I went to Gifford because I got a pair of cats from them decades ago without any problems. Times…read morehave changed. Don't bother looking on their website because you might fall in love with a cat that you will likely not get. THEY pick your cat for you based on THEIR idea of which cat will be best for you. And you won't get it soon. Here is a direct quote from an eMail I got from Gifford. "We work by way of a matchmaking process, where we seek information from applicants about what they are looking for (or not looking for) in a cat or cats. Based on that information, and once a person makes it through our approved adopter list (which can be a bit lengthy at times), we review cats in care against the applicant's information and offer meet and greets with 1 or 2 cats or pairs of cats we think fit what a person is looking for. We email you their profiles ahead of time and if you want to meet them, we set up a time and if they don't seem quite right, we would try again based on your feedback about the offered cat(s). We don't currently have appointments where people can come meet multiple cats without working through the matchmaking process. If you are OK proceeding with our matchmaking process . . . ." No, I am not OK with that. Talk about arrogance. They also did not tell me if I was on their "approved adopter list" even tho they did say their interview with my vet went fine. And they only other thing they said about wait time was that kitten season was coming up so I shouldn't have to wait too long. I'll get a pair of kittens elsewhere. :-(

The staff was very friendly and patient while we decided which kittens to adopt. All the cats here…read moreare in a good environment!

I have been here twice, first time I went in for a food basket. They gave us plenty of food to take…read morehome. They were very organized and polite. Tonight I went to the dinner, they gave us fruit salad, salad, Fish, carrots and grits and for dessert that was good, everything was good . I would recommend if you need food, encouragement, and a sense of community you visit here , they will make you very comfortable.

From the owner: We serve a free and complete meal every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Open to all; no ID checked…read more We also distribute food baskets to residents of Allston and Brighton who are income-eligible. These distributions are on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from 10:00-1:00, except for November and December. November is the Saturday before Thanksgiving only and December is the second Saturday only. Anyone who has a MassHealth, WIC, or SNAP card is eligible, as well as people with unemployment papers, or a referral letter from Project Bread, a social worker, a health care worker, or a clergyperson.

What an amazing place that carbs about the community. Was here for volunteer work and quality…read morematters when it came to separating items for donations. I like that care is put into this organization. Donations that were damaged, stained, smelled, etc were trashed. Just because people get donations doesn't mean the deserve poor quality items. I truly enjoyed volunteering here and would definitely do it again. Please donate any new or gently used goods here. It helps people who need it.

I've volunteered here 3 times in last 4 or so months and it's truly incredible. I need to sign up…read morefor more! You get grouped off to different stations (shoes, big sort, sizing, or building outfits, etc.), and by the end of the two hour shift, the staff is able to summarize everything each station completed. You can see and hear the immediate impact you're making on children at risk of clothing insecurity in the Greater Boston Area. It was super easy signing up online as a volunteer group, and I couldn't recommend it more.

Today, I was given ice packs, Motrin and Tylenol for extreme swelling in lower extremities due to…read moreacute osteoarthritis. They wouldn't allow me to elevate my feet for medical reasons on a chair because common sense did not prevail. A volunteer upstairs allowed me to elevate legs and a young woman Deseree attempted to pull chair out from underneath me when I said I need a minute as I had bilateral knee replacements as well. No common sense. She said if you have a bag (lol) put.your feet on that. Moments like that diminish the good that is accomplished here.

There are just so many good things to say about this place that I'm not sure where to start…read more First, it is not a "shelter" in the typical sense of the word, and the staff and guests do not refer to it as a "shelter". They consider themselves a "community", and act as such. There are NO lines for anything at the WLP. The women are served their meals at their tables by volunteers, and their materials are bussed for them once they are done, unless they choose to self-bus. The food. Oh heavens! WLP prides itself on serving nourishing, FRESH food. Each meal will have all nutritional requirements met, and there is always a veggie option. We're not talking canned goods or sandwiches here, folks. No, this is chopped and diced fresh veggies, prime cut meats, the finest ingredients. If you're a good cook and after you've volunteered a few times, they are happy to let you get in the kitchen and help whip up stuff. The resident chef there, Gina, is wonderfully creative in the kitchen (and very nice), and from time to time, other professional chefs from local restaurants come in to put together a meal. The WLP isn't jsut a food place, although that's the highlight of the day. It also provides the women with full time advocacy support to help with finding housing, food, or other services. There is a computer room/resource room that the ladies may use. There is also a nap room where women can go to get sometimes some much needed rest, and also a quiet room for just some peace, solitude, and maybe reading or reflecting. Women are also able to get various toiletries and clothing that they may need. They may do their laundry and take showers. The Program Manager, Heather (also very, very nice and competent) has done a great job of making sure that there are interesting activities for guests if they choose to participate: yoga, painting, field trips, knitting, etc. Since the WLP is run as a "community", the staff are INCREDIBLY patient with the women, and if a guest is being disorderly or breaking a rule, she is not immediately tossed out, but is counseled and given more than one opportunity to redeem herself by correcting her behavior. Throwing someone out is a last option at the WLP. WLP treats its volunteers as the valuable commodity we are. We are appreciated, thanked, and made to feel a part of the "team". Added Perk: They also have really incredible volunteer thank you events! I enjoy volunteering here. I learn something new and meet new people each time I go. I don't have a lot of spare time to volunteer, but when I do, the WLP gets me all the time, every time. It's important to know that this place could not be so great without us- the community at large supporting it through donations, volunteering, contributions, etc. The staff, Regina, Linda, Joanna, Lauren, Linnie, and Cheryl are terrific- go meet them! This is just a wonderful, wonderful place. You will not leave here without your heart being touched in some way.

