Women's Giving Network Volunteer Initiative

The Women’s Giving Network Volunteer Initiative, in partnership with Hands on Central Texas, enables WGN members to reach out and enhance their investments in the community.

Click here to volunteer with WGN’s Signature Project.

WGN can also provide customized volunteer projects for companies and/or women’s groups within your company. All volunteer opportunities will be directed to making the greatest possible community impact. WGN members and company groups have the opportunity to participate in a number of different ways, including hands-on projects, e-volunteer opportunities, and donations of needed items.

Examples of Volunteer Opportunities:

• Book Drives for local elementary schools and the Born Learning project
• Family Service Day - at Norman Elementary. Volunteer projects included painting & landscaping.
• E-Volunteer to engage Congress
• Represent a child in the foster-care system, as an advocate or an attorney (training provided!)

Volunteer Attorney Ad Litem Project

After receiving much inspiration from Success by 6, CASA of Travis County, Judge Darlene Byrne, Judge Jeanne Meurer, Lifeworks, Austin Children’s Shelter, Center for Child Protection, and Any Baby Can - the Women’s Giving Network will offer our members a chance to use their talents and volunteer to improve the lives of children in foster care in Central Texas.

The Women’s Giving Network will partner with Judge Byrne to offer WGN member attorneys a unique volunteer opportunity to serve as attorney ad litems for children in foster care.

The WGN Attorney Ad Litem project’s goals are the following:

• To provide an effective and innovative response to a need in our community
• To offer WGN members one more way to reach out through volunteer work and enhance their investments in the community
• To increase female participation in philanthropic efforts by providing a well structured, skill-level appropriate, volunteer activity for female attorneys

How will the WGN Attorney Ad Litem Project achieve our goals?

• We will partner with Lifeworks to provide young adults who have spent a portion of their lives in the foster care system an opportunity to give feedback on what the WGN attorney ad litems should advocate for when representing a child just entering the foster care system.
• We hope to recruit female attorneys and encourage the law firms to enable women to take part in the project.

Why would a woman want to take part in this project and Women’s Giving Network?

• Participation in this project will likely provide one with meaningful life experiences.
• Volunteers in this program will connect with other socially engaged female professionals through the Women’s Giving Network
• Attorneys will get courtroom experience that is increasingly rare due to tort reform and damage caps.
• Judge Byrne will provide all necessary training materials (only 3 hours are required and can be done at home.)
• Judge Byrne will provide guidance and assistance to the pro-bono attorney as they are handling a case and will provide access to a mentor attorney as necessary.
• You will understand the changing landscape for children in foster care, and children in need of shelter outside their homes.