Feeding South Florida teamed up with the City of Dania Beach for a Thanksgiving distribution, and I…read morewas genuinely impressed. The items we received were premium quality and far better than I expected. The entire process was smooth, organized, and completely stress-free. We never even had to get out of the car! I also want to give a special thank-you to the city employee who kindly added my child's name to the list. And yes, we received a turkey too! I truly appreciate the care, generosity, and coordination that went into this event.

Always great to volunteer to help the community out. The staff its super friendly and they go into…read moredetail of how to sort food out and things that you must . Great sense of helping others and feeding those less fortunate. Definitely will like to come as a team to volunteer once again !

As a fan of history and architecture, the Hollywood Women's Club certainly caught my eye as I was…read morewalking along the exercise path that runs along the historic Hollywood Beach Golf and Country Club across the street. Like many women's clubs in Florida, the Hollywood Women's Club was founded in 1922 during the Florida Land Boom years. In the 1920's women's clubs were formed to give back to the community. They became a way for women to get out of the house and assert their independence. They allowed women to get involved in politics and launched the women's rights movement. The Hollywood Women's Club predated the founding of the city and in 1924 they joined the General Federation of Women's Clubs. The first club members were the wives of officers in the J.W. Young Organization which was the development company building Hollywood. They met in the first clubhouse that was built on land donated by the founder of Hollywood, Joseph W. Young in 1927. Early club projects included donating hundreds of books to the first public library, holding tag sales to pay for health screenings for children, giving migrating farmers assistance with housing and welfare, getting the Miami Telephone Co. to bring the first telephone line to town, and collecting $12,000 during a war bonds drive. Today the club supports literacy programs, funds a youth scholarship, participates in the Hollywood Historical Society, supports the neighborhood crime watch, and provides financial aid to many state charities through the General Federation of Women's Clubs. The original plans for the clubhouse included an ornate Mediterranean Revival style. After the collapse of the land boom due to the Great Depression and several hurricanes the design was scaled back to a more affordable $25,000 Classical Revival style building in 1927. The building was listed as a a local historical landmark in 1985, and added to the National Register of Historic Place in 1995. Between 2012 and 2014 money was raised by the club and added to a grant to prevent the clubhouse from sinking into the sand. Other cosmetic work was also completed on this charming historical building. In 2022 the Hollywood Women's Club celebrated their 100th anniversary. During this time further electrical improvements and upgrades to the kitchen were made. Today the clubhouse is available to be rented for private events. The 1,200 square foot main event room has hardwood floors and a grand piano and can accommodate 60 people. There is also a catering kitchen. Information on how to rent the clubhouse and join and volunteer with this important civic organization can be found on the club website. If there are any upcoming events you can find that information as well. For instance they hold 2 round bingo nights for $10. The next bingo night is May 30th and they serve inexpensive drinks including alcohol and snacks. For over 100 years the women of Hollywood have been coming together to improve their local community as well as the state of Florida. Women's clubs have a legacy of helping their communities and it's nice to see that this one is still going strong today.

We hosted my mother's 90th birthday party at this venue. We could not have found a more perfect…read moreplace to have celebrated. From the initial inquiry call 6 weeks out to the event day the staff was immediately responsive, informative, kind and knowledgeable. The restored Women's Club is run by a staff of loving, dedicated volunteers. Every question that I had as our plans developed were addressed with amazing speed. The venue has been beautifully restored and we were honored to have our celebration here. Would not hesitate to recommend the Hollywood Women's Club venue. Thank you to the team that made this venue beautiful and available to us.

This place was heaven sent when I was trying to get rid of stuff I didn't need during the move and…read morealso while decluttering. Mitch is always here to take the items while having a quick, friendly conversation. The entrance is usually at the door on the right side of the building. I wish they had another location out west, but I'll always stop by here whenever I'm heading out east. They also have another location in Miami, but I haven't been there yet. I'm grateful for this place existing.

Great place to support to provide food and safety to the unhoused in my local community. Located in…read moreHollywood FL. Thanks for all you do! The caring place.

