The Emeryville Senior Center is a bastion of classes for hobbies, exercise classes, computer access…read moreand meals. The calendar of events include trips to the Warriors games, wine tastings, and music events. There is so much to do here. Access to the monthly newsletter is online.

Great place clean and the lunches are really good love the line classes and computer lab.read more

Although I do not belong to this Center, workers there assisted me when the CDFA and the County of…read moreAlameda left me out to dry. Although I signed up via the CDFA website months ago, I was unable to get the ecard necessary for this year's Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). This very likely due to the new Federal Administration. Historically I had been able to get these benefits (vouchers then) at my local farmers market here in Alameda. But due to the unbelievably awful behavior on the part of a mob of seniors (!) apparently from the Asian American community out of Oakland, no one wanted to risk going through that nightmare on distribution day again - EVER. The closest distributions this year were in San Leandro and Dublin; not close AT ALL, particularly for a disabled senior. I'm old but I'm also extremely persistent, and given the rising cost of food now the SFMNP benefits are a lifeline more than ever. So, I kept asking and researching, wash, rinse, repeat over and over and over. Finally, a worker from the Oakland Center came to our f.m. last week to arrange for an educational outing for the Oakland seniors who had gotten the benefit SFMNP ecards at that Center. He told me how to contact the worker in charge of distribution in Oakland, and added that there were still some ecards left. Cue the clouds parting, the sunbeams and the angelic chorus! Yesterday, I took the local bus, hobbled down Grand Ave. to the Downtown Oakland Sr. Center and received this year's SFMNP ecard. Re-cue the sunbeams and angels x 10. This place deserves 5 stars and then some. Note: While at the Oakland Center, I noticed (in late morning) some elder women dressed wildly inappropriately in (gaudy) evening gowns, sparkly shoes & too much makeup. Eh? No, not Halloween costumes, perhaps due to the dancing going on in one large room. This was in the morning...harmless but weird. I guess when one becomes very old, fun is where you can find it. Note taken.

Wide range of activities, close to public transportation, beautiful building, friendly staff…read more.. what's not to like? Dance classes, exercise (yoga, Tai Chi, ping pong), knitting circle, support group, tea dance, and more!

I came here as my zumba teacher was starting a class here and wanted me to join in. So I got here…read morein time to look for parking as their parking lot is small so you have to look for street parking. Then you need to pre-register for the class and after you have completed your paperwork they give you a card. The room where the class was held has a stage and plenty of room to dance. The facility is clean and people who work there are friendly. Just allow time for parking.

This place is pretty much above-average for a senior center. The space appears to be well…read moremaintained, and the bathrooms are clean with ample signs telling visitors not to bathe or shave in the center. I was here tonight for an awards ceremony and accompanying banquet. I don't know how much the rent was for the night, but I'm sure it was a value value for the area. Basically, everything worked and that is becoming rarer and rarer at the city-operated public facilities. The bottom line is that I would consider this space for any event I was hosting in the Berkeley area.

Funny how the owner David left this comment responding to my review when he wasn't there and all of…read moretheir trash cans were full from the previous party. So we proceeded to ask the lady who he left in charge who pretty much knew NOTHING and she told us to just leave it out there and she would take care of it so WE DID and that resulted in them taking our deposit. Sounds like a scam from the business to me. Employee tells you one thing, owners tell you another. Please people don't even bother getting scammed and I'm sure if I left the place in a mess, he would've taken photos. We cleaned up everything and even swept the place. These people are full of it, don't waste your time. Also took him a year to respond, never responded to any of the emails or calls. Scam likely , bravo!

I have hosted several events at this location (an event for my business, a clothing swap, a class),…read moreand attended many more events and parties since the space opened in February. As a host, the space is reasonably priced, clean, well-lit, conveniently located, and most importantly - completely wheelchair accessible. There are very few venues in the East Bay where the entire space is accessible. In this case, this includes the mezzanine (there is a lift), and there are 2 accessible bathrooms (of the 6 total bathrooms). I have also found that the space has adequate tables and chairs, as well as a small stage, a projector, and sound system, so I don't have the added expense of renting those things. I wish it had a kitchen (it has a fridge), but other than that, this space is awesome for lots of types of events! I already have another event booked there in November.

One of my favorite places to hang out at in Uptown! The Hive is a mix of local businesses,…read moreapartment homes, and courtyard space that's located just off of Broadway. It includes various businesses such us: *The Impact Hub *Drake's Dealership *Calavera *Humphrey Slocombe *The People's Barber & Shop *Firebrand Artisan Breads *Numi Tea There's also a courtyard hangout spot where numerous outdoor events are held throughout the year. My two favorite spots to frequent at the Hive are Drake's and Humphrey Slocombe. Beer, pizza, and ice cream... how about that mix? I've also attended a few events at the Impact Hub and I really admire that space as well. Would love to visit the other businesses that also occupy the space in the future. If you're looking for a fun place to hangout or for local events going on, check out the Hive!

