I have been a Volunteer 10 years of now. The CEO Dawn ,Ron Delvin& the entire staff. Are truly by…read morefar amazing the loyality, kindness the programs that they teach kids. From 14-24-are beyond awesome. It has change my life I grew up with both parents. Nice home&:cabin in Bear Valley/ My dad wk for Delta Airlines 36 years. Travel 1st- class. These kids who come into SYS have had some rough hard times. Whenever they are making music recording . Moe teaching High School to cook/ clean. To prepare them for jobs All kids that I've seen they love it. I admire the entire staff. Being a Volunteer it's work. I love it every time. I go in clean it all makes sense when you see what this place is truly all about. I want to continue to donate$$to see place continue to help kids. To become better to get hired. I have met people in their late 30's. To come in say Hi they tell me they were@ SYS. When they were 12 ! I love hearing wonderful uplifting stories. Hats off to CEO/ Staff

This place is incredible the way they deal w/ kids and families. It seems to be full of love and…read morethey have the knowledge to work w/ the system and get kids the help needed - in a compassionate way. I had the opportunity to attend their event last year and I am just so impressed with the staff of Sunset Youth Services. Apparently they deal with families all over the city, not just in the Sunset as one might suspect. Bravo to the whole group in having the courage to tackle these real life issues like drugs, violence, abuse, and prostitution that many of these children deal with everyday. Can you imagine the pressure of that? We all need a force such as this staff to exert intellect wrapped in love to effect the hearts of our kids and the capacity to advance them into mature people that give back to society. I know there are several people that have gone there - and gone on to live successful lives supporting there own familys, and giving back to the community. It's awesome.

Great seeing that food assistance is available for those in need living in the Outer Richmond…read more Fresh Eggs and Produce, plus bagged groceries. Registration might be required so check in for requirements, dates, and hours. I noticed the Food Bank team setting up on Tuesday, and on this date a volunteer advised that new participants could sign up after 3:30pm. But like I said, confirm current status of this location if living in the 94121 zip code.

They have been providing food at my building since the pandemic. I am grateful. Made my life…read morebetter. By fighting malnourishment, they are also fighting pandemic diseases!

My son has been attending this daycare/preschool since he was 8 months old. He is now 2 years old…read more He loves it here and he loves his teachers. The rooms are all set up in a way to foster the kid's development and learning. Everything is so neat and clean, their sanitizing rules are always adhered to. Even the parents are asked to follow the procedures. I couldn't ask for more in a daycare. When he is happy, I am happy and that is all that matters. You can see that the teachers love what they are doing and this makes the environment very welcoming and enjoyable. I would never choose another school for my son. They have truly exceeded my expectations.

My daughter has attended the preschool program here for the last two semesters and we absolutely…read morelove it. The school follows a Reggio-Emilia (google it) philosophy and the teachers and staff are amazing. It is open to students, staff, and alumni of SFSU, and if there is space available they do accept children whose parents are not affiliated with the school. I have a special needs child and the school has made every effort to make the classroom accessible. They have really put a lot of energy into making sure she has a positive experience. There seems to me to be an emphasis on fostering a sense of community among the children and families. This includes having pot lucks, greening days, weekend outings, and family participation. Parent's must volunteer once a semester and can choose from a list of things that the school needs. For instance you can provide a snack for the teacher's meeting, mow the grass, or some other task that the school needs done. There is tuition assistance (that is provided by the ASI) for qualifying families. You must pack a lunch for your child as no lunch is provided by the school. However, they do provide two snacks a day and water is always available outside and inside the classroom. There is also a community fruit basket that each child is asked to contribute to which becomes part of the snacks. We have been very happy with this preschool. They have gone out of their way to provide services for my daughter and to make sure that her transition to kindergarten will be a smooth one.

