Community Engagement Opportunities

SafeHaven of Tarrant County is the state designated domestic violence provider for the county. SHTC works to end domestic violence through safety, support, prevention, and social change.

General Service Needs:
Assistance in all variety of emergency shelter, development, administrative, social enterprise, fundraising and other non-profit management services. General organizational and tangible support. Creative ideas from students and faculty are welcome!

Tasks Available for UTA Students
Very open to creative suggestions from faculty and students. Some particular engagement skills and projects needed include: -Trauma Informed Care -Community garden design and implementation -Children's activities support -Administrative support -Fundraising and donation drives -Support through art, floral design, or other creative ventures

Sarah's Bag Ladies is a group of community volunteers who convert plastic grocery bags into mats for the homeless.

General Service Needs
We are looking to partner with individuals or groups that have an interest in environmental projects or homeless projects.

Tasks Available for UTA Students
Collecting and converting plastic grocery bags into 'plarn'.

This involves flattening the bags by folding, cutting the bags into "strips," and then connecting the strips and wrapping them into balls.

Sixty & Better has worked to empower older adults throughout Tarrant County to live with purpose, independence, and dignity for fifty years. Sixty & Better offers a nutrition and socialization program at 26 senior centers; health and wellness programs, transportation, and volunteer opportunities throughout the community.

Sixty & Better currently has needs for a Refrigerator for a Senior Center, Wii Game for a Center, Desk & Chair for a Center Director, Lockable Storage Cabinet and or 2-4 Drawer Lockable File Cabinet, Sturdy Shelving for Kitchen Storage, Coffee Maker for a Center, Bingo Prizes for Centers, Dominoes and Cards for Centers, Office Supplies, Senior Meals, Copy Paper, and Food Warmers.

Tasks Available for UTA Students
Volunteer at one of our 26 senior centers to serve lunch and help with games.

We help those in need living in zip codes 76010, 76011, 76012, and 76013. We help them with rent, utilities, and any other major dire need. We are one of the 11 Conferences of the Diocesan Council of Fort Worth. The Society is well established all across the U.S. but we operate based in Parishes. Our Conference at Saint Maria Goretti was established in 2016. The need is large surrounding U.T.A. that I decided to enroll in the School of Social Work to learn how to help those in dire need.

The Saint Maria Goretti Conference provides financial assistance to those struggling in the nearby U.T.A. zip codes.

Tasks Available for UTA Students
We could use help with fundraising, finding volunteers, and knowledge, hence my enrollment at U.T.A.

We are a resource for non-profits in the DFW area. We do this by providing volunteers, donated goods, and monetary grants to over 22 of our non-profits partners.

We want the community to rally together and use their gifts to help those in need!

General Service Needs
We need about 8-10 volunteers every week for our Loads of Hope program. This is where we get millions of dollars in donated goods to be given directly to our non-profits. We can't give the items away if we don't have people to sort through them.

Our warehouse is in Grand Prairie, about 5 minutes from 6 Flags. Typically the sorting will happen on Thursdays. Volunteers can come anytime from 9am-4pm and can stay as little or as long as they want.

Tasks Available for UTA Students
Volunteers will sort the items and place them on pallets. It does require standing and the ability to lift 10lbs.

We will be able to provide a document verifying that the student volunteered with us if they need it for extra credit, etc.

The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

There are a wide range of ways to volunteer. Please check out their volunteer link to sign up and learn more: http://www.sotx.org/competitions/summergames/volunteer/

Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) is the primary source of donated food for hunger-relief charities and feeding programs in 13 North Texas counties.

With the help of generous donors, volunteers and partners, TAFB is able to feed the hungry and provide programs to help individuals, families and communities thrive.

General Service Needs
Volunteers help make Tarrant Area Food Bank’s vision of communities where no one has to go hungry within reach. There are many opportunities for you to join us in the fight against hunger. You can volunteer as an individual or with a group.

Tasks Available for UTA Students
Sort, inspect and pack nutritious food for hungry children, families and seniors; Young Professional Group, Fundraising Initiatives
Volunteer with one of our children’s feeding programs or assist families in selecting fresh fruits and vegetables in a farmers market setting.
Spice up your resume as a culinary instructor, nutrition instructor, course manager, course assistant, interpreter, or tour leader in TAFB’s Cooking Matters® course.

Tarrant Churches Together, formerly know as Tarrant Area Community of Churches, was created in the early 1950s, to bring congregations and community organizations together to address needs and positively impact lives across Tarrant County. To fulfill its mission, TCT focuses on transformational initiatives involving education, poverty, homelessness, and more. We seek to serve our Lord Jesus Christ together in ways we cannot serve Him alone. Our purpose has always been to serve the larger community in ways that put God’s love into on-the-ground action for all the people in this community. Through living our faith together and working as members of the one Body of Christ, we are all transformed, and God grows the fruits of the Spirit in, through, and beyond us. As churches in community, we are able to put our resources together to impact the community in ways we could not do as churches alone. Overcoming Barriers- Identifying areas of social, racial, and economic disparity.

Building Relationships- Developing collaborative relationships that bring people and resources together.

Fostering Transformational Change- Creating opportunities for transforming lives through relationships, service, and shared life experience.

Tasks Available for UTA Students

• Tutoring
• MLK Day of Service
• Home for the Holidays
• Newly Housed Program

Ready, Set, GO! Centers are learning centers located in partner congregations. They provide resources, educational support and encouragement at no cost to help students succeed in school and prepare and plan for college.

MLK Day of Service - People of all walks of life come together across Tarrant County to serve at more than 30 service sites. In 2018, 800+ volunteers served!

Home for the Holidays banquet of caring provides an opportunity to help ward off loneliness and depression for individuals and families who have recently moved off the streets into transitional supportive housing. Your presence and a warm smile can mean more than you imagine.
TCT, Tarrant County Homeless Coalition and the City of Fort Worth are partnering to better serve our newly housed neighbors. There are many needs when transitioning into permanent housing, and our partnership is focused on eliminating those barriers.

The Tarrant County Juvenile Services is provided at the direction of the Tarrant County Juvenile Board and the Juvenile Court, to address the prevention of delinquent conduct and provide for the care and rehabilitation of children (10-16) within its jurisdiction. Tarrant County Juvenile Services has developed a range of community and home-based programs as additional options in solving the problem of juvenile crime.

General Services Needs
Services provided include screening and diversion of cases to community resources, presenting objective reports to the court for use at disposition, executing court-ordered treatment and supervision, administrating community corrections programs, securing alternative placement and administering collection of court-ordered probation fees and restitution. Services to victims of juvenile crime are also provided.

Training includes: court observations, field visits, tour of the detention center, and community networking opportunities with certified Probation Officers. Volunteer orientation is required.

Seeking volunteer group facilitators to lead support groups on school campuses in fall and following semesters. Currently approved in AISD schools, Everman, Irving, Fort Worth, Birdville ISDs, and more. Partnered with UTA for successful spring semester; seeking to expand connection and meet demand for support groups from school counselors.

UT Arlington students can complete online facilitator training and lead support groups on local school campuses. Groups meet 45 min-1 hour per week for 9 weeks, with transportation to campus required.