For those looking to help out in the Heights, River Oaks and Montrose communities, check out these local nonprofit groups offering volunteer opportunities and accepting donations.

This list is not comprehensive.

Houston Area Women’s Center: This organization works to end domestic violence, sexual assault and sex trafficking. Services include crisis intervention, support programs and violence prevention initiatives.

• Sample activities: joining a volunteer fundraising committee, helping at events, offering holiday gift items to survivors and their families, assembling essential supply kits to aid women and children in the HAWC shelter
• Donations accepted: monetary contributions, food items, brand new clothing for women, infants and toddlers, toys, diapers, hygiene products, beauty products, first aid items, luggage, detergent, smaller appliances
• 3077 El Camino St., Houston

Conceived by jazz pianist Brent “Doc” Watkins, Doc’s Houston is a modern take on the golden-age supper club.

The setup: Doc’s Houston spans over two stories and 11,000 square feet within the 1936 Tower Theatre on Westheimer, according to a Nov. 4 news release from venue representatives. The space was remodeled by Card and Company Architects and features a full mezzanine level, performance stage, an upstairs bar, private alcoves and cabaret-style seating.

The details: While Watkins will perform at the space often, Doc’s will also spotlight local and traveling artists.

“My name may be on the marquee,” Watkins said, “but this stage belongs to the city.”

• 1201 Westheimer Road, Ste. B, Houston

A new mobile bookstore is rolling into communities across Greater Houston, offering readers a joyful way to shop, owner Christie Hopson said.

A closer look: Enchanted Chapters hosts weekend pop-up events at breweries, festivals and other local gatherings, Hopson said. The mobile bookstore carries a variety of genres from romance to fantasy, thriller, mystery and children's books.

For November, Enchanted Chapters will appear at events in Cypress, Tomball, Seabrook, Katy and Conroe. Hopson said the goal is to bring the joy of discovering books directly to readers.

More households in the Greater Houston area could afford to buy a home in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same time last year as home prices dipped and mortgage rates held steady, according to a Nov. 6 affordability report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

By the numbers: According to HAR’s housing affordability index, 39% of households in the Greater Houston area could afford to buy a median-priced home in the third quarter compared to 37% at the same time last year. Households needed a minimum annual income of $100,400 to purchase a median-priced home in Greater Houston, according to the report. The median home price in the area declined 1.9% to $341,600 compared to this time last year. Mortgage rates held steady at approximately 6.5%, the report found.

What else? As for renters in the Greater Houston area, 45% could afford to lease a single-family rental home in the third quarter compared to 43% last year, according to the affordability index.

Every day for the past 25 years, at least one person has died in crashes on Texas roads. Texas officials and the families of some fatal crash victims commemorated the grim anniversary with a candlelight ceremony at the Texas Capitol on Nov. 7.

The impact: Jamie White said her 2-year-old daughter, Allie, was hit and killed by a distracted driver at Round Rock’s Old Settlers Park in September 2019.

“It only takes [a few] seconds… to kill somebody,” White said Nov. 7. “Can you imagine doing this, taking somebody's child from them, and living the rest of your life knowing that you caused that?”

Following Allie’s death, her parents launched Allie’s Way, a nonprofit aimed at ending distracted driving.

More details: TxDOT data shows that speed and impaired driving are involved in the majority of deadly crashes on Texas roads.

“These are not random events,” Texas Highway Patrol Chief Bryan Rippee said Nov. 7. “These are the results of making the wrong choices on our Texas highways."