The ear-to-ear smiles on the two little girls' faces spoke volumes and made me so glad to be there…read moreto scoop up some macaroni and cheese and put it on their plates. To see the little boy's eyes light up upon being given a freshly iced vanilla cupcake brought a smile to my face and warmth in my heart. Last weekend I had the privilege of working side by side with a dedicated group of volunteers in setting up, decorating and putting on the Homeless Prenatal Program's annual Holiday Party for low income and homeless families in San Francisco. The dedicated staff at San Francisco's Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) work with some of the poorest families in the City in motivating parents to try to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for the sake of themselves and their children. By offering services such as parental counseling, substance abuse rehabilitation, mental health counseling, immigration support, job training resources, family violence therapy and housing assistance HPP helps parents and their children deal with everyday problems in an attempt to build trust within their community and motivate them to improve their lives and their family's well-being. With the simple goal of trying to put a smile on the face of somebody who might not have much to smile about the entire HPP staff cooks up an incredible Christmas luncheon each year to share with the over 150 families who rely on HPP's services. In addition to the fabulous holiday feast all children attending the party receive a wrapped book and every family is given an opportunity to pose and take home a family photo with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. This year individual volunteers along with volunteers organized by One Brick and The Junior League helped to transform a plain assembly room donated by the Old First Presbyterian Church on Sacramento Street and Van Ness Avenue into a festive holiday party hall. With the use of colorful ribbons, colored paper, Christmas lights and assorted ornaments we created a room that screamed out "HOLIDAY"! The more creative volunteers transformed ordinary ribbons into decorative bows while less creative individuals such as myself helped to create hundreds of helium-filled balloons for the kids. Volunteers and HPP staff wrapped hundreds of donated children's books and categorized them by the intended ages, and The Junior League's volunteers set up an art room where parents and their children could go in and create beautiful holiday images to take home. The rest of us grabbed a spot along the food server stations to help serve the homemade feast consisting of turkey, ham, stuffing, rice, vegetables, salads, tortillas with rice and beans, macaroni and cheese and the most incredible dessert table I've ever witnessed created entirely by two dedicated sisters who volunteer their services annually. It was an event I won't soon forget. I've posted some photos in the photos section. If you are interested in volunteering you may contact HPP's volunteer coordinator through the Homeless Prenatal Program website (http://www.homelessprenatal.org/).

The Homeless Prenatal Program has done great work for the community through their many programs…read more THIS is the organization I donate to because I know where the money is going... directly to the people who need it rather than to the staff who are supposed to be part of the services who don't show up. HPP don't irk me either because they're not folks that hide out, only to show up for photo opts! A lot of the clients are trained and end up working for the organization. If you're not sure if you want to donate to them, you could attend one of their wonderful open-house events (lots of food, you get to talk to the program people, and the clients whose lives they changed). Galvin Newsom and Danielle Steel were at one of the ones I attended! Check out their web site http://www.homelessprenatal.org/ P.S. I'm not giving them all those stars because of the chicken wings served at their event. Just look at their web site (made by volunteers - what dedication!) and compare it to other organizations and you'll come to the conclusion that HHP is organized and together!!!! Look at all the services they provide and the level of detail they go into on the site. You know they've gots to be reals.

Ruth Brinker started Project Open Hand in 1985 to provide meals to neighbors suffering from AIDS…read more Seven neighbors receiving food made with love became her mission where people with AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses as well as the elderly now receive meals and groceries. Seeing my son's ample free time one summer and the need for volunteers, I signed up my son for 10-15 hours a week. After school started, he continued volunteering 3 hours a week, filling in shifts as needed during breaks including holidays. It's not glamorous work, weighing and vacuum sealing beans, rice, chicken and other groceries, but it's important work: I emphasize that people rely on him to receive nutritious food they might not otherwise have. Giving back, caring about people, making time for others less fortunate, being selfless- these are qualities I've instilled in my son. He now enjoys the work, it feeds his soul. I'm proud he volunteers weekly for Project Open Hand for almost two years.

Here is a gem of a org that doesn't boast enough of its amazing work! they strive to provide some…read moreof the healthiest meals in the community. Big difference from the other non-profit food providers. The times that I have volunteered there, you get a sense that the employees really are passionate about their work.

Our family has loved our time at this school. It is ideal for parents looking for a play-based…read moremodel and who want to be heavily involved. The co-op model is pretty great (for us). We are a teaching family, which means we have one parent show up once a week to help supervise and support the teachers. Every two-parent family is responsible for 45 hours of volunteer service throughout the school year and one-parent has to do 25 hours. We've found that working together has built a very open, kind and respectful community of families, and it really feels like a partnership with the staff to care for our children.. together. It also doesn't hurt that the tuition can remain lower because the families are helping! The physical school is great, highlighted by the giant sandbox/playground. There are two sections, the younger 2-3 year olds and then the 4 year-olds who are just a year away from kindergarten. Our child is happy, loves the teachers, kids and parents. And the chickens. We've witnessed so much growth and couldn't be happier!

