Sustainable Works is affiliated with Santa Monica College. They offer classes on sustainability for…read moreSanta Monica residents. These classes are so worth taking an evening off from Grey's Anatomy! The classes are entertaining and informative and....you get free stuff! For example, one night's class was on water so we all got low-flow shower heads! I highly recommend if you live in SM, get off yer tuckus and get to class! Here's all the info: Sustainable Works Green Living Workshops Learn how to live more sustainably through a 6 week evening series of meetings covering: Water, Energy, Waste, Chemicals, Transportation, Food and Shopping. The next Residential Greening Program Workshops will begin Wednesdays, June 6th and Tuesdays, starting June 12th. Course will close at 25 participants so sign up now! Suggested Donation for Santa Monica residents $25, all others $35. However, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Includes training, comprehensive textbook, and sustainable tools (water saving aerators, compact fluorescent bulb, etc.) Contact Anna Cummins at the Residential Greening Program at Sustainable Works to reserve your space: Cummins_Anna@smc.edu 310.458.8716 x1 www.sustainableworks.org

Sustainable Works is a great resource for everyone who wants to learn or learn more about living an…read moreenvironmentally conscious lifestyle. I took their 6 week residential Greening Program 1 year ago - Summer 2007. You don't have to be a Santa Monica resident. The workshop is open to Los Angeles residents as well or any other residents in the Los Angeles area. The classes are very helpful to the beginners as well as to the advanced folks. I was raised in an eco-conscious family and society in Germany and I have to say the people of Sustainable Works are very passionate about what they do and encourage you to get involved in the 'green' movement and really call for action. I can highly recommend to take their 6 week residential Greening Workshop if you really want to learn about conserving energy and live the 'green' life!

I've been volunteering here on Fridays, where over 200 people are served each week. I happily greet…read moreeach person with a smile as they come through the line, and I've even learned some of their favorite desserts. I'm continually amazed by Sheena, Rhonda, Tammy, and Marteen, as well as all the drivers who pick up and deliver food every Friday. Their organization and dedication are truly inspiring. I'm also in awe of all the volunteers--everyone works together so seamlessly. Being able to serve in this capacity and help so many people is incredibly gratifying. Despite the challenges many are facing, there is so much laughter, joy, and a strong sense of community. Love the City creates such a joyful environment, and I genuinely love volunteering every Friday.

I volunteered at many food pantries in West LA before settling at LtCC about 6 months ago. They do…read moreamazing work by distributing excess food from stores, feeding hundreds and hundreds of people each week, and keeping a lot of food from going to waste. This solves multiple problems and also saves carbon emissions since food production has an enormous carbon footprint. The complexity of all this is huge since the clients may be stressed economically and from life circumstances, the type/quantity/timing of food varies from week to week, and the number of volunteers fluctuates. If you want to volunteer, just know that you will be valued but also that this is real work that will require your patience and positivity and willingness to understand how things work first... it's not a canned "feel good" volunteer activity like some charities have just to find donors. From my own experience, after I learned the ropes, the leads empowered me implement some big changes to how clients are checked in and served. I did not find them controlling or bossy as another review said. If you are food insecure, please check this pantry out. You will be treated with dignity no matter what your circumstances are. Yes, you may need to wait for your turn, but they won't make you stand in line for hours.

Hope-Net offers food donations to the working poor and homeless of Los Angeles. I love…read morevolunteering at the Hope-Net's food bank at the Unitarian Church on Saturday mornings. Korean and Spanish speakers are especially needed. If your only language is English, that's cool, too - community service is service in any language. I've volunteered at various organizations and volunteering at Hope-Net's food bank has been the most rewarding. I help members from the community receiving food donations sign in, which is important for state audits. I use both Korean and Spanish (I only went up to intermediate Spanish in college) and I love it!

