Loved this cute little thrift shop in a quiet neighborhood in Alameda. We stopped by while in the…read morearea and luckily found cheap street parking right around the corner. A quaint store with good lighting and friendly staff, this thrift shop isn't big but does curate a nice little collection - I saw cute tops, dresses, scarves, handbags, and jewelry. Everything was tidy and in its right place. I'm not sure if there's a dressing room since I didn't use one, but there are plenty of mirrors around the store that you can use. Bonus: all proceeds go towards their affiliated animal rescue! I picked up a patterned skirt and T-shirt here for less than $20, and my friend got a few items as well. Checking out was easy breezy, and they let us know that they're able to take most donations (though if you have anything large, best to call in ahead of time). All in all, not much more I can ask for a pleasant thrifting experience.

Service is hit or miss and similar to other reviews that mention the staff talking about shoppers…read moreafter they leave, someone working there snapped at a woman and her son for wandering into an area where she was setting up a display and then proceeded to talk poorly about them once they left. Not spending $ here for that level of nasty attitude.

A Disneyland for cat lovers and cats. A beautiful space with the best volunteers and workers one…read morecould imagine. Only warning is you might fall in love - I know I did. You are important. Yes, you the reader of this right now. You are important to the successful operation of this cat cafe. An important part of this cafe is to socialize the cats with visitors so they become more friendly. Friendly cats get adopted. I found a friendly cat. He came right to the door to sniff me. Then as I entered from one door he was guided to his little stool - very obedient - so well trained I was in awe. His more shy brother always in the background - he would protect him and check me out first to make sure I was ok. The little guy had only interest in my - none of his toys. I gently got closer with some affectionate love pats and scratches. It is a love story of him and his brother and what landed them here. I fell in love with how they were so bonded and took care of each other. My heart melted as they snuggled up together in their little box as I left. If you are curious they are two brothers by the name of some sweet frozen desserts. A cute bonded pair that I spent all my time with there. There are so many other great ones here. I was blown away with the variety of colors and good movie star looks they had. I will be back.

I recently lost my cat after 15 years and have been considering adoption. I found this awesome…read moreplace and decided to check it out. Cat Town's Mission "At Cat Town, our mission is cats. Together, we save the lives of at-risk cats, find them loving homes, and advocate for a future where every cat is valued." The site has a lot of good information about the program, It's history and adoption and foster processes. You can visit the cat Café for 50 minutes with a small entry fee by reserving a space online as well. Lindsey went over the do's and don'ts before taking us inside. The set up is really nice with plenty of toys, food/water bowls and litter boxes. There is a separate area with cats in studios. The color coded signs let you know if you can walk in and visit, if you need to ask a team member or if it's just not a good time for a visit. I enjoyed my time here and met some cute furry friends. Belle answered all of my questions and all staff was super pleasant, I'll be filling out an adoption inquiry soon. The way to enter Cat town is through the souvenir Café next-door. You can grab a coffee, tea or other beverage and a pastry to enjoy before entering the Cat play area or after as there are tables and chairs.

I came here as a volunteer event with my coworkers and I can say it was hard work, but very…read morerewarding and most importantly fun! Sign up for this event was very easy. You sign up before you arrive and check in at the lobby sign in kiosk. They do require masks at this time, but do provide you with extra masks and gloves if you do forget yours. Before your shift, you do a temperature check/screening outside which is very easy and non invasive. Parking is safe. A gated lot with tons of security cameras and volunteers in the parking lot at all times. With outdoor tent eating area. Tasks include sorting fruits/veggies and bagging them for transport. Organizing boxes ect. A task for everyone. The volunteers are all very helpful and nice. And at the end of your shifts you can see how much meals you provided. Shifts are 3 hours each. One from 8:30-12 and 12-3. Time flies when having fun. Highly recommend this place to volunteer and give back. Link to volunteer: https://www.accfb.org/get-involved/volunteer/

I've been here two times and this is a great & safe place to volunteer! You must sign up in advance…read moreonline. There's two 3 hr shifts, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Once you get to the location, park all the way in the back, to the right side, then enter through the door. Once you enter, you'll be greeted, write your name on a name tag, then you'll check in on the computers, and they'll lead you to a room where they'll introduce you to the ACCFB, talk a little bit about the history, safety, etc. They also have lockers if you want to put your bag inside, and they have a break area where you can leave your water bottles, etc. The restroom is also clean as well! For the volunteering portion, I bagged apples & potatoes, and also assembled the giant cardboard boxes to fill up the produce and fruits in. It is super fun and you get a 15 minute break in between. This is a great location to do this solo, with family/friends, or even with work! There are lead volunteers around to help you with anything you may need. At the end, they'll recap how many pounds of foods were pack and how many meals will be served to the community. It is such a wonderful place to volunteer and I know it won't be my last time coming here!

