Corporate Give-Back Programs to Add to Your Dallas Meeting
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a buzzy business phrase these days — and for great reason. Whether it’s money or manpower, leftover food or lightly used clothes, talent or time, corporate entities have so much to give to others in need. Incorporating a CSR component into your Dallas meeting is a meaningful, memorable way to enhance the guest experience while connecting with the community. Visit Dallas is always available to facilitate, but to get you started, here are 16 local nonprofits that can help add a feel-good element to your agenda.
FOOD INSECURITY
Crossroads
4500 South Cockrell Hill Road
Dallas, Texas 75236
(214) 560-2511
Crossroads works to provide high-quality, nutritious food to Dallas-area residents in need. The organization, which serves an average of 1,100 households each month, welcomes groups to volunteer by doing everything from sorting produce to assembling boxes for distribution to helping in the food pantry. Submit a request here.
The Stewpot
1610 S Malcolm X Blvd
Dallas, TX 75226
Event planners know that it’s better to have too much than not enough — which usually means there’s leftover food, gift bags, and more. Planners can easily arrange a pickup of unwanted food and other items with The Stewpot, a local nonprofit that feeds those Dallas residents most in need. Their expert team will coordinate with the F&B team at your venue to make the donation process as seamless as possible. If you have extra swag, they’ll take it off your hands and find a partner organization that can put it to use.
Minnie’s Food Pantry
661 18th Street
Plano, Texas 75074
(972) 596-0253
Don’t let the name fool you — Minnie’s Food Pantry is about much more than just food. In addition to providing more than 3 million healthy meals in 2024 alone, the group offers educational opportunities, hosts classes, and distributes hygiene necessities. Planners can arrange for groups to help out without ever leaving the meeting location by assembling toiletry bags with travel-sized shampoo, toothpaste, and other essentials for unhomed clients; making birthday bags with items like cake mix, candles, and cards; and putting together and decorating bags of snacks for kids.
Banco alimentare del Texas settentrionale
3677 Mapleshade Lane
Plano, TX 75075
(214) 330-1396
Through the North Texas Food Bank, Dallas residents in need receive more than 100 million nutritious meals every year. The organization, which also focuses on nutrition education and advocacy, offers private volunteer opportunities. For a minimum $5,000 donation, groups of 40 – 100 people can work together for a Pack and Box shift, which involves sorting or packing boxes and bags of food. Contact Elizabeth Campo to discuss details.
POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS
Vogel Alcove
1738 Gano Street
Dallas, TX 75215
(214) 368-8686
Vogel Alcove is dedicated to addressing issues affecting the DFW area’s unhoused and poverty-affected population, particularly young children and their families. The organization offers food and other necessities, education, family counseling, mental health support, and wellness services. Planners can contact Chelsea Zeno to arrange for groups to volunteer by doing anything from hosting diaper drives to helping in the garden to offering financial literacy support for parents.
Jubilee Park & Community Center
917 Bank Street
Dallas, TX 75223
(214) 887-1364
Jubilee Park & Community Center is dedicated to lifting up Dallas neighborhoods and people plagued by drug use, crime, poverty, and neglect. The organization reaches 4,000 residents each year with free, multigenerational programs like a community garden, Head Start facilities, senior citizen housing, a health clinic, and more. Meeting planners can help support these vital services by implementing donation drives for items on the organization’s wishlist. They can also fill out this form to arrange group volunteer activities like stocking the food pantry, assisting at the senior center, helping at community events, and more.
Dwell With Dignity
1127 Conveyor Lane
Dallas, TX 75247
Having a safe place to live is an important start, but Dwell With Dignity specializes in turning housing into homes. Groups can volunteer via activities like refurbishing or assembling furniture in the warehouse, creating wall art, or decorating a residence. The organization’s Amazon wishlist is packed with home essentials like crockpots and coffee makers, sheets and shower curtains, spaghetti strainers and silverware. Planners can arrange group volunteer days by reaching out to Brenna Curry.
