Bay Area Rescue Mission provides real value through the services they offer to the community. I…read morepersonally referred someone there, and they were very helpful, especially in assisting a woman in her 80s. The staff showed patience, respect, and genuine care. It's reassuring to see an organization that truly follows through and supports people when they need it most.

Review is for volunteering experience:…read more This year, my work team decided to volunteer at the Richmond Bay Area Rescue Mission (BARM). I did not know much about BARM, other than they do offer meals to the needy and are a Christian-faith organization. We had no idea what we'll be helping with on the day of arrival. Our entire group of 12 or so did have to pass a COVID Antigen test before entering. Our event turned out to be kitchen duties, like you read about in Kitchen Confidential or from cooking reality shows. Everyone was super friendly, but you feel the adrenalin of working hard in a commercial kitchen. You work as a team and you work safely, since you got hot surfaces, sharp objects, boiling liquids and occasionally wet floor everywhere. My main task was dishwasher, which brings back memories of my first job. Scrape, Rinse, Sanitize and dry! Those high-powered Hobart washing machines make cleanup a snap. The feel of the nozzle is great as it blasts away all food scraps. Wish I had these at home! My next task was helping cutting up some 30-50 pounds of chicken breast for a marinade. The chef was planning to make some coconut-curry soup so he occasionally dumped Five-Spice and Chili Sauce as we cut. Those Dexter Chef Knifes were super sharp and the blade was something like 10" to 12" long, like a short sword. I thought my home 6" Henckels Chef Knife was sharp but those Dexter knives were on a different level. At the end, I can show my blisters proudly. My other colleagues served food to customers, cooked, diced vegetables, cracked dozens of eggs, unloaded a delivery truck, and moved things to the freezers. They got some high-quality produce here from Costco, Sprouts, and Trader Joes, and some of it organic! Highly recommend considering BARM if you're interested in volunteering some time. Being in a commercial kitchen was also fun since you experience what its like to be part of the machine that cranks out food. Everyone had a role to play to make it possible to crank out 50-100 meals per shift.

Animal Fix Clinic is simply the best. I have three cats, and I brought all of them here to be…read morespayed/neutered. Every experience has been smooth, professional, and reassuring. The staff is incredibly caring and truly takes the time to make sure both pets and owners feel comfortable. What really stands out is the level of compassion and dedication they show. I've also volunteered here, and seeing firsthand how gently and attentively they care for every animal only confirmed how special this place is. They go above and beyond, not just in medical care but in how they treat people, too. Their services are affordable and provide tremendous value, especially considering the quality of care you receive. It's rare to find a clinic that combines professionalism, heart, and accessibility so well. I highly recommend Animal Fix Clinic -- and if you're able to, consider donating to support the amazing work they do for our community's animals.

Excellent place to get your cat spayed or neutered. You pay based on income level. Our vet quoted…read more$1,200, we pay $400 including putting in a chip. The surgery went well without complications. It's hard to get appointments so plan ahead. Check website when appointments open up for that month. It goes pretty quickly.

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.

The East Bay Ren Center is being led by a business savvy leader. Bret Sweet has so much knowledge…read morehaving been a small business owner (restaurant) himself. And he also has knowledge of the legal, medical and other fields through his network. A great resource for those who are looking for direction. You just have be the person willing to do the work. No slouching. The buck rests with you. As with all small businesses, there is a need for knowledge and a helpful center. This is the place. Get yourself to the Ren Center for advice, info on helping repair your business after the community disruptions or other reasons. You'll be glad that you did.

I took several classes with them and was inspired by Bret Sweet's dedication and commitment to the…read morecommunity.

I felt as if SSJE tricked me. In the beginning they made it sound like I was lucky to have them,…read morethat everyone was trying to hire them. I was told Gautam Jagannath (the founder) would be representing me, he was who I met with when I first went there, it sounded like a good situation. Until the carpet got pulled from under me: I ended up being set up with a lady working remotely from out of state, who was supposed to then attempt to help me, with extremely limited experience, who had never represented another client with the same kind of case... I ended up dropping them because of this, even after paying them in full in the beginning. I made an attempt to get reimbursement, or even a partial reimbursement, with no response from SSJE. I suggest if you sign a contract with them, you make it extremely clear on what services you will get from them, AND WHO WILL REPRESENT YOU. Don't trust the "...or any other SSJE representative" line, because you may end up screwed like I did. They told me they needed payment in full before accepting me as a client because some people "ended up not paying them" - I wouldn't be surprised if some of those people not paying, experienced something similar to what I experienced. Spend a little more, get someone else who doesn't give you the runaround.

The Lawyers at SJC are really nice, they are very prompt at getting back to you, they are very…read morehonest, which is really hard to find nowadays. Their prices are WAY below market and they have lots of experience. Thanks for helping me and if I need help again I will call you guys. Thanks.