Chapter 510's workspaces are as suitable as any in all of Oakland to hold literary group meetings…read moreand literary events. Their staff is experienced, knowledgeable and incredibly helpful

If you seek whimsy; if your house crest shines bright in a thousand shades of Bic-pen ink; if you…read morefear neither lava floor tiles nor sand in your boots, seek out Oakland's Department of Make Believe! I visited the brand-spanking-new and super-cool space on December's First Friday, and it was poppin'. A local band jammed on the pulpit-turned-stage; guests milled and chatted and sketched on huge slices of paper spread out on the tables; the organization's founders buzzed and zipped around, offering plastic bubbles with paper slips inside, fortune-cookie style - prompts to capture conversations with fellow make-believers. (There were also enchiladas and rice and beans, but I don't think that's an always-thing.) The nonprofit takes cues from like-minded writing centers like 826 and NaNoWriMo, but is by no means cookie-cutter. With inspirational merchandise whose packaging is a meld of 1960s cereal boxes and high-tech spy gear, an ACTUAL CHALKBOARD WALL that covers the entire east side of the ginormous writing room, and a sandbox populated by superheroes and smallish plastic animals, the atmosphere is of the "I'm-never-leaving" kind. And that's not even taking into account the stellar staff and what they do there. The org's mission is to help Oaklandish youths unleash their creativity, and their aesthetic hits the nail on the head: whimsical, engaging, a little tongue-in-cheek, it's sure to draw in scads of writers looking to express themselves through zany mediums like sassed-up waiting room forms, collective collages, and story prompts popped out of gumball machines. Basically: mount your steed/your Huffy/the 72M bus and GET THERE! (Appointments frowned upon and poked hard with a stick.)

I started out at the sheds on 27th. Great staff and awesome food. Only problem with this…read moreorganization and place is person named Ginger!! She has the worst attitude and will make everything for you as hard as she can. Not a good fit for Operation Dignity or the homeless she speaks or deals with. Great organization terrible person. I have spoken to people that have moved from here because of her. Great place to start your journey off the street. I still miss the food.

Just made a donation to help!!…read more Seem like very friendly people!! Glad to be a part in whatever way!!

EBAYC. Bringing out…read morethe best in leadership for teens and young adults. Giving the best mentoring that kids could ask for. What more do I really need to say? It's simply the greatest.

Great youth-oriented and community-based organization/ non-profit in the San Antonio neighborhood…read moreof Oakland.

Awesome Organization!!!…read more They Take Donations Of Certain Medical Equipment And Supplies!! They Then Redistribute The Medical Equipment And Supplies To People That really Need Them!! It's First Come First Served!!! I have 2 Friends That Use Their Services Exclusively!!!! One is Nicknamed Ed Flintstone he is on Social Security and Uses Adult Diapers which he gets every week from the ReCares Network!!! He has Even gotten a Berry Atric Walker and a Wheelchair for Future Usage My Other Friend Is Called Randy Big Sexy!!! He Is A Diabetic and Weighs 500 Pounds and Is 6Ft 4 Inches !!! Unfortunately he suffers from Low Esteem and Has a Chip on his Shoulder and Feels Like The World Owes Him Everything!!! Thank God for ReCares he Gets His Diabetes Supplies , Dressings , Adult Diapers, Walker and Canes from there !!! People and Organizations like this are Heaven Sent!!! This Charity Is A Baller On A Budget Approved!!! I keep my Pimp Hand Strong!!!! Number # 34 On The Yelp Top # 50 List Of Most Prolific Yelp Elites of 2025!!!

