Central Texas non-profits offering help all year and during the holidays

Central Texas non-profits during the holidays

FOX 7 Austin's Jessica Rivera checked in with several non-profits in the area to get a look at how each one gives back to help the community during the holiday season.

AUSTIN, Texas - A look at several non-profits in Central Texas and how they're giving back to the community during the holiday season and all year round.

The backstory:

Santa's helpers are finally able to take a break and FOX 7 Austin checks in on several non-profits in the area to get a look behind the scenes on how they help give back.

365 days out of the year, local non-profits work non-stop to make sure to provide whatever service they can to help out Central Texans in need.

Dig deeper:

From providing healthy warm meals.

"This year we were able to provide that support by not only providing a meal for our neighbors but also for their loved ones," says David Thompson, Meals on Wheels.

"Our street outreach team, we go out every single week, no matter what, rain, sleet, snow, to provide these resources and to be in the community with the people that we serve to let them know that they're always going to have somebody there that has their back and that's thinking about them to help them navigate through homelessness," says Antony Jackson, CEO of We Can Now.

To providing health services and higher education.

"We provide adult education focusing on English as a second language. We also have an out-of-school time program. We call it our academic center of excellence, where we serve youth from elementary on to high school, providing academic supports, tutoring, social-emotional development experiences," says Dr. Rosamaria Murro;;p-Chief Executive Director at El Buen Samaritano.

Even our furry companions in Austin need help and Austin Pets Alive! is ready to lend a hand.

"A lot of people come and volunteer during their time off for the holidays. A lot of people foster, a lot a people come in and adopt. And so, it's kind of a little two-fold thing. There is a need and there's also a lot of support coming in through these doors," says Luis Sanchez, director of public relations at Austin Pets Alive.

While it might be the busiest time of the year, these non-profits do what they can to make everyone feel some holiday cheer.

"The reason we're here is because we get to give back to all the kids. Their faces, every time they come here and they see us, it just warms my heart. And all the officers' hearts, we get together on this day," says Vanessa Jimenez, Amigos en Azul president.

"Over 14,000 children will be receiving Christmas gifts because of this as well as a Christmas meal because besides the toys we provide them with a gift card where they can go to the grocery store and get their Christmas meal or whatever they actually need," says Blue Santa.