Best pet adoption center super friendly and transparent also carol is the best she's super sweet…read moreand takes her time

We wanted to adopt a cat as we had just lost a very old and dear cat and when we were told about…read morethe Milo Foundation we decided to give them a try. Except for the barking dogs as they have both dogs and cats, the whole process of choosing and adopting the new additions to our family was a wonderful experience. If your looking for a cat or a dog I would give them a try,

Walked in was greeted right away! Now those that know! That is an Aplus!…read more The same lady that was working her bins off! Complimented my daughter on her dress! Now that makes a persons day. Off to the cashier! She was the most funniest, sweetest lady ever! We will be back. My baby girl found a million good finds!

This is a strange Goodwill--very expensive and also extremely messy/chaotic inside…read more I give them points for having an outlet so you can test your electronics before purchase. I was overcharged for an item I did not buy, or something was scanned incorrectly, but I'll have to return either way to settle it. There is a parking lot but the spaces are tiny and the setup is weird.

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: When I went, they had a ton of great options for clothes and shoes!! My cart was full of jeans, dresses (both casual and dressy), statement jackets, and unique tops. I ended up spending $50 and walked away with two pairs of jeans, a long jean skirt, a knit shawl, overalls (which are hard to find in my size), and a couple of tops. There were a few items I wanted to keep soooo bad, but they were $20+ and I wanted to stay on budget. CON: Very, very, very messy and unorganized. This definitely isn't the employees' fault -- they're working as fast as they can -- but so many shoppers pick things up and put them back in random places. My advice is to check all rack sizes in both clothing and shoes. For example, I found a women's 8.5 Hoka in the men's section, though it was priced at $49 (a little steep for me). Hope this helps -- best of luck thrifting!!!!

Many odd and unstable people in the store wandering around, and then targeting vulnerable people to…read moreask for money or share some kind of sad story to say why they want that person to buy them something. That is crazy! Those people should be kicked out of the store. That is like harassment. My fiance and I were in that store recently. I saw the guy when I was coming out of the bathroom - which is pretty clean by the way, but there is no door to enter the actual room the stalls are in. That seems dangerous to me. Anyways this dude looked like trouble, I looked at him made eye contact and kept walking. Then later in the store near the shoes he walked up to an older lady and asked her to buy him a coat because he didn't have any money. I don't think that is appropriate. He should go to the Savers people and ask them. I observed and the lady declined and he walked away. This is not something I am willing to deal with every time I come into the store. The Savers in Orange County and the bay area, San Jose and Redwood City do not have such troubles. I haven't found anything in that store that I purchased. So, I will not be back. The staff is ok, there are not many mirrors, no dressing rooms, and just a really sketchy area. I am disappointed this wasn't a better store. I was really looking forward to it! I just recalled, when this store first opened we visited it. It was so much cleaner, brighter, and there were not random unhoused people harassing the shoppers. We actually purchased 3 sports coats for my fiance which were a great deal for some nice coats. I hope maybe one day they will get security who can help filter through who enters the store or at least be aware when one is acting inappropriately. I see someone in a different post mentioned Ross. I agree Linda B. I end up at Ross and get new items at better prices than that Savers, and there is not anyone in there asking me to buy them anything! They have security and a great team. Thanks for reading. I would absolutely advise stay away from this Savers. It is really gross and unpredictable.

Amazing coffee shop in Berkeley's Southside. 1951 is a coffee shop that has a focus on supporting…read morerefugees and serves delicious drinks + pastries! They carry out their mission as a non-profit specialty coffee org by providing job training and employment to refugees (more details about their mission are found on their website)! My favorite drinks from 1951 are their Strawberry Lychee Matcha Latte and their Honey Lavendar Latte. It's a good study cafe in my opinion with free wifi, a few outlets, and a good amount of seats. The service is fast - I usually order ahead of time on Snackpass and pick up my order once I get to the store. Highly recommend anyone in the area to check this cafe out!

I wanted to try a new coffee shop, so I ventured a bit further from campus to try 1951 Coffee…read moreCompany. Even with dozens of boba and coffee shops nearby, 1951 Coffee Company was still packed with students around weekend lunchtime. I need a mid-day pick-me-up, and the honey lavender latte was calling my name. I noticed that I was charged an extra $0.25 for the to-go cup, which I suppose is good for minimizing waste but still came as a bit of a surprise on top of the nearly $8 latte. The latte was prepared within minutes, and I took my drink to-go. Sweet and creamy, the latte nicely balanced subtle lavender flavor with a hint of sweetness - without tasting overly floral. Hopefully I won't be in as much of a hurry on my next visit and can enjoy my coffee in the cute cafe.

This is an amazing animal rescue organization. They helped me when I found a stray cat that needed…read morehelp. They picked it up and took it to a local vet to be checked out. The vet luckily found a chip and called the owners who said the cat had been missing for months! The owners were reunited with their pet. They were efficient and caring. You could tell they love animals.

They are so loving with the dogs and cats. My new cat did not want to leave with me. She stuffed…read moreherself in a small basket and refused to come out. They have alot of volunteers coming through and recording their play time with them: petting, just giving some attention. When I left, I did not feel bad for the others left behind. They were very happy