What nonprofits are in Ennis, Texas?

Ennis has more than two hundred registered nonprofits. Among the most active are the Greater Ennis United Way, Ennis CARES, Helping Hands of Ennis, Unity in the Community of Ennis, A-CROSS Ennis, the Boys & Girls Club of Ennis, the Ennis Children’s Charity Foundation, the Golden Circle senior center, Sokol Ennis, the Ennis ISD Education Foundation and CROME, which provides scholarships and mentorship for students.

Which Ennis nonprofit helps students pay for college?

CROME, the Claudio Romero Organization for Minority Empowerment. It awards scholarships to Ennis and Ellis County students, matches them with mentors, and runs the free Ellis County Scholarships hub.

How can I volunteer in Ennis, Texas?

Contact the organization directly through its website. CROME’s Join us page accepts mentors, tutors, volunteers and sponsors, and the Greater Ennis United Way, Ennis CARES and A-CROSS Ennis all rely on volunteers.

Is CROME a registered nonprofit?

Yes. CROME is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Ennis, Texas, registered as the Claudio Romero Organization for Minority Empowerment (EIN 93-4577360).

Nonprofits in Ennis, Texas: Who They Are & How to Help

Ennis, TX is a town of about twenty thousand people with more than two hundred registered nonprofit organizations. These are the ones residents meet most often, what each one does, and how to get help or lend a hand, starting with CROME, the Ennis nonprofit for students.

CROME: the Ennis nonprofit for students

CROME, the Claudio Romero Organization for Minority Empowerment, was founded in Ennis in memory of Claudio Romero, an Ennis High School graduate who earned a full scholarship to Texas A&M and dreamed of giving that support back. Read his story.

Scholarships for high school seniors and current college students across Ellis County. All majors and accredited schools qualify, trade schools included, and there is no application fee.
Mentorship from local professionals in medicine, nursing, law, writing, finance and more. Meet our mentors.
College and career readiness: help with applications, essays, FAFSA, resumes and interview practice.
The Ennis Bluebonnet Run, the spring race whose runners, volunteers and sponsors fund the scholarships.
Ellis County Scholarships, a free local scholarship hub that CROME runs, with a page for every high school in the county. Read about its launch.

What CROME does and who it is for explains the programs in more detail.

Help for families and residents

Greater Ennis United Way is a small-town United Way, independent of the worldwide organization. Every dollar raised in Ennis stays here, funding agencies that serve Ennis and the surrounding area. Phone (972) 351-2060.
Ennis CARES provides assistance and resources to people and families in need, with a focus on long-term solutions. It began operating as an independent 501(c)(3) in January 2026.
Unity in the Community of Ennis works to close gaps in access to medical services, human needs and education, with health screenings, educational programs and outreach for elderly and underserved residents.
A-CROSS Ennis provides interim housing for individuals and families facing a housing crisis, giving them the chance to get back on their feet.
Helping Hands of Ennis, founded in 1988, runs a food pantry and thrift store and helps families in crisis with rent, utility bills and clothing.
The North Texas Food Bank supplies food pantries across 12 North Texas counties, Ellis County included; Helping Hands of Ennis is one of its partners, and its pantry finder lists others near you.
Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County builds affordable homes for qualified Ellis County residents and makes critical repairs, and has completed homes in Ennis, Midlothian and Waxahachie since 2001.
Meals on Wheels North Central Texas delivers meals to homebound seniors and adults with disabilities across Johnson, Ellis and Navarro counties, Ennis included.
The Ennis Golden Circle Senior Activity Center serves breakfast and lunch on weekdays and offers bingo, exercise, crafts, outings and van rides for older residents.

Not sure where to start? Dial 211 for the Texas community resource line, or contact Unite Ellis, which connects Ellis County residents to local resources and case management at no cost.

Children and young people

The Boys & Girls Club of Ennis runs after-school programs for ages 6 to 17 at several sites, with homework help, leadership, arts, sports, cooking and technology.
The Ennis Children’s Charity Foundation raises money through an annual dinner and auction and gives its investment earnings to children’s causes and scholarships.
The Ellis County Children’s Advocacy Center, based in Waxahachie, coordinates the response to child abuse reports across the county, with forensic interviews, family advocacy and therapy for children.
Mentors Care, based in Midlothian, places a coordinator and trained volunteer mentors in partner high schools, Ennis High School among them, to help struggling students reach graduation.

Schools and students

The Ennis ISD Education Foundation raises private money for Ennis schools, funding innovative teaching grants and grants for new teachers.
The Friends of the Ennis Public Library, founded in 1980, raise money through memberships, donations and book sales for programs at the library.
Booster clubs and the Ennis Baseball Association keep Ennis students on fields, on stages and in band halls.
CROME, above, picks up after graduation: scholarships, mentors and help with applications.

Heritage, recreation and civic life

Sokol Ennis is a nonprofit membership organization offering gymnastics, volleyball, swimming, social activities and facility rentals, part of the Czech heritage that also gives Ennis its polka festival and SPJST Lodge 25.
Jack Lummus Memorial VFW Post 7106 serves Ennis veterans and carries the name of the town’s Medal of Honor recipient.
Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas troops, Crime Stoppers of Ellis County and Reach Council Prevention Services all list Ennis addresses in the chamber directory.

How to volunteer in Ennis

Most organizations on this page take volunteers through a form on their website, and the Greater Ennis United Way, Ennis CARES and A-CROSS Ennis all rely on them.
CROME takes mentors, tutors, volunteers and business sponsors through its Join us page. Race morning at the Bluebonnet Run is when the most hands are needed.
Show up: the Bluebonnet Run each spring, the Cinco de Mayo festival and school pep rallies are where Ennis nonprofits meet the town. See photos from past events.

Find and check any Ennis nonprofit

The Greater Ennis Chamber of Commerce nonprofit directory lists member organizations. For anything registered with the IRS, ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer and GuideStar show filings by city, which is the best way to check an organization before you give. The county-wide picture is in our guide to nonprofits in Ellis County, and charities in Ennis, Texas covers giving locally.

Questions people ask

What nonprofits are in Ennis, Texas?: Ennis has more than two hundred registered nonprofits. Among the most active are the Greater Ennis United Way, Ennis CARES, Helping Hands of Ennis, Unity in the Community of Ennis, A-CROSS Ennis, the Boys & Girls Club of Ennis, the Ennis Children’s Charity Foundation, the Golden Circle senior center, Sokol Ennis, the Ennis ISD Education Foundation and CROME, which provides scholarships and mentorship for students.
Which Ennis nonprofit helps students pay for college?: CROME, the Claudio Romero Organization for Minority Empowerment. It awards scholarships to Ennis and Ellis County students, matches them with mentors, and runs the free Ellis County Scholarships hub.
How can I volunteer in Ennis, Texas?: Contact the organization directly through its website. CROME’s Join us page accepts mentors, tutors, volunteers and sponsors, and the Greater Ennis United Way, Ennis CARES and A-CROSS Ennis all rely on volunteers.
Is CROME a registered nonprofit?: Yes. CROME is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Ennis, Texas, registered as the Claudio Romero Organization for Minority Empowerment (EIN 93-4577360).