This free meal site produces good home-cooked church-basement food and warm feelings…read more You feel like you're at a potluck but no one expects you to bring anything. Get in line around 5pm and wait. Try not to pass out from the smell of stale whiskey. Try not to get a concussion from a suddenly hefted overstuffed backpack. Try to not cry about the ragged mom and her emaciated children. A concierge directs you to a table set with a big bowl of salad and a basket of sandwich bread. On my plate is a huge hunk of meatloaf. Meatloaf is something I never order, never desire, and never think about. But this meatloaf was made by charitable church ladies. This meatloaf was love-filled and life-giving, packing me with beefy hope for the future. Water and milk were provided. A teen boy moved erratically about, serving people from a tray precariously stacked with cookies and apples. The group of us at our cafeteria-type table seemed beyond etiquette and just grab for the food. Sometimes the opposite happens: everyone says "thank you" and "you're welcome," and "please stop stabbing me with that fork." You bus your own dishes, scraping and putting them into the proper dish tub. If you're especially sentient and compassionate, you thank the kitchen crew. It was a good meal. For just a moment, I felt loved and accepted.

Great Free Dinner, Sunday through Thursday. 5:45. My experience tonight was pleasurable. The…read moremeal was good, whole food, not canned stuff. Turkey, baked potato, green beans, apple sauce, bread and butter. Coffee, milk and water. Green beans seemed fresh not canned, potatoes were quality, apple sauce good, and real butter on the table, the bread was refilled when out. People were polite and mannered at my table. A volunteer came about with a plate of brownies for dessert.

Grateful I got notice that my review was removed due to a lack of firsthand knowledge: So here's my…read moreexplicit fulfillment of the regulations surrounding posting a Yelp review. Firsthand, the 5k held Sunday, October 15th - attended and ran by myself and fam should have had a rain date. Firsthand, I didn't like being nor getting wet but participated for the worthy cause that I believe in. Firsthand, all monies raised go towards the LITERACY NETWORK and I love their work and willingness to help teach ADULTS AND CHILDREN how to read. Sad, in a 1st world country folks (a) don't know how to read and (b) folks that can read are busy trolling Yelp flagging reviews when they could be volunteering at the LITERACY NETWORK. I am most impressed with the people that walk through the door either (1) on their own or (2) when we've given Alternatives to Incarceration Action Plans including - go get your GED, HSED, or Reading help so you can read to the child that needs your love not abuse and they go. Not one person has ever complained about being mistreated or made to feel less than simply because they went for help. To that end, I happily and wholeheartedly support the LITERACY NETWORK and was shocked that I'm the first to do so. This place needs as many donations of time and money as possible. Did you know: they will come to your office, church, synagogue, or group and explain how anyone can help or get involved?

Looking for a place to improve your English reading, writing, and speaking skills? Then look no…read morefurther! The Literacy Network is a warm, friendly, and caring non-profit organization that helps thousands of people each year in Dane County with a wide variety of Adult Literacy needs. They have one on one tutors, classroom lessons, free childcare service, numerous locations throughout Madison, and a staff that is always eager to assist you with your English and Spanish language needs. If you know someone in your school, work, church, or neighborhood that could benefit from learning English or Spanish, then please consider referring the Literacy Network to them. They will be happy you did.

As far as donating- -don't expect them to lift a finger as…read moreyou unload your car, even when there's 10+ bags. -don't expect a thank you, no matter how many hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of items you've graciously donated. -you'll likely also have to search for an employee to even accept the items, while the donation bay is marked "open." -expect them to keep some of the items you've donated, if they find them valuable (I've seen that happen several times.) -if you ask for a receipt for documentation reasons, they'll send you off in search of one amongst their bins. Good cause but they've burned me one too many times. The ungrateful, unhelpful attitudes are extremely off putting. I'll be donating elsewhere from now on. Plenty of other options.

After grabbing lunch in Waunakee I was in the mood for some thrift shopping. I was surprised to…read moresee that Waunakee had a thrift store and decided to check this place out. It's not on the main drag like you might expect, but just off of it, making it easy to find and park. It has a bit of an odd layout but they have plenty of stuff, and it was all well organized. Great prices, too. The store was clean and the staff was friendly. I will absolutely be coming back whenever I'm in the area.

Better than many goodwill stores I've been to but honestly I'm not rushing out to return here…read moreanytime soon, I scoured the store and found only 3 items I wanted and nothing I couldn't live without, I spent $20. The prices were okay but the selection was picked over and disorganized. They had no high end clothing or handbags to speak of. Book selection was lacking. I'll admit I have high standards and specific tastes, this store didn't do much for me this week.

**Review for Donation Only** The donation process could not be easier with their contact-less drive…read morethrough lane. There's always someone ready to step out within seconds of arrival and it's always been a fast and convenient experience each time I've dropped off items. From what I can see outside the interior looks to be bright and clean and it's one of the newer Goodwill buildings in the city.

Love the food bank but the times need to be updated. Not always correct on the websiteread more

VOLUNTEER. This is…read morean amazing organization with incredible staff and volunteers. I helped repack huge packages of cheese into portions more suitable for families in need. Bring your friends, family, coworkers. Somebody will eat today because of your efforts!

Amazing little spot where a lot of action takes place. The…read moreSJC currently holds seven organizations i(in one "small-looking-from-the-outside but impressive inside); the Tenant Resource Center, Progressive Dane, Madison Community Coop, WYOU, Dane County Time Bank, and VSA Wisconsin. "The incubator " which you can rent for $160/mo for progressive non-profits comes with a conference room, Internet, kitchenette, parking space in the lot, use of phones, Facsimile, restroom etc. all in a very convenient space to set up shop for progressive non-profit organizations in the Madison community. The Jackie Macaulay Gallery is a social justice art gallery with 17 previous displays including "Willy Street in the 70's"; (my personal fav) covers the entire first floor of the Nan Cheney Community Room and is open for viewing from 9-6, Monday through Friday. There's a beautiful mural outside on the wall so the building is easy to spot coming from the west. A convenient space to set up small community meetings of less than 20 people, the Nan Cheney Community Room is offered for use for a small fee and two months advanced notice. It's convenient location on Willy Street where there are many unique stores, co op, and fun, friendly people, a beautiful little neighborhood that represents Madisonian's perfectly. Next time you're in the neighborhood, stop in and see the awesome art exhibits.

Great venue for parties, craft shows and so much more. Beautiful area with lots of windows & open…read morespaces. Reasonable prices and good area on the East side of Madison.

We had a large 50th anniversary party with a sit down dinner for over 100 guests in the Evjue and…read moreMerrill Lynch rooms. Everything went very smoothly. Many of our guests commented on how tasty the food was. The service was very professional and efficient. This is a fantastic venue for a large celebration.

Small selection of movies and electronics and the movies were higher priced than similar stores,…read morebut staff was very friendly

Madison seems to have 3 types of thrift stores. Goodwill, St Vinnies, and those run by churches…read moreand/or church ladies. This is the latter type, and they all seem to be very similar (Bethesda, Agrace, etc). Less crowds, traffic, anxiety, and clutter than Goodwill and St Vinnies, but also less selection. Check back regularly and you will find some treasures. For the most part the prices are fair. If I specifically need something, I start with Goodwill, because I have the best chance of browsing. But I dont always feel like stopping in Goodwill just to browse. Versus it can be very peaceful to stop in Boomerangs, or similar. I've probably been there a dozen times since they opened, and bought something 3 of the times. They have furniture, which not all thrift stores carry. The staff has always been helpful.