We've been to a few events here through the years. Last night was a 70th birthday party for our…read moregood friend. The atmosphere screams party right Fromm the beginning. The bar is huge and well stocked, bartenders were attentive and the drinks were good. There was a buffet dinner with salads, potatoes, green beans almandine, chicken franchise, and roast beef. Plenty to eat, and the food trays were kept full. I definitely recommend giving the Guilderland ELKS club a try for your next event.

A community service organization the is committed to helping in the community through youth…read moreactivities, care to our veterans, CP fundraising, and a variety of activities to enjoy that create fellowship and community among its members and their guests. Seek a member for more information.

This review is regarding volunteer experiences at the Regional Food Bank…read more I've volunteered at the food bank about 8 times with a service organization (we have an ongoing monthly "date" scheduled with them) and overall my experience there has been positive. The people are generally friendly and flexible. Volunteer duties generally involve sorting and re-packaging donated goods for distribution to local charities. If you're looking for ways to contribute to the community, this is a good place to go. Approximately 75% of the food bank's labor hours are provided by volunteers so they're open and appreciative of volunteers.

This is an excellent place to volunteer. You email them to sign up, they get back to you in a…read morereasonable amount of time. When you show up they are ready for you with a plan and they are thankful for your help. There is plenty of work to do while you are there so you feel like you are making a difference but they do not compel you to stay longer than your assigned shift- which I appreciate. You work hard for the time you are their and they respect your time. They do great work in the community and I am happy to have helped them out on three occasions now. I look forward to returning.

Nice staff nice stuff. A lot of fun to poke around in on a rainy day. I got a really nice pair of…read moresneakers. Have fun!

Great thrift store. Lots of clothes, dishes, bedding, books, etc. Cheap prices. Staff is very…read morehelpful.

I've taken my kids here twice and we had a great time on both occasions. We did the Wednesday…read morenight, 6pm, free art studio with Ginger, who is a volunteer art teacher. The first time, we crafted fish sculptures using bottles, glue, fabric, and other materials. The second time the kids made hand puppets with socks, googly eyes, and crafting materials. Then they performed individual shows with them. The kids LOVED being creative, and expressing themselves through art. Ginger was extremely patient, fun loving, and fostered a safe learning environment. The 6pm classes are only an hour and a half, but were laughed through most of it. We'll definitely come back for other Wednesday evening events, and will try to get to some of their weekend ones as well. CREATE is one of those places that every parent should experience with their kid(s). Side note - it's also great fun for a bunch of teenagers or adults who want to bond though creative means.

A community art studio for everyone. We have frequented the Schenectady location. I am not sure…read moreabout wheelchair accessibility and the location is not friendly for kids. But the programming is great.

Beyond grateful that this place exists! They were available in a time of need and showed up big for…read moreour family while our son recovered in the hospital. We all need some support sometimes (in our case in the middle of the night in a new city with an injured kid) and it's people who work at places like this that restore faith in humanity.

Ronald McDonald House is an amazing resource for anyone who has to go through the emotional…read morerollercoaster ride of having a sick child in the hospital. This organization provides everything, from housing, to food, to even laundry and transportation. Every volunteer and staff member provides compassionate support to families, and does everything in their power to allow families to stay united during trying times. My friend faced such a situation recently, and I cannot thank Ronald McDonald House of Albany enough for being such a invaluable resource to her. If you have the means, I highly recommend volunteering or donating to this worthy charity. The work they do is beyond words.

We have found this organization a pleasure to deal with. They are always super friendly and helpful…read moreand, on a personal level, it makes us feel good to know that we are helping those less fortunate. It is, in my opinion, easy to take certain things for granted. I cannot imagine being homeless. It costs us nothing to donate clothing and when we do the folks in admin that we encounter are always grateful. There is also a young man there by the name of Early - who is a Navy vet. He is a great guy and very personable. Next time you have clothing you no longer want consider donating here. Upon arrival if you need help they will unload your vehicle for you. Also, if you are so inclined, they will give you a receipt for tax purposes. Consider helping some folks (including kids) that don't have the basic things that you are likely fortunate enough to have.