Finding this little spot was really exciting…read more This Hive is perfectly named for a stylish place for people to gather. There is a cute coffee shop, ice cream shop, open seating, chess and checkers, sun covered patio tables, beautiful tucked away courtyard restaurants framed in vines and with open tables like a modern day outdoor assembly hall. It is in the center of a few businesses, co-working spaces and residential apartments. Things here are lively and lots of fun. They frequently have events going on and I wish I was in town longer to attend. I met cool people here as I sipped on a fantastic coffee in the sun and played chess with a stranger. I specifically visited Humphry Slocombe here for delicious creamy ice cream. My coffee was from Red Bay Coffee - the cute walk up coffee shop you see near the entrance. I was really impressed by Red Bay! Crazy nice customer service, the coffee is fair trade. Okay but really though - the UNREAL, OUT OF THIS WORLD thing to get from Red Bay is the CHARCOAL VANILLA LATTE. I normally get plain ol' drip but I'm really happy I tried this latte. Honestly, it was originally a do-it-for-the-gram order but thank ig because I wish I could order this Latte back at home. It's creamy and rich but not too sweet, just a little. Really blew my mind. It is my understanding during my brief visit that Red Bay has bigger, brewery sized locations! So, also hoping to check those out the next time I'm in the area. Please do yourself a favor and visit Hive, meet some cool new friends, and enjoy yourself a Charcoal Vanilla Latte. Bonus points if you get it with oat milk.

All in all a great resource. Lunches are uniformly good and cheap: a voluntary three dollar per…read moreplate fee that seems to be waived in most cases. A computer lab to die for and plenty of nice people to talk to. And plenty of other stuff too.

Nice center, nice people. Lots of things you an sign up for. Recently remodeled which is nice since…read moresome are pretty run down. Soul line dancing and Spanish highly recommended.

My parents come here 3 times a week for half a day each time and love it. The center provides…read moremeals as well as routine care such as blood pressure check. They also have a doctor come in every 3 months or so to do checkups. They have plenty of activities for the seniors including exercises, bingo, mahjong and chess. It sure beats them being bored at home.

Nothing feels as good as it does to give back to the community in joint efforts to make a positive…read moredifference and lend a hand to those in need. I would like to compose this review to spread awareness of this incredible Non-Profit! At this point in my life journey, I feel it is an absolute necessity to do whatever I can in some small way to show my appreciation for all I am blessed with and in turn, hope to inspire others to do the very same. This said, I was very happy to have been a recent participant with a very big volunteer opportunity organized by HandsOn Bay Area along with my employer, Kaiser Permanente in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day - instead of the "day off" mentality for the holiday, it is a day of service in his name for a wonderful MLK day ON! Volunteers within my organization were able to sign up and were greeted to a very warm reception by BFN's very own Executive Director, Sara Webber. Sara graciously gave us a brief tour and summary of how BFN was established and how they serve as the primary hub and distribution center for all who are in need of food - be it those who work hard and are employed and just down on their luck, to schools who offer meals to children in the Berkeley area, to those seniors who are retired and simply just don't have enough money to live on their Social Security and the expenses of life. There is such a sense of pride and human compassion that goes into everything at BFN. We happily got to work on various tasks within the warehouse including painting the large community room under the instruction of a local painter who offered his services, spreading mulch in the outdoor property and planting lemon trees as well as weeding, assembling industrial shelving that would be utilized in storing some of the canned goods, etc. Here is a direct exerpt from BFN's website that better describes what they are all about: Our Work The Berkeley Food Network (BFN) was founded in 2016 as an innovative, community-centered network of agencies that provide services to the food insecure residents of Berkeley, both housed and homeless, in order to close documented gaps in access to food in Berkeley. In its first year, BFN worked to develop and strengthen its network by increasing BFN membership to more than 40 organizations, hosting quarterly member meetings to raise concerns and share information, delivering trainings to member organizations, coordinating donated food deliveries among various member organizations, and laying the groundwork for a physical distribution hub. This year, BFN is working to expand its coordination of network-level services by opening a physical distribution hub and food pantry, by partnering with advocacy organizations to deliver food to populations not reached by existing services, and by continuing to facilitate network-level collaboration to coordinate services for different populations and share best practices. Food Sourcing and Distribution Hub BFN is working to establish a food sourcing and distribution hub that will be at the core of our work to end hunger in Berkeley. We aim to provide higher quality food, greater quantities, and more variety, including ample fresh foods, to all Berkeleyans who need food. We'll provide both groceries and prepared meals for our city's homeless and marginally housed community members. We will source culturally appropriate foods to accommodate clients' food preferences and reduce waste. BFN will operate an on-site client choice pantry offering healthy shelf-stable foods; fresh dairy, produce, and bread; frozen meat; and prepared foods. The BFN pantry will be open longer hours than other pantries in Berkeley in order to serve populations who find it difficult to attend existing pantry distributions. We'll help smaller food aid programs by transporting food to the places where people need food and expanding access to free food. And we'll work to ensure safe food handling practices every step of the way. Along with food from the Alameda County Community Food Bank, BFN will facilitate donations from local grocery stores, restaurants, and urban farms through a robust recovered food program. We'll offer a convenient and accessible recovery facility with operating hours that match the needs of local businesses. In addition to improving access to healthy and delicious food for food-insecure Berkeley residents, BFN's food recovery program will help Berkeley reduce the amount of edible food sent to landfill, thereby reducing greenhouse gases." As you can see, BFN offers vital services with a heart and amazing humans who run the daily operations. It was such a blessing to have been a part of a positive collaboration of peers and can't wait to lend a hand again! If you are looking for a way to give back in the area, I cannot recommend BFN highly enough!

