Give Thanks, Give Back: Where to Volunteer in Austin This November

by Jennifer Carey

Nov 1, 2026 · @Jennifer Carey

November is my favorite month to remind myself how lucky I am to call Austin home. I've been here for 25+ years, and the thing that keeps me rooted on the East Side isn't the tacos (okay, it's partly the tacos). It's the neighbors who show up for each other.

If you're feeling grateful this Thanksgiving season, here's my no-gatekeeping list of Austin nonprofits that could use your time, your pantry staples, or a few dollars this month. Pick one, grab a friend, and go make someone's holiday a little easier.

Help put food on Austin tables

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year, and the week leading up to it is when these groups need the most hands.

Central Texas Food Bank is the region's largest hunger-relief nonprofit, serving 21 counties. Volunteer shifts sorting and packing food fill up fast in November, so book early. They also accept food donations at their warehouse (6500 Metropolis Dr.) Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., no appointment needed.

Operation Turkey started right here in Austin in 2000 with one plate of leftovers handed to a man on Sixth Street. Now it's 100% volunteer-run and delivers thousands of hot meals on Thanksgiving Day. Help cook at the Turkey Tailgate the day before (Wednesday, Nov. 25) or pack and deliver meals on Thursday. Kids can decorate the to-go boxes. Sign up online before you show up.

Meals on Wheels Central Texas is our East Side neighbor at 3227 E. 5th St. They deliver about 3,000 meals every weekday to homebound older adults and neighbors with disabilities, plus special Thanksgiving meals. Many of the people they serve spend the holiday alone, so a delivery and a friendly hello mean a lot. The application includes a short online orientation.

H-E-B Feast of Sharing is the classic: a free community Thanksgiving dinner at the Palmer Events Center, usually the Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving, with thousands of guests and live music. Volunteers plate food, serve, and help with cleanup. Check H-E-B's site for this year's date and volunteer sign-up.

Help a neighbor find home

As a Realtor, I talk about "home" all day. These two groups make sure more Austinites actually have one.

Caritas of Austin works to end homelessness in Austin. Volunteers serve lunch in their downtown Community Kitchen, assemble care kits, and drive pantry deliveries to clients' homes. Want to start Thanksgiving morning on your feet? The ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot runs Thursday, Nov. 26, and benefits Caritas. Run it, walk it, or volunteer at packet pickup and on race day.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes runs food trucks serving neighbors experiencing homelessness and built Community First! Village, a 51-acre neighborhood in East Austin for formerly homeless men and women. Volunteer shifts include gardening, landscaping, housekeeping, and community events. It's a great outing for families or a whole office team, and some roles welcome kids with adult supervision.

More ways to give: pets, blood, and families

Austin Animal Center is our city shelter, right here in 78702 on Levander Loop, and it has been running over capacity. Walk dogs, socialize cats, greet adopters, or bring a group for a one-time shift. Can't commit to regular shifts? Fostering over the holiday break gives a pet a quiet week out of the kennel.

Austin Pets Alive! pulls at-risk animals from the city shelter and leans heavily on fosters and volunteers. Volunteers can start as young as 12 with a parent involved.

We Are Blood is the only blood provider for 50+ Central Texas hospitals, and donations dip every holiday season with travel and office closures. One appointment at their North Lamar center (or a mobile drive) takes about an hour. You know I love a blood drive!

The SAFE Alliance supports survivors of abuse with shelter, legal help, and counseling. Around the holidays you can sponsor a family's wish list, help assemble Thanksgiving meal kits, or sort donations.

Generation SERVE is perfect if you have little ones. Their November Family Volunteer Day pairs parents and kids (as young as 3) with hands-on projects for dozens of local nonprofits.

Book now. Thanksgiving-week shifts fill weeks ahead. If you miss them, sign up for December or January, when volunteers drop off but the need doesn't.
Bring the crew. Food bank sorting, Community First! Village, and the animal shelter all host group shifts. It's a great team outing or family tradition.
Can't give time? Give money. Food banks buy food at wholesale prices, so a few dollars stretch further than a few cans.
Think beyond November. Pick one organization and put a monthly shift on your calendar.

Drop off a can at my office this November

I'm hosting a canned food drive at Open House Austin, 1204 Salina A, Austin 78702, all month long. Every donation goes to the Central Texas Food Bank, and I'll deliver it to their warehouse myself before Thanksgiving and again at the end of the month.

Why the Food Bank? It's the largest hunger-relief nonprofit in Central Texas, it stocks 250+ partner pantries (including several right here on the East Side), and it sends food where the need is greatest that week.

Their most-needed items: