This is a great place to work or Volunteer…read more Since first opening our doors in 1988, Covenant House Alaska has served as a safe refuge for thousands of youth escaping the often unforgiving streets of Alaska. Over the years, our services have grown and our programs have expanded, but we've never lost sight of our primary mission: to provide loving care and vital services to homeless, abandoned, abused and exploited young people in Alaska. At Covenant House Alaska, our commitment to youth in crisis is in effect 24/7/365. Our wide array of programs and services not only meets the basic living needs of kids at this critical time in their lives, but also provides them with support; genuine help that facilitates their journey to becoming healthy, self-sufficient, contributing members of our community. Check them out to see more at https://ak.covenanthouse.org/ The 5 basic principles at Covenant House are Immediacy :Homeless kids come to Covenant House in crisis. Immediately and without question, we meet their basic human needs - a nourishing meal, a shower, clean clothes, medical attention, and a safe place away from the dangers of the street. Sanctuary: Homeless kids arriving at our door are often frightened and mistrustful. Young men and women can grow only when they feel safe and secure - Covenant House protects them from the perils of the street and offers that important sense of security. Value Communication: Lying, cheating, and stealing are common survival tools on the street. Covenant House teaches by example that caring relationships are based on trust, respect, and honesty. Structure: Homeless kids never know how they will get their next meal or where they will sleep. Covenant House provides the stability and structure necessary to build a positive future. Choice: Young people often feel powerless to control their lives and fall into a self-defeating cycle of failure. Covenant House fosters confidence, encouraging young people to believe in themselves and make smart choices for their lives. This place is great you should go by and get a tour.

From the owner: Covenant House is a privately funded, nonprofit agency that provides shelter, food, clothing and…read moreimmediate crisis care services to homeless and runaway youths. It operates various facilities in more than 20 cities throughout the United States, Canada, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. The organization provides a variety of services, including medical care, advocacy, substance and drug abuse treatment, and educational and vocational programs. It also provides prevention and recreational programs, legal aid services, mother and child care, transitional living, life skills training and street outreach education. Covenant House offers a range of health services, including medical, psychological, psychiatric, optometric and dental care. It has one of its locations in Anchorage, Alaska.

I think about the Food Bank when it gets colder and I try to donate twice in the fall/winter. We…read morehit Costco and bought 20 Doz. fresh eggs. It's one of their items they always are in need of. The protein in eggs and it's countless uses in various recipes is welcome but since it's perishable so it has to delivered to their Spar Ave. location. They accept dry goods and we bought some Spaghetti Noodles to give too from Costco along with some canned goods from home that gently went out of expiration. Peace, love and a full belly to the folks here in Alaska!

Once you find Spar Avenue on the map, it's an easy way to donate food where it can be distributed…read moreto where it's needed most.

If you're reading this review chances are you don't need to eat here or the services that Bean's…read moreCafé provides. I have had the privilege to volunteer serving food during lunch and one thing that's always struck me is the gratitude the patrons feel for receiving a warm meal. The camaraderie in the room is fun and lively. The meals consist of a salad, a warm entrée, a side vegetable, and a dessert. Sometimes there is bread or bagel. The lunch room is well managed by the workers who don't eat until everyone else has, and the handicapped and infirm have their meals transported to them first. The cafeteria walls are now decorated with paintings of some of the patrons and are really well done. I really like the picture of the lady smiling in a blue coat. It's really heartwarming. Although I'm fortunate to have the capacity to care and feed myself I'm grateful that there is a place serving warm meals in a safe environment for those who cannot support themselves. If you have the opportunity to support or volunteer here at Bean's I highly recommend it. Just show up around 11:15-11:30AM and enter through the side door that is on the left, which is the entrance to the back of the kitchen. Someone will point you to a hairnet, hand washing station, apron, and plastic gloves and tell you where to stand on the food line. If you're not feeling the hairnet bring a baseball cap. Don't wear rings or watches. There is a place for people to hang their belongings near the door, though it's not secure so no valuables. If you're nervous for your first time hit me up and I'll join you on the serving line.

I have been subjected to sleep on a cot that was urinated on by one of the former clients who used…read moreit without any bedding to provide a barrier between my bareskin and this unsanitary cot. For the past three days since I have been here the staff have refused to provide bedding me, not even a sheet. So, not only am I putting my health at risk sleeping bare skin on an unsanitary cot I am also freezing at night as my cot is near the door/entrance. I have been told they have bedding but no one is washing it so I am left DURING A PANDEMIC in an unsanitary situation that could be prevented by someone washinga load of bedding. This is undignified and a reckless display of disregard for my health at that during a pandemic. This is unacceptable and foul. Why can't your staff wash one load of bedding so new guest can have a blanket and some type or barrier between their bare skin and the reused dirty cots? My cot reeks of urine and you think it is okay for me to sleep bareskin on a urine stained cot. It isn't my urine on the cot. Do your donors and the public know you run this place like this?

