Volunteer FAQs

Have questions about volunteering with Books Between Kids? Take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions and their answers below. Still have questions? Contact us at volunteer@booksbetweenkids.org!

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Q: When do you have volunteer opportunities?

A: Volunteer shifts typically occur on Saturdays during the school year. Volunteer opportunities during the summer and weekdays are posted as needs arise. You can visit the Volunteer Calendar to get a quick view of any upcoming volunteer opportunities

Q: Where are your volunteer opportunities located?

A: All volunteering is done at the Books Between Kids warehouse which is located at 9947 Harwin Drive, Suite B, Houston, TX 77036. (Please note that you will not be able to see 9947 from the street. Turn in between 9941 and 9949 Harwin Drive.)

Q: Can kids volunteer?

A: Absolutely! We welcome families and student groups, but we ask that you follow these standards for minors:

• Children as young as 5 are welcome.
• All children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult when volunteering. 
• Please provide 1 adult to supervise every 2 children under age 10 and 1 adult for every 5 children ages 10-15.

Q: What do volunteers do?

A: Volunteer projects vary depending on need, but volunteers often help count books, sort books, pack books into boxes, move boxes of books around the warehouse, prepare school inventory lanes, prepare boxes of books to be sent off to schools, or even clean and reorganize the warehouse. There’s always lots to do! Some shifts may be more labor-intensive and require more lifting. If so, that will be indicated in the description when you sign up for the shift.

Q: How do I sign up?

A: To sign up, you must first join our volunteer community on GivePulse. Visit https://givepul.se/a2849 and then click the “Become A Member” button at the top of the page. This will allow you to create your profile and register as a Books Between Kids Volunteer. On our GivePulse page, you’ll be able to connect with fellow volunteers, see upcoming events and announcements, sign up for volunteer events, and keep track of your volunteer hours. If you want to sign up additional volunteers besides yourself, you can either share the GivePulse page with them or, when you go to sign up, click the option to sign up an additional participant.

Q: Is there anything I need to do before volunteering?

A: Yes! Make sure you are registered as a member of Books Between Kids on GivePulse. This allows you to access our calendar as well as complete the required liability waiver. If you have additional participants, share the GivePulse page with them so they too can register.

Q: How can a volunteer get more involved with Books Between Kids?

A: Our volunteers make the mission of Books Between Kids a reality, and we value the talents and insights our volunteers bring to our organization. Volunteers who are interested in getting more involved in the life of Books Between Kids as a volunteer leader are invited to join our Book Brigade.

Q: Can I sign up to bring a group of volunteers from my school/company/church/etc.?

A: Absolutely! Contact us at volunteer@booksbetweenkids.org or at (832) 831-1402. We would be happy to schedule your group to volunteer with us on a regular volunteer day, or, if you have 15 or more volunteers, to schedule a volunteer opportunity just for your group! You can also sign up your group directly when you sign up via GivePulse.

Q: Where can I find additional details about the volunteer shifts at the warehouse?

A: Description of each shift will be provided on the online volunteer calendar. Please review the descriptions before signing up for the shift. You can also find additional details for you to review or to pass along to volunteers in your volunteer group by clicking here.

Q: Is the warehouse ADA accessible?

A: Unfortunately, no. Our warehouse is a dock-high warehouse with stairs leading up to the entrance and is, at this time, not ADA accessible. Volunteering at the warehouse often involves standing for extended periods of time at our sorting table and occasionally lifting and moving books. If you have any special needs, please let us know in advance and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Q: What other volunteer opportunities are available besides helping at the warehouse?

A: Our program needs help from volunteers in other ways besides helping out at the warehouse. Hosting a book drive is one common way of volunteering to help us achieve our mission to build more home libraries for Houston kids. If you are interested in helping out with book collection click here. In May, volunteers also help by assisting with our book celebrations at some of the campuses in our program.