In 2009 the United States Congress officially recognized Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, during which citizens are encouraged to donate time to charitable service and improving their community.

Thousands of volunteers across the nation will paint and refurbish homes, run food drives, spruce up schools, reclaim neighborhoods, and participate in other charitable activities.HISD has several opportunities for those who wish to focus volunteer efforts on the children of our city. Whether you are interested in supporting the area’s teachers, helping with after-school programs, or tackling the nation’s literacy problem, there are ways to get involved.

Here is a guide to volunteering in HISD:

Read Houston Read

As our flagship reading program under the Literacy By 3 initiative, Read Houston Read pairs each volunteer with an HISD first-grader to share a book once a week.  Volunteers are provided with books and related activities to complete with their students.

To volunteer for Read Houston Read and help a child develop a love of reading, go to www.readhoustonread to register. All volunteers must complete an annual background check to volunteer on any HISD campus.

Real Men Read

Men from the community are asked to commit to reading and discussing a book with a classroom of second-, fifth-, or seventh-grade students for one hour per month.

To volunteer for Real Men Read, you must register for Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS). Access the online VIPS registration form at www.houstonisd.org/vipslogin. To get more information on the Real Men Read program, go to www.houstonisd.org/realmenread . All volunteers must complete an annual background check to volunteer on any HISD campus.

Campus-based volunteering

Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) recruits thousands of parents and community partners to donate their time, resources, and knowledge in support of the district’s primary goal of increasing student achievement. VIPS opportunities include tutoring on campuses, chaperoning field trips, fundraising, library assistance, and supporting campus staff.

To register for campus-based volunteering opportunities, register with VIPS at www.houstonisd.org/vipslogin. Once you have registered and cleared the background check, go to the school at which you wish to volunteer to sign up for an opportunity. You must bring a valid photo identification card with you when attempting to volunteer at the campus.