If I could, I would give this place an 0 Rating. The staff dip out on the clients, business takes…read moreadvantage of most the clients when their in certain programs like the Hope ARt Studio where you make the art and they sell it and pocket the the for the company, the clients don't get a penny, and in extreme situations clients have been put in danger and threaten with bodily harm. Don't bother sending your loved one who experience medical disabilities or mental disabilities. One or two things will happen 1) They will get better, it well most likely take the rest of their life to do so. That is not an exaggeration. I would know because I used to work there and at one point been a client of theirs due to a serious injury. 2) They will get a staff member that treats them like dog shit, nothing needs to be said more. Please don't go here, if so please know the pros and cons of this place. Don't tell me I didn't worn you.

horrible care for the disabled... This company is dishonest... hope community is extremely…read moredishonest taking advantage of persons with disabilities and their personal finances. They keep individuals from accessing their own money! Guardians are lied to about The care there family members are actually Receiving. They commit fraud by billing the state for services that were never performed. Some homes have A monthly turnover of staff! It's heartbreaking to see how this company harms the lives of disabled individuals and are allowed to get away with it. The state of Alaska has had many complaints... And nothing is ever done. I really wish somebody would " step up" And do the right thing!

They provide vaccinations at a reduced rate & have a great selection of used animal supplies. I was…read moreable to pick up dog kennel and bed for my new puppy as well as collars and various leashes and supplies and a greatly discounted rate

My husband and I decided to give our little cat to the SPCA. It was a sad decision for us and we…read morefelt very bad about doing it. I exchanged emails with a person named Jillian. The emails were friendly so I felt positive.. I arrived at the shelter and Jillian said she had not been emailing me, and some other woman had. So she lied about exchanging emails. Our cat was really upset in her carrier and I almost changed my mind. She took our cat and she refused to let me see where our cat would be placed . She said something about a quarantine which was totally ridiculous. Our cat's shots were very up to date. Then Jillian had me fill out a very lengthy registration for our cat's history on a super tiny laptop which was incredibly difficult to use. I finally was done filling out the forms. I decided to just look through the window to try to see my cat. Jillian came over to me and said in a very rude tone, nothing is needed from you, so you can leave! I was very upset that Jillian would speak to me in such a horribly rude manner. I had donated a lot of towels, to the shelter and they were still sitting on a chair when I left. Not one word of thanks! I looked at my cat on the SPCA website and I felt sick! Our cat was sitting on a stained pet bed and half of the bed was hanging off a shelf. It did not look like a big space and there were no windows. I regret very much giving our cat to SPCA. Jillian should not be working there at all. She's a terrible example of customer service. I will never recommend SPCA to anyone in the community. I would go pay to get out cat back if I could. I am very worried about her. They have a weird rule about that though!

My checks were shorted a couple of times when I worked for them and on top of that their award co…read moresystem is a fraud. They don't like to pay you what you are worth. A few good apples there that are mistreated

If you have special needs or disabled you must visit this place! Start the paperwork, yes it may…read moretake months but from what I have been told if you get a letter of eligibility you can be taken care of in many areas you didn't know people where their to help you! We are still in the works of the paperwork, as i'm told the first stage is completed and their are a few more yet to go, including waiting up to a month for that eligibility letter, and then to find out what funding my kiddo can get from the state of AK. As far as I know they have activities for the elderly and a youth center for over 16. I am not sure what constitutes as a disability and who can attend, but please call and find out! I've learned about day rehab and that just seems so beneficial for my little one, I can't wait to get started with the programs they have here! Check it out, a great amazing i'm not sure if its profit/non-profit, but it doesn't matter!

We went here to do a little hiking and to check out the waterfall. The trail to the waterfall was…read morepretty good, but a bit close to the edge in 1 or 2 places. The waterfall itself was impressive. I really felt the power of it, being so close to it. I did not see any wildlife on the trail other than a few ducks in the stream. I would recommend this trail.

Like some other trails in Anchorage (Ram Valley, McHugh Peak) the legality of this trail probably…read morevaries depending on who you ask. I'm pretty sure it is legal, but you have to follow the rules: - obey any and all private property signs: while the waterfall itself is probably public land, there is lots of land around it that is not. - DO NOT park directly at the end of this cul-de-sac. You will probably get towed. Pull forward until you stop seeing all the no parking signage. Got it? OK. So there are two ways to get to the falls. If one were walking up the creek (against the flow) I'm going to describe them as viewer's left and viewer's right. Both ways start by walking down a road with a locked gate. If you hear a big Great Pyrenees barking at you, you're probably in the right spot. Folks describing this as a "trail" confused me and I ended up doing some minor bushwhacking on this completely easy and mundane trail. In a very short amount of time, you'll come to a sturdy bridge. This is where the paths diverge. 1) To get to the viewpoint: continue across this bridge. In maybe 100-200ft you'll see a sign saying "Barbara Falls" with an arrow pointing right. Go right. You're still on a very wide road that you could drive a truck on. Following this uphill, veering right-ward at any junctions. This will take you to the viewpoint with guard rails. With a 50mm-ish lens (the "zoomed in lens" on most modern phones), you can get pretty decent shots of the falls. If you want to get closer, you can go around the guard rails and climb down. BE EXTREMELY careful and take it slow. This terrain is really slippery and pretty steep, a fall would not be good. This view isn't that great for more "serious" (on a tripod) photography though. Why? Because the wind is constantly blowing mist off of the falls and to this point. 2) To get to the "right" side of the falls: BEFORE the sturdy bridge, look for a FOOT PATH (NOT a big, truck-wide road) on your right. It starts almost exactly where the bridge begins (see my photos). Fall foliage may make it hard to find. It hugs the creek pretty closely the entire way. This is the best spot for photography. It takes you to a pretty big area where you can safely explore the falls at their base...without any sketchy down-climbing. Wide-angle lenses work great down here, this is a very photogenic falls. In the "Fall" (*groan*) there are lots of nice autumnal colors here. Have fun and obey the rules so that others may do the same in the future!