I rarely leave reviews like this, but what my 70-year-old father and I experienced at Berkeley Food…read moreNetwork was deeply disturbing and completely inconsistent with the "dignity" and "community care" image this organization publicly promotes. My father, who previously underwent open-heart surgery, waited in line for HOURS to receive food assistance. I arrived about 10-15 minutes later so we could enter together, something that had previously been allowed without issue. Instead, a volunteer named Sara B. stopped us and aggressively enforced what staff and management later admitted was merely a "verbal policy" requiring continuous physical presence in line. When I respectfully asked for a written copy of the policy being enforced against my elderly father, none could be produced because apparently it was never formally written or communicated. What shocked me even more was management's response. Rather than showing compassion, flexibility, or basic human decency toward a medically vulnerable senior citizen who had already waited for hours, facility manager Fruhar Safa became defensive, dismissive, and more focused on asserting authority than resolving the situation fairly. We were repeatedly told my father should simply go stand back in line again after already waiting for hours. This organization constantly speaks publicly about equity, dignity, and care for vulnerable communities. But based on our experience, the reality on the ground felt very different. If this is how elderly people with serious medical histories are treated while seeking basic food assistance, the public, donors, and community partners deserve to know. Organizations serving vulnerable populations should be held to a higher standard -- especially when they receive public trust, donations, and community support. They practice the opposite of what they preach no matter what they say on the website. I believe the federal funding and donors could be well spent somewhere else than this organization. The quality of their foods is mediocre too.

I went to Chapparal House after a back surgery and having Guillane Barre syndrome. I couldn't walk…read morewhen I got there. I strongly recommend this place. The nursing staff comes quickly when you call them. They are very attentive. The physical therapists worked very hard with me and after a month I left there walking on my own. The social services there are also very good. The kitchen serves a very varied menu and the food is tasty. There is some amazing artwork on the walls. And there are wonderful grounds and gardens. I heartily give Chapparal House five stars.

I'm living there now and mostly it's fine. Today I knew I was laying on something that gave me…read moreextreme pain . One aide tried to lift me off the folded blanket and it still hurt . He responded to my yelling . And he's a sweetie . That's all I have to say now .

Happy 40th anniversary to CEI! Truly a second home to my parent. This CEI at JVC is more than just…read morea center to many of the participants... this is a second home it's their safety-net and their community. I've made so many friends here... I feel like I'm part of their community too...I feel my family is welcome. My father loves to attend daily and doesn't want to miss it. He likes the food and the company and all of the attention that he receives. I know post pandemic or pandemic as it is still has been difficult but this is still a place for people to feel/find community and care. Thank you to the CEI team at JVC.

From the owner: CEI offers PACE healthcare. You get medical, dental and eye care. You also get transportation, home…read morecare, a senior gym, nutrition counseling, and you can make new friends in the day center. You'll receive care in your language with our multi-lingual staff and interpreters. Your team will develop a personal, customized care plan with you. PACE Members get doctors who see only seniors. As a PACE member, you receive medical care from an entire team of doctors, nurses and many others who specialized exclusively in seniors and their individual needs. All of these medical services are included with no deductible. *Primary care physician, specialists and nursing care *Prescription medications delivered to your home *Outpatient labs, blood tests and X-rays *Dentistry, optometry, audiology, podiatry and psychiatry *Home care when you need it *Wheelchairs, walkers and other durable medical equipment *Physical, occupational, speech and mental health therapy *Emergency care, hospitalization, and transportation