We LOVE this school. Yes, the idea of a co-op was a little daunting at first, given that my husband…read moreworks full time and I work 36 hours a week. But seeing how much my child loves his school and how much he has grown intellectually, socially, and emotionally, every hour I worked and every meeting I went to was absolutely worth it (and spread over a years time, it's really not that much work). First of all, the massive outdoor space cannot be found anywhere else in San Francisco. It's huuuuuge and we all know kids age 2.5-5 need to have a safe and fun space to let that energy out. Second, Playmates' teachers, staff, and community are committed to the children. It really defines what a co-op is. As much as we have to contribute to a co-op, we've also gained so much: friendships, parenting skills, the ability to be a kid again on your working day. Third, the teachers are freaking awesome. They have a way of connecting with the children so that they want to learn, they want to go to school. It's not a typical schedule of everyone sitting at desks or at a table, it's really a lot of child-led curriculum. And I love that. My kid comes home and tells me about the climbing wall, or making volcanoes in the sandbox, or getting a visit from a beekeeper. My favorite thing about Playmates is the focus on teaching our children to be kind human beings. Learning how to resolve conflicts with one another, how to deal with interpersonal relationships. Learning how to care for one another. Learning that people are different, yet not all that different. These life skills and the exposure to diversity is what makes us love this school. It serves as a great foundation for our children to become leaders and good people.

Gracious, friendly, and helpful staff. They arranged a last minute ride for me with a volunteer,…read moreproviding required transportation to and from a hospital procedure. Very grateful for their help.

The mission of this organization is simple and clear - spend an hour of your time with a lonely…read moresenior and make a huge difference in their life! I have visited several different 'old friends', each more interesting than the next, but what I have enjoyed the most is making a connection with someone and being able to see them regularly. Little Brothers always needs volunteers and they have a great new website that is easy to navigate. You really do walk away from the volunteer experience with a huge grin on your face and a skip in your step. No one wants to grow older alone. I really felt like my time was well spent.

Rarely have I run into the unpleasant experience of being the victim of fraud. After a quick Google…read moresearch of "free tax preparation" I decided to try this location out in hopes of getting the stimulus money from the recent bills that were passed to aid the country and help in recovering from the devastation of all types that Covid-19 has brought forth. Although the initial visit was mostly pain free I came to find out weeks later that the return was filed incorrectly. Odd I thought considering that I reviewed the information personally before signing and handing the documents over to the tax preparer before leaving. After an awkward visit to the IRS I came to find out that the return was altered after I gave the documents over and changed to a different address. I also received a call from the preparer (415-241-0201) saying that the "information was changed" which I did not understand until weeks later. (After seeing that my tax return was directed to a new address.) The entire ordeal taught me several things. One of which is go to a reputable tax preparer. Just because something is free does not make it good. And unfortunately there are all too many people in the world who will take your information and commit fraud with it. Overall this place is now NOT a great place to go if you're of African decent. While other places may or may not be overly enthused about your business tax season is one of the few times where everyone is pretty much welcomed being that nearly everyone is getting some money back. This location will take your business but what they do with the information after they have gathered it is another story. There are a lot of other free tax preparers or even paid tax specialist in The City which I would recommend going to versus coming to Arriba Juntos. As you can see from my other reviews I have not had the most pleasant experiences lately in The Bay Area...However! I write these reviews based on my experience so that others will benefit from the experiences that I have. But always do your own research!

I'm writing this review to express my disappointment and bad experience with this organization…read more Arriba Juntos operates with a highly problematic hierarchical power structure that unfortunately disregards the well-being of its employees, making them feel undervalued and dispensable. The management of Arriba Juntos is highly questionable. It has come to my attention that the agency has numerous inconsistencies when it comes to payroll. The director of Programs Gladys Garcia just sits in her office and gossips with staff and clients, about staff and clients. The majority of the day is spent on social media and whenever we need her assistance she is always on Facebook laughing at videos. Gladys states she has an open door policy and then will create false complaints and when asked for proof fails to provide any. Gladys consistently places blame on others, unwilling to take responsibility for her actions. In times of escalating conflict, she chooses to retreat rather than assume the leadership role expected of program directors and establish clear guidelines. Employees feel harassed at work. When employees approached Gladys with their concerns, instead of resolving the problem, she resorts to threatening to terminate all parties instead of trying to find a solution. They also illegally try and hack into personal devices and threaten staff of termination or clients risk of exit if they aren't with the right people on personal time.