Newsroom

Harris County, TX, January 20, 2026, Today the Office of Judge Lina Hidalgo and the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) and community partners launched Ready to Serve, a drive to recruit 5,000 emergency recovery volunteers before hurricane season, utilizing the county’s revamped volunteer sign-up process.

After Harris County went through three back-to-back disasters in 2024, Judge Hidalgo convened a working group with emergency management officials, VOADs and local nonprofits to improve, modernize and streamline the volunteer sign up process. After collecting input through the working group, Volunteer Houston has launched a new-and-improved volunteer recruitment process. The new process will help better connect interested volunteers to opportunities in high-need areas in their communities after a disaster, and provide more training and engagement opportunities to volunteers year round, even on blue sky days. Nearly 60 community partners attended a virtual kickoff event for Ready to Serve earlier today.

Residents can sign up to volunteer by going to www.volunteerhouston.org.

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