I took a ball python snake for a walk in the sunshine one Saturday... I visited for a volunteer…read moreevent with coworkers (hint hint, great team building thing!) and was very impressed with the staff and their commitment to the long term animal residents. They have the personalities of each animal resident down pat! We had a great time providing care for the animals and their habitats, feeding treats, and getting my finger gripped by a cute little opossum. If you ever find an injured wild animal, call them! If it's after hours, it's ok to drop them off in one of the special cages outside the front gate!

This place is so amazing! I had a baby possum that was left behind in my backyard & South Florida…read moreWildlife Center came to the rescue!

This organization has been a game changer for me. As a social worker, I come across so many…read moreunder-served people who have lost their homes, their lives and their dignity. With each division of my work, from the homeless to the hospitalized, I have been able to call on Thomas and TSOMB to assist with clothing, toiletries and even household appliances that ease the burden so many face during times of adversity. He has been professional, kind and caring. I could not recommend a better place to donate your gently used clothing and household items or a better person to call on for help.

From the owner: "The Shirt Off My Back" was founded by Thomas Volturo. Thomas began collecting clothing and…read morepersonal items from friends and distributing the items right out of the trunk of his car directly to the homeless in our South Florida community. More and more people began to offer communications. The movement has grown and more and more individuals, families and non-profit organizations are benefiting from the generosity of your donations. Our goal is simple: we put clothing, toiletries and other items directly into the hands of people in need. When asked "why do you do this?" Thomas always responds with the same answer... "because I can." Please join us in our mission to "pay it forward" and help less fortunate folks in our neighborhoods.

I've had the great pleasure of seeing first hand what exactly the RMH does…read more Chances are - you've been to a McDonalds in the last decade and have seen the little boxes to collect any spare change you might have. These donations go to fund the RMH - so what exactly do they do? A LOT. First off - it's actual housing! There are 350 RMHs nationally. Parents with ill children can rent a room (I believe it's $20 a night). This allows parents to stay close to their children (this house is literally across the street from the hospital) and not have to worry about long commutes. The facility includes a living room, kitchen and laundry room. All of them immaculately clean. The actual rooms are spacious and look like any hotel room does - two beds and a sofa (or a crib), bathroom, closet, dressers, etc. The fine folks of RMH try and make it as easy on the parents as possible. They have some great programs such as the Adopt-A-Meal program that allows local members of the community to come in and cook a nice meal for the residents. We got a group together recently and made a lunch for the families - while most of them were at the hospital during the day the staff was so thankful that when they returned back they would have a nice meal waiting for them. They mentioned the fact that that parents don't have to worry about cooking - or even going to buy groceries - is a huge weight off of their shoulders. Everyone I have ever met from RMH has had an ear to ear smile. The folks here genuinely love what they do. The families that stay here become part of their extended family - they see the children grow up - and hopefully get better with time. It's all pretty incredible. I recommend everyone try and make it out the house to volunteer - or at least think twice about dropping some change in those containers next time you are getting a Big Mac (or Filet 'o Fish if you are anything like me....don't judge, they are delicious). Oh and one perk of going in to volunteer (besides the warm and fuzzies of course...) is that they have a Ronald McDonald at the entrance you can snap a cool photo with =D