More Than Words is a nonprofit bookstore that sells new and used books while supporting young…read morepeople ages 16-24 who are system-involved, including youth from foster care, court-involved backgrounds, housing insecurity, and more. The young people help run the store, learn job skills, and work toward personal and career goals--and it truly shows in the care and pride behind the space. The shop itself is small but mighty. I walked out with four excellent-condition used books (three of which had already been on my TBR list) and somehow also added two cookbooks because... no regrets. Everything was very affordable, and it felt good knowing my purchase was directly supporting youth in the local community. If you're near one of their locations (I believe there's another in the Boston area), I highly recommend stopping in or checking out their online storefront. Great books, great prices, and an even greater mission--absolutely worth supporting.

Great place to shop and support your community. I live that there are brand new housewares at…read morefraction the cost of retail. One can feel good in shopping and supporting a worthwhile cause.

I received orientation and mobility instruction (O&M) from The Carroll Center for the Blind in late…read more2017 from an instructor who is still employed there at the time of this review in 2024. During the course of multiple O&M sessions, the instructor cruelly laughed at and mocked me in an exaggerated, gleeful manner every time I made a mistake in cane technique, which is emotionally abusive behavior that made me feel extremely nervous, humiliated, sad, and inept. This was not only a counterproductive O&M teaching method, but also resembled the sort of drill-sergeant-military-boot-camp training depicted in movies. Then after many of these O&M sessions, the instructor detained me at length in her car to vent in detail about her numerous personal problems, as if it were my duty as her student to provide her with sympathy and emotional support (although clearly and ironically, she displayed none for me as her legally blind and struggling student). When I reported the instructor's horrible behavior to The Carroll Center via email on their website form, it took eight days for anyone to respond to me. Then at the start of my phone conversation with the supervisor/director, she attempted to gaslight me by saying that I'd most likely misinterpreted the instructor's behavior. After I provided more specific details that left no room for misinterpretation, the supervisor defended the instructor's unacceptable behavior by stating softly and sweetly that she must have been going through a difficult time in her life, insinuating that we should have empathy and forgiveness for this certified O&M instructor (who got paid to use me as her emotional punching bag and psychological dumpster while I learned absolutely no new O&M skills). After this profoundly negative (and quite frankly, traumatic) experience I've had with The Carroll Center and two of their employees, I will never be comfortable seeking further services from them, and I certainly cannot i

I guess you can go anytime during their posted store hours , I saw something on their page and I…read morethought it meant you'd need an appointment but I was incorrect . I finally got ahold of someone by phone. I haven't been yet , but am hopeful they'll be helpful to my low vision relative.

I work in the non-profit sector so volunteering is my job. Whenever I've needed to find some…read morereliable, hard working, up to do anything people... I turn to this meetup group, and I'm never let down. It's so great to have a go-to bunch of people, some of them perfect strangers, that are so willing to lend a helping hand without wanting anything in return. These individuals volunteer solely because they can. So, if you have some spare time... check them out... there is always something to help out at and there is quite a variety of things to choose from!

Great group! There's no commitment beyond the one-time volunteering events you can sign up for when…read moreyou want to on meetup.com or through their website. You get to meet some pretty nice and cool people. Plus, they have a wide array of events, so there's something for everyone. There's also social gatherings from time to time, to connect with the people you volunteer with. Well worth it!

After reading some of the other reviews I was dreading coming here to drop off a package and to…read moresend out my jacket for a replacement again. The parking garage/lot is fairly small and looks like it's connected to an office park. I arrived around 7PM so the store was relatively quiet. I was worried that the staffed hours were over, since on the website this place is listed as open 24 hrs! There were two people at the packaging center and one of them was very helpful in helping me select the right size envelop and attaching the label to send out my jacket and other package!