I donated items to the Amsterdam N.Y. homeless shelter this winter, Danielle's house. A young…read moreHispanic man that worked there helped carry them in, gave me a form to fill out for my donation and even offered me a cup of coffee. I spoke to him in length and was impressed by his love for his job. I went back to the same shelter this winter to donate more items and was rudely greeted by a pregnant woman. A cup of coffee apparently wasn't an option, and a thank you or a nice smile wasn't either. I spoke to this woman and told her how the last time I was greeted warmly by this young man and she let me know, and when I say she let me know I mean she treated me like she was scolding a child, that she is the supervisor and he only does the overnight shift. I guess that means she doesn't have to be nice and he went out his way to be. I have never met anyone that was so rude and full of themselves then this lady and to be honest I don't know how she works at a place that helps people. If Interfaith partnership for the homeless employs supervisors with those attitudes, I not only feel sorry for the staff but I feel sorry for the homeless people as well. I will no longer donate items to Danielle's house or any affiliate to Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless. I also encourage my church and other parishes to help elsewhere because if a "Supervisor" acts with disdain toward people trying to help, I can only imagine how she acts with people that need help. Smh.

Captain's Treasures accepts donations. These donations are made available for families in need…read more The monies made on items that are sold is used to provide what struggling families may beed to get back on their feet.

Captain's Treasures is a great non profit to support since it helps local people. One-hundred…read morepercent of the proceeds from CAPTAIN's Treasures supports programs for kids, families, and seniors. I stopped on a Wed. at 10:30 to donate clothing and home goods. There were no parking places in front. Since donations are dropped off in back, I found the last parking spot in back. Parking is inadequate. CAPTAIN's Treasures is a next-to-new shop that provides gently-used, quality clothing and home goods at great savings for families - all while supporting kids, families, and seniors in the community through CAPTAIN CHS's over 30 programs and services. CAPTAIN's Treasures also provides clothing and household goods at no cost to individuals or families suffering significant hardships, such as victims of domestic violence or theft, or who have lost their homes due to fire or other disaster. More than 60 dedicated volunteers help to operate the shop and organize the generous daily outpouring of donations from the community.

Eco Baby childcare center has the perfect combination of nurturing, guiding, and learning to ensure…read morethat children have the support they need to grow and flourish. I love that the center provides a holistic approach to play, to lessons, and most importantly to the children's nutritional needs. They provide organic foods and products, as well as, use many locally sourced dairy, fruits, and vegetables when available. They feel strongly about decreasing our environmental foot print by keeping a vegetarian menu and building healthy eating habits for our little ones. Even though they are located in the city of Troy they also make sure the children get plenty of time outside to explore and appreciate this place with call home. Thank you Eco Baby for all you provide our children. They are our future.

A great day care for some, but not every child…read more My soon-to-be 3 year old is 90th percentile height and weight, physical, and has a communication barrier due to learning two languages at once. Fair to say, he is not a normal kid. But after a few weeks at Eco Baby, it became alarmingly apparent that the day care staff is not equipped to handle him. His aggressiveness had gotten to the point where other children feared to be around him. From our experience at home, with friends, and at other day cares, we do not find this extraordinary aggressiveness to be normal. When I asked if they were able to give him special attention, they said "We don't have enough people to do that". When I asked if they get him to the playground, they said "We don't go if we don't feel like we can get there safely". Their response instead was to document each instance of aggressive behavior. They never told me for what purpose -- I am paranoid that the documentation was more for their own liability, and an excuse for expulsion, than for my child's developmental sake. We withdrew immediately -- it is not fair to our own child or to everyone else's to keep him in an environment where the lack of control from the teachers results in pariah-status for my child at such a sensitive developmental time. If you are a parent of a non-aggressive toddler, you might think that my child is beyond the average for aggressive, or that maybe we are somehow bad or violent parents. But if you yourself have an aggressive toddler, then you understand that a child's aggressiveness, yes even the extreme aggressiveness of my child, is not something to blame yourself about. You know that your child simply needs extra attention to correct the bad behavior and divert that energy into something positive. And what a joy your child becomes when they put their energy into something positive! My review is for parents like you, which is simply that this day care is not prepared to handle your child, and it will be a negative experience for you, your child, and others.