Fort Bend Junior Service League members selecting a core placement as their volunteer opportunity are required to contribute a minimum of six hours per month towards this placement. These hours are separate and aside from our fundraising efforts for these agencies. The following is a list of the agencies our members serve and the services they provide to them.

The Literacy Council of Fort Bend is committed to providing leadership to Fort bend County literacy efforts through advocacy and the provision of services to functionally illiterate adults and those with limited English proficiency. The Literacy Council serves adults who have made the commitment to help themselves improve their own lives and those of their families. Well-trained and supported volunteers work one on one with adults needing help in basic literacy and on a small group basis with adults needing English as a second language skill. A FBJSL volunteer will assist the council in many different ways. Tutoring, events assistance (special events or community awareness events), and office help are just a few of the opportunities that the Council will offer throughout the year for our volunteers. This direct interaction with the community is a very enriching experience for all.

The Red Cross has a variety of opportunities available to the Fort Bend Junior Service League. This placement offers FBJSL volunteers options such as computer work, filing, teaching programs in area schools, teaching safety classes, assisting and instructing CPR classes, transportation services, working on special events, as well as delivering baby-sitting training courses. The Red Cross also provides volunteers with paperwork that can be done at home.

The Fort Bend County Women’s Center focuses on serving the needs of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and their children, by providing emergency shelter, crisis intervention, counseling, support services and educational outreach. The Women’s Center provides many volunteer opportunities for FBJSL members: children’s program, 24-hour crisis hotline, personal accompaniment (PAV), support group, office support, special events, and Thrift Shop. Training requirements must be met for some of these areas. Through these various opportunities, FBJSL can give back to our community.

The Rainbow Room is a room connected to the Fort Bend County CPS office. This is where children are taken directly after they have been taken from their homes. This room supplies diapers, wipes, teddy bears, blankets, etc., providing comfort items for children. Volunteer opportunities for FBJSL members include stocking the room, straightening shelves, organizing/bagging supplies, data entry, or shopping for supplies. By volunteering at the Rainbow Room, FBJSL can really make a difference in a child’s life at a sensitive time.

Child Advocates of Fort Bend is an agency dedicated to providing a voice to speak on behalf of abused and neglected children. Child Advocates has two significant programs. The CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program provides extensive training to volunteers so that they can work with children removed from their homes by CPS. It is CASA’s responsibility to advocate in court for the best interests of each child in CPS custody. The Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) plays an integral part in investigating claims of physical and sexual abuse when a child makes an outcry. Trained interviewers at the CAC assist law enforcement by speaking with these children in a more kid-friendly environment to find out their story. Volunteer opportunities for FBJSL members will include: bulk mailing, office support, special events (child abuse awareness campaign and agency fundraisers), and CASA and CAC program volunteers (requires additional training).