I visit the Mercy Warehouse every Monday for help with clothing vouchers, and I can honestly say…read morethis place is an absolute blessing. In my current situation, as I am living in my minivan, the support I receive here is life-changing. But beyond the resources, the real heart of this place is Nancy. She is a Godsend. She doesn't just see a person in need; she sees me. She is a true friend in God and an example of His love--I see God's image in her every time we speak. She encourages me and prays with me, and her words of wisdom stay with me long after I leave. She has this beautiful, positive, motherly energy that makes me feel seen, valued, and comforted. Sometimes she even makes me cry because she provides the guidance and care I've always longed for--the kind of motherly advice I wish I'd had. Today's visit especially made a huge, huge difference in my life; the way she loved me today felt like the way a mother truly loves her child, or like the way our Father in heaven loves His children. I am so grateful to her, more than words can express, and I absolutely adore her.

Pros: Cleaner & bigger than most thrift stores. Prices weren't that bad…read more Cons: Difficult to walk around, especially with a cart. It feels like no more than 2 people can be at the same aisle. The lack of lighting, music, just the overall atmosphere made this place feel kinda depressing.

My SO brought me here for strawberry picking on my bday and it was so cute and fun. Had no idea…read morethis place existed and I've been in OC my whole life. They have a cute market too with fresh produce and gourmet items. There's even a little casual restaurant here. This place has it all! It's nice to walk around the farm too. Highly recommend if you care about quality food! They also have volunteer opportunities if you'd like to help this wonderful little center!

Where has this place been my whole life? Stepping into the commune that is The Ecology Center is so…read moreincredible - it's a whole world here. The energy is spectacular. they have Friday night farm-to-table dinners, outdoor performances and live music, yoga and meditation in the dome, a market with all their produce and made on-site hot sauces and fermented items, and the star of the show: a regenerative organic farm (the only one in SoCal, might I add!) I came here for the strawberry picking experience and loved every second of it. Two minutes in, I was having so much fun! This space draws me close to what I want to be doing in this life. I'll absolutely be volunteering here and seeing what else will be added to such a beautiful place! I highly recommend the Ecology Center.

My life has changed significantly since beginning TM 18 months ago! My stress is lower, mood is…read morebetter and life just seems brighter! I tell everyone I can about it. Barry and Cindy Katz are the best Instructors! Highly Recommended- give it a chance!

Been meditating regularly since 1973. One of the best things I've ever done. I had emotional…read moreissues and challenges when I was growing up and this helped me overcome them.

These people are gifted, compassionate angels on earth. They saved two baby possums and a juvenile…read moreblack-crowned night heron that we rescued from a swimming pool, and under a parked car along a busy street, respectively. They also directed us to a rescue that took in a mother duck and her twelve small ducklings, found marching down the busy street we live on, at rush hour, between the two solid yellow lines that divide the traffic lanes. It does my heart good to know that there still are such kind, selfless people, on this planet.

I love this place so much. This is the third time I have brought in an injured animal and the staff…read moreis incredibly attentive. They really care about the animals they take in. Make sure if you go to leave a donation.

Doggie Bonez Rescue is the most amazing organization that works so hard to find dogs amazing…read moreforever homes. The process of adoption is so smooth and Jackie and her volunteers are really loving people who make sure these dogs go to good people. I have two doggies from them that are now 5 and 9 1/2 and I can thank Doggie Bonez for gifting me the best dogs ever!!

After our beloved senior dog crossed the rainbow bridge earlier this year and when we were finally…read moreready to adopt another dog we scoured several area rescues looking for a dog that fit what we were looking for. We thought we found the one at Doggie Bonez. We initially reached out via the website asking for more info on a specific dog. After a day with no response, we filled out an application because we were serious about adopting and called to follow up. Our calls went unanswered and unreturned. A few days later we reached out via social media and finally got a response from a volunteer. However, everything is managed and run through Jackie so the volunteer offered to reach out to her. Several days later Jackie finally texted. We were so excited! She confirmed the dog was still available, offered to get us updated photos and coordinate with the foster family about setting up a time to meet the dog. Days went by with no reply from her. We reached out again with no reply. At this point we decided to cut our losses and move on. We had been trying to get even the most minimal information for nearly two weeks and ultimately we were ghosted. I understand being the point person for an entire rescue organization can be daunting but a simple acknowledgement that she was working on it or it was on her to do list would have gone a long way. Opening our hearts and home to another dog was a big deal for us and part of our journey to heal after loosing our best boy. Our experience with Jackie and Doggie Bonez was an emotional rollercoaster of being hopeful and excited then being let down with silence. The whole experience was traumatic for me and I would caution anyone choosing to engage with this particular rescue. These dogs deserve loving homes so I wouldn't discourage anyone from adopting but it would be remiss if I didn't share our experience. I hope we were the exception and not the rule to how this rescue is run.

Today I feel extremely grateful, Thankful and humbled. Blessed for the opportunity that has been…read morepresented to me daily. I'm here at the friendship shelter to help serve & give check up's on the less fortunate & pass out blankets, jackets, clothes hygiene kits & Starbucks gift cards. After speaking with the coordinator I stood to serve Thanksgiving dinner. I loved getting to know everyone I came across & more interesting is that these individuals didn't choose to be homeless and not all fell to drugs some have mental illness some lost their jobs because of our economy nonetheless they shouldn't be judged or look down on but to be treated with respect kindness compassion and dignity because after all their human beings too. Who's to say that we could all fall on hard times too. God Bless You all & may the guardian angels surround them all & protect them from what we call life !

Very kind to friends of mine who were in a jam. They had been unexpectedly evicted and had nowhere…read moreto go and no money. The shelter gave them food and a place to sleep.

The people at New Beginnings For Animals are wonderful to work with. We found the perfect dog for…read moreour family through this rescue group. Their rates are very reasonable especially since they care for the animals, give them any necessary shots/chips and nurse them to health if needed until they find their forever home. I worked mostly with Diane and she was always punctual with replying to emails/texts regarding any dogs of interest. She always gave me timely info and answered any and all of my constant questions and concerns. Meeting times were always flexible and there wasn't a pressure to choose a dog with every meeting. They do their homework on finding the right fit for their animals which I appreciate. They have the animals best interest at heart. That means not every family will get what they want if the fit isn't right. It'd be awful to adopt a dog only to rehome/return the dog a few months later due to bad fit. Keep up the good work!

Walked into Petsmart and immediately felt harassed and unwelcome. The staff at New Beginnings was…read moreunkempt and unprofessional in how they addressed me as customer in the store not to mention the dogs they were attempting to foster or adopt out smelled like urine and feces. We will donate and go elsewhere for adoption. Beware

If you're a book feind, there's always something to find here at an extremely reasonable price. It…read moreis tucked away and parking can be a challenge, but I've aways found it worthwhile to stop by when I'm In the area.

My boyfriend and I had stopped by here out of curiosity while visiting the San Juan Capistrano…read moreMission. This little bookstore is attached to the library and has so any books to look through. Their collection of books may seem small, but don't be deceived! They have drawers underneath the shelves against the wall and the book racks filled with books ranging from all sorts of categories. My boyfriend and I walked away with a handful of books at a decent price and we plan to stop by again to see if they have anything new in the near future.