Update: I volunteered at HHH for so long because we eventually transitioned into the foster/adopt…read moreprogram as foster parents. Much later, we adopted our kids with their unwavering help. There is no way to explain how hard that process can be, but Helping Hand was the best partner that we could have asked for in the journey. They do their absolute best to ensure you can support the kids that you invite into your house, which is no easy feat. And they hold your hand when it is beyond hard. I highly recommend checking out if they are a right fit for your fostering experience.

I have volunteered at HHH for 6 months now, and each week I go to read to the kids here, I…read moreappreciate the care and effort the entire staff gives to protect, and assist each child here, more and more. This is an incredible haven for children to get the care, therapy, and consistency they need, and I am so grateful to have gotten connected with this volunteer opportunity.

I've been volunteering for Drive A Senior for a little over a year. It is such a wonderful…read moreorganization. Jill, Deb and the whole team is incredible. The seniors are also amazing too. Consider donating your time with this organization. Also, if you are considering their services for your loved ones, I would trust them wholeheartedly.

don't send your children here. incompetent teachers. They don't care about Children with…read moredisabilities. They give away stuff promised. They play favorites. Its really gone down hill.

A wonderful group of individuals who care and work with special needs adults to perfect their art…read moretalent. My son has been attending the Arc of the Arts for four years and has loved every minute of it. They also worked with Facebook to help these individuals learn about computers, be careful when surfing the web and create pages to display their work. This is an awesome program which challenges my son each time he attends.

I volunteered at Project Transitions one Saturday morning, and let me say that this was a very fun…read moreand interesting volunteering event. This organization is dedicated to helping low income people with HIV. A super great cause just because they lend a helping hand to those in need. Our volunteer manager was super polite and grateful for our work. Sometimes just working with the best people make volunteering so much better then it actually is. In this case it definitely was a fun experience. We helped to clean up the garden, rake leaves, and take out the trash. Overall, project transitions is great in terms of their service and how they treat their volunteers.

You don't have to be Bike Curious to get involved. No matter your orientation, Project Transitions…read morewill make you happy to give your money or your time. They have been creating FUNdraising events to support people living with HIV/AIDS since 1988, focusing their efforts on various forms of housing - Doug's House, Roosevelt Gardens, and Highland Terrace and Community Housing. This past weekend I participated in one of their fundraising events called Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and for a $100 donation, feasters have an opportunity to eat at one of many private gatherings of wonderful food and company. I had the most amazing meal experience at Gateway Guesthouse where Bess and Blaise hosted Mississippi Rising* -the conceptual idea for a meal that seemed to not end. We took a trip down the Mississippi, from Minnesota to Texas... which fits in nicely with my own personal history. The 2 hour meal was followed by dessert and drinks at Nest, with hundreds of dinner revelers from the many other amazing dinners around Austin. This was my first year, but I guarantee that I will do it again. In December, I was treated to their Holiday Swing party by a couple friends and participated in the Silent Auction where I was thrilled to donate a pile of money to PT. In addition, they have a Texas Swing fundraiser and a Red Hot XX party at Oilcan's. They also operate Top Drawer Thrift Store, have a Bike Curious team for Hill Country Ride for Aids, and are a beneficiary of the HCRA. Project Transitions needs volunteers for a variety of activities for their residents and also for throwing these many events. Check out their website and see where your skillz and talents are a fit for an organization that truly makes a difference in Austin. *Michael Barnes was one of the 10 people at the table and wrote about the amazing meal at Austin 360 if you are interested in more details. I agree totally about the fried chicken, THE best I have ever had: http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/outandabout/entries/2012/02/05/mississippi_ris.html

My son was struggling and was not going to pass his math class. I talked to 4 Points Academy and…read morethey recommended some tutoring sessions which he did. After every session he couldn't stop talking about how much he was learning and understanding. Needless to say and passed his test and the class. A big thank you to 4 Points Academy for giving my son the help he needed and also a huge boost to his confidence!!

The staff at iQuest is amazing! They are so organized and easy to work with! Even scheduling was…read moresimple despite our crazy schedule that was difficult to work around. My kids go there for a few sessions over the summer to keep their math skills sharp and work ahead. The teachers are wonderful at connecting with students, teaching new concepts, and ensuring they mastered content from their previous grade! Both of my kids love coming to their math class and are so far ahead when the new school year begins! We love the new building; it's very conducive to learning! Thank you iQuest!!! Your passion for education and global teaching strategies is so refreshing and necessary! I highly recommend giving it a try!