As a mover, I love having a place where I can drop off durable medical equipment and expendables…read moreeasily, and know that they are going to go to the people who really need them. This is the kind of operation that makes our community better.

My whole world revolves around thrifting, so I wanted to leave a review for my fellow thrifters --…read moreI got you! I first shopped at Savers when I lived in Phoenix, AZ, and I've been a huge fan for over 10 years. Everything is donation-based (obviously), so what's available will always vary. PROS: Super clean and very well organized!! Great home goods and shoe options. The few items that caught my eye were very well priced, and overall it felt easy and enjoyable to shop here. CON: The selection was a bit lacking, and I didn't find anything particularly exciting or unique. Lots of very basic pieces, though they did have a large variety of jeans. Hope this helps -- best of luck thrifting!!!!

It's nice to have a Savers in town. While I personally have never found anything I liked there,…read moreDevon found some nice leather boots, so I know good things trickle in. The prices are aligned with goodwill, and the workers there are helpful, like their spirit hasn't been broken, which is nice. Their donation system is real hassle free--you literally just pull up and see the big green bins, and toss your stuff in there. Find an employee near the green bins and they'll give you a 20% off coupon. That's it! No selling or anything, just dump your stuff and get a coupon.

Operation HOPE claimed they would assist with Disaster Response, Recovery & Preparation. But that…read moresupport is not possible when someone is also dealing with credit, health, and mental health challenges. The help was not there, and the program felt misleading--what's advertised does not match reality. From my experience, their priorities seem to favor initiatives like the One Million Black Businesses program, rather than serving all communities equally.

Kavare Williams and Carmen Reid They both did a workshop on…read moreCredit and Money Management... It was awesome! Call them and get on your way to building your credit and buying a home.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a food tour organized by Family Bridges, a nonprofit…read moreorganization dedicated to supporting and uplifting the community, and the experience was beyond amazing. It was truly eye-opening and such a meaningful way to learn more about Oakland Chinatown, its culture, history, and community. Harriet, Tien, Danny, and Edmond were all incredibly kind, welcoming, and helpful throughout the tour. You can genuinely see how passionate they are about giving back to the community and supporting local small businesses. I really appreciated how they worked to promote safety and show people that Oakland Chinatown is a safe and vibrant place to visit, eat, and explore. Not only did we get to enjoy amazing food from local businesses, but we also learned so much history about the area and the people behind it. It's inspiring to see a nonprofit organization like Family Bridges creating positive change while uplifting the community at the same time. Thank you again to Harriet, Tien, Danny, and Edmond for such an unforgettable experience. These tour doesn't come often, however when they do, I would highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting to learn more about Oakland Chinatown, support local businesses, and experience the incredible work Family Bridges is doing for the community! THANK YOU FAMILY BRIDGES TEAM !

Date: 12/16/2021 Time: 4:20 PM 56° Sunny…read more I found out about this nonprofit organization through Facebook. Their post was seeking donation for an event occurring this Saturday, December 18. The event is their annual Holiday Senior Luncheon. They not only will be distributing hot meals, but also special gift bags for 400 seniors. Their "goal is to serve and empower low income limited English proficient immigrant families to lead self-sufficient independent lives." (Quoted statement is from their Facebook page.) I stopped by their organization, only to find the door was locked. Thank goodness a Chinese gentleman was about to leave for the day. I told him I wanted to write out a check for a certain amount for Saturday's event. He was kind enough to invite me in and have a seat to make a generous contribution. There are reasons why I chose to make a charitable donation to Family Bridges during the holiday season. 1. I am a 70 year old Chinese woman, daughter of immigrant parents. Parents are from Toishan, China. The contribution is to honor my parents who are no longer with my family. 2. I grew up in Oakland Chinatown, attended an elementary school (Lincoln) a block west from this organization and the Chinese Community Cultural Center aka Milton Shoong Institute. 3. I have not forgotten where I came from. Although I have supported many other causes in the past, Oakland Chinatown is the community I grew up in from September 1959 to March 1974. Support the community by giving back to it. Family Bridges also with the benefit from KTSF's Toy Drive is encouraging people to donate brand new toys to the Lake Merritt Child Care Center, located at 250 - 12th Street, Oakland between 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. I will continue to support this nonprofit organization in the future.