(I volunteered/Interned at Friends Outside over my 4 years at UC Santa Cruz and worked for them as…read morea Jail Librarian) Friends Outside is a National Non-Profit org. (in Santa Cruz, housed under the Volunteer Centers of SC County.) whose mission is to provide assistance to those incarcerated in local jails: "Our goal is to help lessen the trauma of incarceration for inmates & their families, to provide information that can lead to positive changes, & to assist ex-offenders with their re-entry into the community." http://www.friendsoutside.org/ Santa Clara: http://www.friendsoutsideinscc.org/ POST-RELEASE: If someone you know has been incarcerated or is on probartion/parole, contact FO! They are HELPFUL with: ~ Property retrieval & storage - Liaison between attorneys, family & other agencies - Confidential visits with a knowledgeable & supportive volunteer - Information about community services & drug/alcohol programs - Helping with emergencies caused by incarceration - Bring in resources such as dictionaries, reading glasses, bus passes, & writing tablets - Help with limited legal & financial situations - Begin planning post-release resources & referrals through the Aftercare process Everything from short & long-term case management which includes access to clothing & food vouchers, obtaining/applying for SSI & DMV I.D., housing applications & rent assistance, medical benfits & General governmental assitance, contacting your Parole/prob. agents & or family members, & registering to vote. We also visit prisoners ON THE INSIDE. After release from jail or prison, a client can meet with an Aftercare case manager for a one-stop resource & referral. Case managers offer support and advocate for clients, help facilitate post-release plans and provide applicable services. We make every effort to provide the information needed in the first few days of release. Friends Outside is unable to offer financial assistance; however, we may be able to connect clients to the appropriate agencies and churches. You may leave a message for a specific volunteer at 831 425-3434 or call for an appointment at 831 427-5078. We can help in the following areas: - Basic hygiene products and reading glasses - Information on food resources, voicemail, community programs, mental health and health-related services, education, counseling and shelters - Clothing vouchers / clothes - Bus passes (limited rides to court or appointments related to probation compliance) as well as maps and bus schedules - Assistance complying with probation to prevent unnecessary incarceration (WRAP) - Court accompaniment - Information on local and statewide legal and criminal justice agencies - Informal assistance with a job search - Free copies of the Friends Outside Resource Guide (which I created!) - Outreach and educational presentations about our services as appropriate Over the course of my time working for them as a case manager and jail librarian, I was able to access those incarcerated in Blaine Street Jail (minimum security for Women), the Main SC County Jail (Men and Women's Medium Security), "The Farm" and The Rountree Men's Facilities in Watsonville (Medium Men's jails). The experience was eye-opening, and got me into the work I am doing now as a Case Manager for Centerforce, San Rafael. I still work with Friends Outside, who contracts out of the Visitor's Center at San Quentin State Prison. We provide books, dictionaries (Spanish-English), and reading glasses to the jails through donation drives that we hold annually. Children's Events: Kids' Days! We love these days- so fun to volunteer and be a part of a positive event INSIDE the jail with families and children- Fun activities, crafts, and treats for children visiting their incarcerated parents during holidays (X-mas, Halloween, V-Day). Fliers announcing these events are posted at the Farm and at Blaine Street a few weeks ahead, so prisoners can inform their families on visiting day about the event (during the winter holiday season, we work with Toys for Tots gathering gifts for children with an incarcerated parent.) Please DONATE! As a typical struggling non-profit, they need all the support they can get to continue doing amazing, hard, and incredibly important work in the community!!! FOR NOW, NOT FOREVER I woke up today in a cold cement cell, No one to hold me so I hold myself. As I lie there, all alone in my bed, I am numb to my surroundings, I am lost in my head. I dream, I think, I fantasize, I try not to hear my heart's little cries. There in my mind, I learn to sever, myself from reality, for now, not forever. -Incarcerated client Santa Cruz location, Contact: Heidi Canales/Talia Stoessel at 831-427-5078. ~ scFriendsOutside@hotmail.com ~ fovolunteer@gmail.com Friends Outside in Santa Clara County: 551 Stockton Avenue San Jose, CA 95126 Phone: (408) 295-6033 , Fax: (408) 295-2907

I interned at Friends Outside in 2004/2005 as a jail visitor. It was an amazing experience that I…read morewill never forget. FO is a great resource for people who are incarcerated and their families. This is one of those rare nonprofits that makes their money go a really long way by using it for the clients rather than paying a bunch of administrators. Even though I am a poor graduate student I make it a point to donate every year (even if it's only a little bit), and I would encourage you all to do the same!

1/2 off days. Second Saturday of every month. My mom and I looked for over 1 hour at all the items…read morewe did not know we needed. Staff was great we came in today.. I appreciate their food bag distribution that mom gets weekly. So to support them today was a blessing. Thanks. And Mahalo.

Wow, corporate mentality has finally hit Grey Bears. Went there today as I do weekly, found a few…read moreitems I wanted and went to pay the prices as labeled on each item. Cashier then balked at the prices and said she couldn't sell them to me because she hadn't approved the prices, as the "guys" in the back, don't know how to.....even though Grey bears employees them to do so? WTF........... So if you find an item for a deal, they now have the unposted right to refuse the sale because someone thinks the price isn't reflective of it's true "give to us for free" value. Sad, but I have been slowly noticing this trend lately, just not as blatant as today.