Fabulous school, where the children's needs come first! The teachers are dedicated to providing…read morequality education with an emphasis on community and achieving goals. Love this school!

Exceptional education and commitment to student growth and self-advocacy. My dyslexic son thrives…read morehere and doesn't feel the pressure of learning differently being in a school of children who are also dyslexic.

This is a wonderful local organization. My sister lost a child to brain cancer when she was very…read moreyoung. I try to acknowledge her birthday every year by donating to a charity that helps children. I found Pop-Up Birthday, a couple of years ago and fell in love with the concept and after speaking with the director realized this would be a wonderful organization to contribute to. They also are happy to have volunteers so consider a way that you can help. Like most charities they have a year and campaign, and make a goal which for 2018 happens to be to raise $20,000 to celebrate at least 500 more foster children's birthdays in the coming year. One of the best things about this time of the year is the donation matching that occurs so your gift is matched dollar for dollar. I know this is not the normal Yelp content, but many people are concerned and don't know how to check into a charity to make sure that it's not only legitimate but that almost all the money goes directly to support the experience, or concept, or in this case the foster child's birthday. Pop up birthday currently delivers over 20 birthday boxes a week. This helps make a positive memory for these children whose lives have been disrupted in some form or fashion that has led them into the foster care system. I'm hoping the Yelp Team checks this out and confirms the information I'm sharing and allows this site to post, maybe even considering a new category for 2018-"Give Locally". With all the negative things that the one day in day out it's refreshing to be able to focus on something that brings such a positive experience!

The staff at Paragon make all the difference. You can see their commitment to the school and…read morepassion for the kids. We have 2 kids attending and like the diversity, high expectations, and school culture. They both love this school and enjoy events like "roller skating week", pool parties, lots of after school sport options and overnight trips. This helps them bond with both students and teachers. Paragon offers high academic standards mixed with life skills. We like the focus on a well-rounded education with academics at least 1 grade level above the standard. In elementary, they are also developing good social skills, learning responsibilities, and planning skills for future academic success. (For example, Paragon gives kids a daily planner to track their homework assignments and get parent signatures for visibility). In middle school, there are lots of team projects, hands-on opportunities, presentations, and field trips. (Projects like running a small business during lunch and breaks.) There are many resources for parents and a great community within and around the school. We recommend this school to friends also.

Paragon Prep School is truly phenomenal, and we give it our highest recommendation! One of the…read morefirst things that caught our attention when visiting schools was seeing how Paragon graduates--after high school and even college--return to visit their teachers. That speaks volumes about the lasting relationships and sense of community the school creates. We love Paragon's motto: "Work Hard. Play Hard. Be Kind." It perfectly reflects what life--and education--should be about. The school is also wonderful for busy families, offering a wide variety of before- and after-school programs, enrichment classes, sports, and summer camps. Paragon's Valor program ensures that new students immediately feel welcomed and connected. The school year even begins and ends with a pool party! There are countless fun traditions and celebrations, including Elvis Day, Chinese New Year, Día de los Muertos, and even a full week of roller skating. Students are placed into "colleges" and love earning points through school spirit, volunteering, and community service--culminating in friendly competitions to see which college wins at the end of the year. Engaging field trips are an integral part of the curriculum, and the school also offers international trips for families during the summer. We accompanied the sixth graders on a trip to Colonial Virginia, and it was a truly marvelous and enriching experience for the students and for us! Our middle school son is proud to be taking all honors classes, and even with the academic rigor, he is able to play three school sports while also practicing another sport outside of school. With Valor and study hall, students have ample time to complete homework and stay organized. We would also like to give a heartfelt shoutout to the incredible educators and staff: Mrs. Lype and Mrs. Correro for being outstanding math teachers; Coach Josh and Coach Nick for being terrific coaches; Mrs. Behr for being an inspiring World Cultures teacher and for teaching invaluable organizational skills; Mr. Wyatt for being relatable and humorous; Mr. Stubblefield for encouraging students to pursue their passions through English; Mr. Aidan for being a wonderful Valor teacher and Rutgers coach; Mr. Cory for planning impactful field trips and summer camps; Mr. Joey for being such an influential Dean of Students; and Mrs. Hay for being a truly one-of-a-kind Head of School who expands learning through meaningful travel experiences. Our son will undoubtedly become one of the many Paragon graduates who return to visit the teachers, staff, and administrators who have made such a lasting difference in his life.