I can't think of enough good things to say about this wonderful charity…read more For those who don't know, the Ronald McDonald House provides housing for families with critically ill children, so they can spend as much time as possible with their child. It offers a warm homelike environment to people who who need as much support as they can get. Families may be there for one night, weeks, months or even years, depending on the condition of the child. While the House asks for a $20 donation, if the parents can't pay, they are not turned away. The rooms here, both the common and private areas, are beautifully decorated. We were there on Christmas Eve and every room was decorated for the holidays, with trees, snowmen, miniature villages, etc. The bedroom we saw had two cushy beds, a comfy arm chair, and a dresser. There were fresh towels laid out on the bed and a gift bag with snack items and small toiletries. It was warm and inviting. There are common areas where families can gather and children can play. We were there to cook a lunch meal for the families, there were a total of 24 people staying at the House. The kitchen was huge, with three ovens, shared pantry items, big fridges and a small locked cabinet for each family. That being said, they really need some new equipment and some repair on some appliances. We tried one of the ovens, which didn't heat properly, so it took a long time to cook things that should have been fairly quick to prepare. There was a shortage of decent cutlery and other cooking essentials. There is also a big laundry where residents can do their laundry, with all the necessary items being supplied. We met several of the staff members, they were all truly caring, loving people who do a very stressful job with the best of attitudes. It's the kind of place that, if I were younger, I would love to work. So, let's dispel a myth. With the McDonald's name on this house, one is led to believe that they are supported by the huge McDonald's corporation. Such is not the case. Regionally, only about 10% of the operating money comes from McDonalds. This leaves a huge hole that has to be filled by public donations and fundraisers. We went to their holiday fund raiser a couple of weeks ago. It was a nice event, with lots of food and entertainment. But the fundraising was inadequate. The silent auction and raffle didn't make nearly as much money as they could have. After looking at the financial statements online, we found that my daughters school district used to make much more at their annual auction than this wonderful charity. So, they need all kinds of things that you might not have considered - things like kitchen basics (such as rolls of aluminum foil), laundry and cleaning supplies, personal items like soaps and lotions, bath towels, etc. They also love to have donations of fresh fruit and vegetables to augment the things in the pantry. There are so many ways to donate! Everyone should make some time and fix a meal for this harried and haggard parents. Or find a different way to help them out, there are plenty listed on their website. Think how you would feel if you had a critical ill child and take it from there.

The American Maritime Officers STAR Center (Simulation, Training, Assessment & Research) is one of…read morethe premier maritime training facilities in the United States. The Center provides world-class education and hands-on training for Merchant Marine Deck and Engineering Officers, helping them meet and exceed the rigorous licensing requirements established by the U.S. Coast Guard. One of the STAR Center's most impressive offerings is the TECH (The Engineering Candidate Hawsepipe) Program. This unique program provides motivated men and women with the opportunity to earn a U.S. Coast Guard Third Assistant Engineer's license in approximately 24 months--without incurring student loan debt. Graduates leave the program prepared for rewarding careers with earning potential that exceeds $100,000 annually, depending on employer and assignment. Admission to the TECH Program is competitive, and the curriculum is demanding. Success requires commitment, discipline, and perseverance, but those willing to put forth the effort will find the rewards well worth it. In addition to preparing new engineering officers, the STAR Center offers an extensive selection of continuing education and license upgrade courses for both Deck and Engineering Officers. The instructors are experienced maritime professionals, the simulators are state of the art, and the training reflects the highest standards of the maritime industry. Whether you are beginning your maritime career or advancing an existing one, the AMO STAR Center is an outstanding place to learn, train, and grow professionally. I highly recommend visiting the STAR Center's website to explore the many programs and opportunities available.

They do the things right, we had all the records from our newly adopted doggies, plus food, 2…read moremonths of flea, tick and heartworm, cannels, stroller, toys. Very impressive operations and you can tell they love all the animals they keep.

Another pet rescue, but I had gone to just before showing up to the abandoned told me to drive over…read morehere and check it out that they have three rooms full of cats and they're very nice..... upon chilling up with both of my toddlers in tow, the woman at the front desk was not very friendly. Told me that I needed to have an appointment to see the cats didn't understand why I was there without an appointment. She told me I had to wait to speak to the person in charge of the cats for the day..... then two minutes later told me to go ahead and sign in and go into the room with all the cats.... As I made my way through the crowded messy hallway, a random girl stops me to tell me to make sure my kids don't pull ears or tails (OBVIOUSLY)- no hey I'm so and so blah blah..., then I put my hands on the door to walk in with both of my kids who are very excited and I'm told that I can't have my bag..... it's a DIAPER bag people for the toddlers that are in Tow with me..... I asked if she could hold it for the 10 minutes while we would be in the room and she looked at me like I had asked her in Chinese....at which point I said forget it, this is becoming a mission just to see a couple cats when I could just adopt one off the side of the road. Some of these rescues really have a stick up their ass and do not make the adoption process very excited for families. We won't be back and we'll spread the word.