Always fine something good here, well at least I do. From a nice dresser, a side table to dishes. I…read morego to Habitat at least a few times a month and find something awesome..... Also a note if ya see something ya like, go with your gut and buy it cuz it won't be there the next day. The turn around here is crazy and things do not last long on the shelves. My most recent find a colorful and fun sake set! Do chips or blemishes, looks like it was never used. It made my day and the whole set was 20 bucks!!!

My mom always finds something to get from baskets, lamps to chairs and even silverware that she…read morefelt one time she needed. I one day found used horseshoes to play with friends. I like just a stopping in to look when we drive through town. Mahalo and thanks. We will see you next time.

Stayed there for less than a week, got accused "by a staff member" my second day being there of…read moresmoking pot in the house (definitely smelled it that morning though) was open and honest the entire time that I had smoked a few times during my pregnancy before coming there, and I wouldn't pass a drug test as I smoked the night before I left my hometown to move to Siena House. Simply told that that "didn't look good for me" and I moved on because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I didn't have a guilty conscience for something I didn't do. I told them they could thoroughly search me and my belongings considering I didn't own so much as a lighter. I guess that wasnt good enough because a few days later I was told that a member of the board had moved to have me evicted. With no real evidence whatsoever. That's what you get for being honest with these people. False accusations and threats to be put out on your butt. And from what another woman living there told me I'm far from the first person to have that happen. And all of this within not even a full week of me staying there. I didn't stick around to see what else could possibly go wrong living there, I packed up my stuff, left, and moved in with the father of my child with whom my relationship is incredibly strained, because I had no other options The woman who live there are lovely, and even the staff themselves conducts themselves in a friendly manner, but if you have any skeletons in your closet whatsoever, be prepared to be treated like a criminal and probably be the first one to be accused if anything happens.

Call these wonderful people if you need help and are pregnant. They will help you. I have not…read morevisited them yet but they were so great when I was trying to find shelter for a homeless pregnant woman. God bless Siena House!

Here's an idea .... come to Santa Cruz to serve rather than be served!…read more This mission has been feeding (both spiritually and physically) the homeless population since the mid 70's. Every Friday and Saturday night between 40-150 folks come for a reprieve of the streets for a warm plate of food, a large helping of the holy spirit, and a side dish of fellowship. Countless local ministries join in serving and preparing the meals, in addition to helping many of those who serve at the mission daily. You will meet some amazing people there on full-time staff who understand how to serve up plenty of compassion with their Christianity, Stop on by for an evening service on Friday or Saturday nights and check it out. Talk with Pastors Ben or Mike to determine if you can help in any manner. I guarantee you will not leave the same.

I have a special place in my heart for Elm Street Mission. About 15 years ago before the internet…read moregot huge and plentiful with resources, before Craigslist became more than just a SF Bay Area thing and at a time when young homeless kids really did not have too many places to go where they were out of place or ran the risk of being reported to Juvenile agencies and sent back to abusive parents or thrown back into abusive foster home situations, the Elm Street Mission provided a place where us kids could always find something to eat and even opened up their doors during rainy seasons for a place to crash. They didn't have much and they didn't ask for much in return except to maybe attend a church service every so often. It's a small church with a small recreation room and pantry. But what they offered was solace and sanctuary for the homeless youngsters of all ages to go when they needed help the most, and at most times 7 days a week anytime of the day, unlike the Soup Kitchen and the HRC which were open at select times and in a location that was often difficult to get to. The mission, being sandwiched in between a great record store off the main drag and Pergatory (Cafe pergolessi) is situated directly in the middle of where the kids hang out and panhandle all day and in a part of the city where they can be easily supervised. I don't think many of us youngsters knew that, as I am sure we all thought it was just a great place to hang out and spange to fund our survival needs. The Mission never judged any of us, when many places closed their doors because they assumed all the homeless were drug dealers or prostitutes and they never judged even the youngest homeless kids (middle school age) or treated them like they had to be parented. See, many of these homeless minors, came from horrible home circumstances, from all over the country, who came to Santa Cruz because the word on the street said SC was a safe haven and a tourist trap (to offer spanging opportunities). And many of the minors who were street side all day long couldn't make out to better circumstances without great hardship, so most got together and made their own family and found their own "homes". And when all their spots they'd normally go to closed doors on them, burnt to the ground, became too unsafe to go to or too exposed to the element or turned into communes for older homeless who made life harder for them, the Mission was always there to help when they could. I owe a great deal of gratitude to the Mission, and anyone who has time to volunteer and help, Santa Cruz needs the assistance as the city grows and attracts more tourists, more and more homeless will need help in town.

CASA for Children of Santa Cruz County is a wonderful and very important nonprofit organization…read more They recruit, train and supervise advocates for children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned and who are taken out of their homes and put in the foster care system in the Santa Cruz County. These advocates fight for these children's needs and give them love, hope, and self-esteem. Thank you to all who support CASA of Santa Cruz!

I use to go to this place. The staff was really helpful and supportive of me while I was in the…read moreSanta Cruz area. I was referred there by County Mental Health. I would still be going there if I was still in the area. They have groups that meet that deal with different topics about mental health recovery. It's located near Costco and has decent parking.

Have given them lots of children's clothes and toys jackets,…read more Glad to share clothes with children in need

I used to really love this place. They took away the donation incentive. They added signs…read moreeverywhere about watching your kids and don't touch anything. Took the play area away as well as the bathroom/changing table. This is a family story. With so many littles and pregnant moms. I understand saying customers only on the bathroom. My daughter needed the toilet and they told me to walk down a few buildings to the pizza place....they are also not friendly in store. Such a shame it used to be so nice and inviting.