" Beyond Horrific Experience Today" The fed ex-worker…read moreDestiny should be called uneducated nightmare. My experience at this location was beyond horrific . I had to put a one star; in order; to be able to produce this review. This experience goes down in the books . To one ;of the worst business experiences ; I have had ; while conducting business. My boss called me today on a Sunday at about 4:45pm . Stating ; he was dropping off; some documents for me to fed ex . The amount of documents was about 14 to 15 . The fed-ex location closes at 6:00 pm; it was already 4:45pm . I thought to go get some fed ex; envelopes; to just put them in ; the envelopes ;when my boss arrived ; then just run over to fed ex ; because I live so close. I went for this as a strategy; because; It was so close to closing. I live close; to this particular location . There is a sales associate here; that is Afro American; that always has an attitude problem or chip on her shoulder while providing service . I am also of African American decent as well as Hispanic . I am of a mixed race. I know all too well ; if anything is ever said about this behavior she will turn it into a race thing . I just want to go in and out of this location and conduct business. So I approach this woman very cautiously; always; to not activate the chip on her shoulder . Today when I asked for envelopes ;she said with an attitude and chip on her shoulder "no "; with the biggest attitude. That the limit; is five. That she had no more envelopes. When I could clearly see over 1,000 envelopes behind the counter. She also started laughing and making comments to another coworker destiny that was working today . I felt intimidated and ganged up upon. Only because I had asked for extra envelopes; it was such; uneducated nonsense that made no sense ; their behavior . I was just asking for fed-ex envelopes. Then of course ; they; said I was being a racist; because I question something they said . I said how can I be a racist ;when I am of the same race as you . These women were very difficult, unfriendly and rude people; to deal with. I am paying for a service . Yet they are getting paid; to act like this; to a customer. I felt so sad. It had to turn into this because; I had asked for some fed ex envelopes to conduct business. I still can't believe this childish uneducated behavior by these women . Then when I questioned it ; they call me of the same race as them ; a racist . I called the fed ex customer service hotline and left a message; with the manager on duty today for the store manager . I hope this is dealt with correctly because this behavior is unacceptable. I mean I know these people might not be happy with their employment or a personal situation however they should not bring these problems into not their place of employment. I am just an America citizen trying to conduct business.

" Nifty bike shop with a social change mission " If you…read moreneed a bike or a repair this is your place . Check out their site so you can read about them and their mission . The staff is ultra friendly. They have reasonable pricing. It's definitely the at to go . They have a big parking lot; so parking should not be an issue .

I don't know if I have just had exceptionally bad luck at my BnB visits or not but I have honestly…read morenever been super impressed. Sure, everyone is super friendly and their mission is A+ but for actually buying a bike here...it's a weird experience. I went in recently to get a bike for a kid (preferably used (and I specified this to the salesperson) and was immediately shown a $1200 new bike. After saying that it was too expensive, a (new) (and cheaper) bike was brought out to show the kid that was in a frame 2 sizes too small. We did a test ride, liked the bike, and then when going over more details of the bike, I noticed that the kid was already beyond the height range for the frame (XS frame). Fine. They bring out another size (M frame). We test ride that and it goes well but then a different employee says that THAT frame size was too small and to scale up to a L frame. I did not agree with this assessment. Inside the store, yet a third salesperson recommended we stay at the M, even with accounting for growth. We ended up buying the bike with an accessory that was to be installed upon purchase. We buy the bike, buy the accessory, they take the bike back to tune it up to leave the store. They take a long time to do that with a vague explanation about the rotors and the front brakes but that it was fixed. Awesome. We leave the store and are headed home but then I notice that the accessory wasn't installed. Back we go for another 10-15 minute wait and no real apology for not doing the work right in the first place. Years ago, I went to check out buying a bike (at the old location near Green St.) and the salesperson would only talk to me about single speed bikes even after specifying that I was only interested in a geared bike. Another time I went to pick up a pre-paid special ordered part and the floor salesperson didn't know how to find a special order in the store. I had seen this person on the floor before, so I knew it wasn't, like, their first day, week, or even month. I don't know. Everyone else seems to love this place and maybe I've just had continual bad luck here. 2 stars for everything about the store, the third star is for the mission and programming for kids.

I had a nightmare Contractor that installed new plumbing that caused a flood. Two ceilings had to…read morebe removed quickly, and the city I live in would not pick up the refuse. These guys were fantastic! They literally came within an hour to pick up all the crap. They were friendly and charged a fair price. And when a couple of the bags broke, they even swept them up. I highly recommend this company and I would use them again absolutely.

Junk Pro did excellent, prompt work. They were easy to communicate with and pricing was reasonable…read more I will use them again if/when necessary.