and safety equipment are provided.

Total Volunteers: 8