Texas Center for the Missing needs volunteers in many areas.
The first step in volunteering is to register in our volunteer database.
Please note that some volunteer activities require special training (e.g., Search and Rescue).
Please see the Calendar section for the next dates/times.

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Golf Tournament Volunteer: Work a food preparation booth or concession stand at one of Houston's premier golf tournaments.

Booth Volunteer: Staff a booth at a health fair, festival or mall; Handout child safety information and help prepare Child ID Cards. Next Child ID event: House Beautiful Show, March 28 - 30 at the Reliant Center.

Events Volunteer: Work with Texas Center for the Missing on promotional and fundraising events.

These opportunities may be performed from Texas Center for the Missing' Office or from your own home or office.

Volunteer Coordinator: Recruit and coordinate the efforts of Texas Center for the Missing volunteers. Call volunteers to schedule work times and duties. Create Volunteer recognition vehicles.

Phone Volunteer: Call businesses and other prospective funders to get contact names, mailing addresses, phone/fax numbers, E-mail addresses.

Database Volunteer: Create mailing lists, information databases, etc. on the computer.
Mailing Volunteer: Fold letters, stuff envelopes, put on labels, etc. that Texas Center for the Missing provides to you.

Bulk Mail Volunteer: Put your bulk mail experience to work by getting Texas Center for the Missing mailings ready for bulk mailing. Estimated 6 - 8 large mailings per year.

Spanish and Vietnamese Translation Volunteer: Translate Texas Center for the Missing information brochures and presentations.

Working as a missing person search volunteer is a tremendous commitment of time and talent. However, the work is very rewarding!

To learn more about becoming a search volunteer, sign up for Orientation to Missing Person Search Operations (MPSO). This two-hour training class in search management and crime scene preservation is provided free of charge on weekday evenings or Saturday mornings. Look at the Calendar for upcoming dates.

After you've completed your training you will be eligible to participate in the command center when a missing person search is launched. Please note: to become qualified to work in the field, additional training and equipment is required. This is discussed in detail in the MPSO class.

Be aware that many searches take place during the regular workday, but you are free, of course, to come when you can. All volunteers must undergo background checks prior to their participation.

English, Spanish and Vietnamese

The Missing Child Awareness, Prevention and Education Program Trainer's Training is designed to train volunteers to present the Missing Child Awareness, Prevention and Education Program in group settings. The project's objective is to establish a cadre of trained volunteers to positively impact the missing child issue by:

          1) raising awareness of the problem,
          2) providing information on ways to lessen the problem, and
          3) providing the instructions needed to report, and assist in the search for, missing children.

Volunteer Presenters:
1) will attend a two-hour training and will make mock presentations to the trainer group.
2) will agree to provide a minimum of two, one-hour presentations in the year following their training.

Presenters and Trainers will be those comfortable speaking in front of groups and those who are passionate about children's safety.

The Missing Child Awareness, Prevention and Education Program is a presentation designed to be given to groups of 25 - 50 people in a school, church or social organization setting. The presentation includes handouts, resource materials and a Power Point or overhead projector presentation.

All presenters must undergo background checks prior to their participation in a presentation.