It was a horrific experience showing up to meet an amazing woman to do an intake for counseling…read moreservices. I walked over and said to the Security Guard Wilber that I hadn't had my coffee and where is the entrance as he was in the driveway and he acted like a French bulldog in how intense and mean he was!!! He could have just greeted me and said it's right over here.... But instead he treated me like a criminal and it was appalling behavior- when I finally got in and spoke to the receptionists about his behavior ~ they were just as belligerent until I told Yaya that I was here for an appointment ~ Leticia acted awful and when I met with my appointment I told her how awful they all were in their lack of hospitality and ability to represent JFSLa with the dignity that is in their mission statement of core values ~ Leticia was listening and stood up and yelled in an aggressive manner "Are you telling her We are Mean!" And I was shocked a receptionist was acting like a High School Girl who wanted to fight me. Wilber walked in and I told him he was a misogynist (a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women) and rather than apologizing he said "See...There it is!" He was triggered because I called him out on his behavior and it's insulting that the CEO Eli - knows that there are people in his organization who treat their guests with such a lack of care and a complete lack of education in representing The Jewish family services with disdain for those coming to feel a sense of community. It's no problem that the staff is not Jewish but for them to be prejudiced against those coming in for help is just gross and low class behavior. Wilber acts like an Ice agent and Yaya and Leticia both Latina women act like mean girls from high school. With all the care that people have in donating money so that everyone is treated with dignity and respect - the CEO should make sure this is upheld and more training is needed. Even their Supervisor of the MFT program Linda Gingras is horrific at honoring those in need - she tried to offload me to an FSP program that was clear she discriminates against those with Neurodivergent disabilities and acts as if being Neurodivergent is a severe mental illness which it's clearly not!!! The CEO allows this behavior which is shocking because our Jewish culture is about caring for everyone and making sure everyone is treated with dignity and gets the Services in support they deserve. I related to each bad review as they spoke the truth and The Behavior I witnessed was so shocking and goes against the values and true beauty of our culture ~ it's truly appalling he allows this behavior to dominate the experiences of getting services that are funded to give services to all who come through their doors. I'm a 57 year old Jewish woman and over the past two decades of reaching out for help thru the Jewish Family Services - not once have I had a hopeful and beautiful follow through from them, but always a very dysfunctional experience- except for Maya who is outstanding and got me through the trauma I experienced in dealing with the supervisor Linda Gingras denying me services and trying to offload me into a program for really mentally ill people through her own prejudice against neurodivergence and yet Eli has Neurodivergent Security Guards and Receptionists take their anger out on those coming in for the help the Security Guard and Receptionists clearly have too. Because if they didn't ~ they would act with care rather than being triggered by those coming in believing that this organization is on the highest level of caring for everyone who walks through its doors!

During the JJewish holidays, Ms. Judy and family dropped off a special Jewish dish of lamb for the…read morecelebration! The organization is loving & kind & most considerate to the entire community, The meals are always fresh & outstanding and what a loving personal service Judy provided with the group for the special service she provided, loved it I love all of the employees and they hire a vast majority of minorities and treat them with love the neighborhood, truly appreciates the outstanding practices that you fulfill in the community. We honor and love you, Jewish family services.

Downtown is broken into smaller neighborhoods, and each has a Business Improvement District. South…read morePark's BID is wonderful! The provide 24/7 safety officers, they keep the streets clean, and they help create community. Activities they have planned are as various as "Coffee with a Cop," Saturday bike tours of the area, ice skating, and "Green Carpet" openings for new businesses. They really make South Park feel like a neighborhood. Their website has a wealth of information on it, too. Thank you to the hard working South Park team who keep us all informed and safe!

Love this team! They're always quick to help. I had an interaction today with someone who appeared…read morementally unstable and intoxicated. This person made a mess in front of my business. Evan was there quickly with a pressure washer on a bike and washed everything clean. Thanks!

Went on an amazing walking food tour hosted by Thai Town Los Angeles Council called the Thai Town…read moreFood Tour. The goal was to explore all the Regions of Thai Cuisine through 5 very popular Thai Food Spots in Thai Town and it did not disappoint! Jitlada for Southern Herbaceous Thai Cuisine and where all the celebrities go to eat Thai Food! AmpThai for Northern Thai Food like Khao Soi Chicken Noodles and Spiced Grilled Pork Sausages Thai Central LA restaurant for Bangkok Cuisine for flavors we are used to like Chicken Penang Curry and Tod Mun Pla LaCha SomTum restaurant for Isaan food where we indulge in a beautiful platter of Papaya Salad, Sticky Rice, Crispy Pork Skins, Chicken Wings, Tiny Fried Fish, Fermented Sausages, Rice Noodles and soo much more. Always room for Dessert! Bhan Kanom Thai is Thai Town most beloved Thai dessert and snack shop. We got some perfectly hand made desserts that were only aesthetically pretty but delicious too!

Saved my life.... Staff and property are top-notch. The food and kitchen staff prepare healthy…read moremeals (all you can eat) that are so good you would expect a similar menus from a sidewalk bistro on Abbot Kenny. The recovery is individualized and staff are knowledgeable and compassionate, all while you're healing from a deadly disease. Thank you Clare-Matrix for all the years of service trying to help people get well and become active members of the community.... Highly recommend it.

The CEO, Kenn Phillips and each employee are the best you'll ever find. Where do you find a boss…read morewho brings home made waffles for Breakfast for the staff and home made Pizza for lunch? He's one of the most generous and kind man I have encountered. My coworkers are awesome. Words can't express how grateful I am to work with such a group of people.

I'm very surprised to see that I am the first to offer feedback on this business and it's…read moreremarkable staff. That said, I'm delighted to share a truly five star review. I had been to the VEDC as an executive at a large non profit, to address tax changes and community affairs, and I was impressed then. But, as a resident and a new small business owner, I hadn't thought to contact them for assistance until a former colleague encouraged me to do so. Wow, am I glad I did. From the very first phone call the staff was so professional and courteous. To me, the real star is Marlen Lara. I really can't get over her phenomenal service. She is incredibly knowledgeable, a total pro, but also friendly, personably and very efficient. She followed up and followed through despite a very demanding work load. What a treasure! I wish more folks knew of and supported the work this organization does. It's a tremendous resource and a real advantage to have the range of services and support offered through the VEDC and I highly recommend those starting a business, interested in community developments or local legislation and business, reach out to this incredible group.