LGBTQ+
Dallas Hope Charities
PO Box 196006
Dallas, TX 75219
Dallas Hope Charities operates the Dallas Hope Center, an LGBTQ-focused transitional living center for people ages 18 to 24. Dallas Hope Center provides a safe, inclusive environment for dealing with post-traumatic stress, suicidal behavior, and other issues that disproportionately impact this community. Groups can volunteer in a variety of ways; they can assemble hygiene kits, hand-write notes of encouragement for residents who are struggling, run a fundraiser, and donate extra swag like tote bags and t-shirts.
KIDS AND FAMILIES
Casa Ronald McDonald Dallas
4707 Bengal St.
Dallas, TX 75235
(214) 631-7354
Ronald McDonald House Dallas offers housing, meals, and all sorts of support to families whose children are hospitalized nearby. The building is equipped with the comforts of a welcoming home-away-from-home, with 77 private bedrooms, six extended-stay suites, and six transplant apartments, along with a media room, chapel, meditation garden, fitness center, kitchen, and more. Groups can volunteer to cook meals for families, host activities for kids, or participate in a service project. They can also shop for items on the organization’s wishlist.
Reading Partners
7950 Elmbrook Drive
Dallas, TX 75247
ᐧ(214) 821-4500
Reading Partners runs individualized tutoring programs for elementary-aged students, both in person and online. While volunteers typically commit to weekly sessions with the kids, planners can organize one-time tutoring via the organization’s Tutor for a Day program, which supports students who need make-up sessions. Contact Hannah Moffatt to start the ball rolling. The group welcomes donations of items from its online book drive wishlist and its reading center supply wishlist.
After-School All-Stars North Texas
2902 Swiss Avenue
Dallas, TX 75204
(972) 803-4589
Each chapter of the nationwide nonprofit After-School All-Stars operates differently, and in North Texas, the organization offers after-school enrichment clubs to middle school students at eight schools throughout Dallas, Fort Worth, and Lancaster. Each day after dismissal, students in the program get a snack or mini meal, and then the fun (and education) begins. Depending on who’s teaching, kids can participate in activities like cooking, gardening, sports, and STEM. The organization is thrilled to accept donated items to support these programs, along with snacks and hygiene items; planners can contact Kristal Whitaker or Sabrina Garcia to learn about current needs.
Girls on the Run DFW Metroplex
4653 Nall Road, Suite J8
Dallas, TX 75244
(214) 484-3082
If your conference focuses on women and/or sports, Girls on the Run could be the perfect partner. The group focuses on inspiring confidence and instilling joy in girls through physical activity and movement. Volunteers in Dallas are welcome to help out at the annual April 5K. If schedules don’t align, there are still plenty of ways to get involved, like cheering girls on during practices, donating clothing and healthy snacks, and providing encouragement items.
Viola’s House
3647 Holmes St.
Dallas, TX 75215
(972) 685-0745
Viola’s House provides parents and babies with support ranging from parenting classes to housing to essential supplies. Meeting planners can contact Karrington Benett to talk about volunteering for events throughout the year, including resource fairs, fun days for the community, and Christmas at Fair Park, doing anything from distributing diapers to serving sno cones to working at the first aid station.
ANIMALS
Dallas Pets Alive/Humane Society of Dallas County
2719 Manor Way
Dallas, TX 75235
(214) 350-7387
One surefire way to make an event hit home: dogs. Group volunteer opportunities at Dallas pets Alive (also known as the Humane Society of Dallas) include walking adoptable dogs, taking videos and photos to help showcase adoptable pets online, making toys or snuffle mats, or organizing a donation drive for shelter and medical supplies. Email the organization to make arrangements.
Operation Kindness Humane Society
3201 Earhart Drive
Carrollton, TX 75006
(972) 418-7297
Dedicated to assisting animals in need, Operation Kindess Humane Society offers services like veterinary care, spay and neuter clinics, a food pantry, and, of course, shelter, to pets without homes. Groups of 40 or fewer can volunteer together on site in Carrollton, where they’ll tour the facility, provide support to the staff and team, and interact with adoptable pets up. Fill out this form to get started. Alternatively, planners and guests can purchase items from the organization’s online wishlist.
