Save The Bay is such a GREAT organization that has been around since 1961! Save the bay had been…read morearound for over 50 years! Say What?? That's amazing! I first learned about Save the Bay because of Yelp Helps-Save The Bay Volunteer Event which was located at the MLK Shoreline! Such a beautiful view next to the highway. I have to admit this event was a great experience. Being able to volunteer with great people in the community: Girl scouts, High school students and some yelp friends that were working together to make positive changes in the community! :) I love it! Save The Bay works together to protect the Bay from pollution and reckless Shoreline development to make it clean and healthier for the people and the wildlife. Thank you Bryan and Jack for spending your Saturday morning 3/8/15 with the yelp squad along with other great people that came to volunteer! They were nice, motivational and knowledgeable! They provided us with gloves, picks, knee rest, and sunscreen and of course, WATER! I worked very closely with a girlfriend to plant some new plants into the nursery by the shoreline. Who would have thought that day would have been my first day actually holding a Crab! (One dead and the other alive). I didn't think I was THAT much into the wildlife! Whoo! Thank you to the donators that donated the snacks for all of us! The bars were delicious and definitely what I needed to continue my daily workout. I had a great time and I am so happy to be part of this event. I look forward to being involved again next year! It is SO nice to be able to get come wildlife knowledge and help out in the community! I was SO sore the next day but "Hard work pays off", right?

Like computer games? Got 15 minutes to spare? Want to actually make a difference during that time…read more(instead of... oh, you know all that other stuff you do on the interwebs). George A. Miller and Janet McKinley (whoever they are) are donating $1 to Save the Bay for everyone who logs in and plays the new, free "Save the Bay" game. The whole game takes less than 15 minutes to play, it's fun (it's a GAME!) and you'll learn a little in the process. Now, if all my Yelp-friends play that's more than $200 going to Save the Bay, an organization that does nothing but wonderful things to help ensure that our beautiful Bay Area is as beautiful a place to live tomorrow as it is today. Play the game here and let me know what you learn: http://www.battleforsfbay.org/v2/?BFB_QUZ_homepage

Home Repair in the Bayview area of San Francisco. No construction experience necessary, repair is…read morean all day shift, and you can't choose what kind of work you are doing. We had a fun and exhausting day and had a great crew leader and coordinator that worked with the vibe of our group to make it the most optimal. Our group's task was primering the outside of a home and helping clean the inside. Painting the outside was definitely the craziest part, leaning huge 2 story ladders with the bottom being on an angled sidewalk and made true by jamming scrapwood underneath one leg and the top part leaning on a house that was falling apart. Our crew leader did it with such comfort and confidence it made us feel more confidant about the safety. It was cool to see how a primer layer improved the look of the home and made it feel refreshed. I also enjoyed helping clean the inside, not sharing pictures of those for privacy but it was one of the most interesting houses with amazing history I've ever been inside of. Thanks for the fun experience, it made the end of day beers that much better!

I've been on 3 different projects, 2 in Menlo Park (read East Palo Alto) and 1 in Daly City, the…read morecondo development. It's been a lot of fun. I like that they do the safety talk at the start of each day. Also they have safety equipment such as helmets, ear plugs, knee pads. The knee pads are "well used" but are good enough to do the trick. Really nice folks at every site. I'm one to ask a lot of questions, and everyone has been really patient in answering. It's a good volunteer environment. The work itself can be hard work! But it's satisfying, and I was able to take the breaks I needed. It's also fascinating to learn about home construction. I've put down a subfloor, removed old laminate and hardwood flooring, and put down pergo. Plus done some random demolition. I've also seen inside of lots of walls, and have a better sense of how homes were constructed in the 50's. yikes. BTW I learned something important about Habitat. They don't give away houses--they sell them to families at a % of family income over time (30 years?). Then if the family wants to sell, they sell BACK to Habitat, and then they can use their built-up equity to buy something else. The neat thing is that the Habitat system is focused on affordability and smooths out bubbles by basing on salary. (US gov't, are you listening?) Also families that buy from Habitat have to do 500 hours of volunteer work. It's good stuff.

What comes to monde when you hear "Tenderloin? " Contrary to…read moremany's impression there are families neighbors and need in the neighborhood and this organization works sacrificial to meet the needs and provide everlasting solutions We plan to return on a regular basis!

We didn't know anyone but came here for a Christmas day volunteering event (I had to pay to…read morevolunteer to register). Werid huh? It was hard to find parking and the orientation was downstairs in the basement. I was glad to arrive a bit later. We were divided into groups and we went to help assist with the kids. It was actually kind of boring for me but my kids enjoyed it. I felt like there were a lot of downtime. I guess I like to be busy. I appreciated the people who work here and I got to see the inner works of God be placed in the Tenderloin.

I noticed swarming outside the window while working on my computer. I dashed to the window to see…read morebees frantically flying everywhere, like a storm of small locusts. I went out and saw a huge cluster of bees on the bush between our place and neighbor's and found the SF Beekeepers Assn website and left a message. Jim called back with 30 mins and took down some info. Mike, one of the volunteer members called to get directions and was over within the hour to collect bees into a box, smoke to calm them, found the queen and showed me a dead drone. It was such an interesting learning experience. He spent about 2 hours, no charge, to take care of our precious bees. The box was left in place overnight for the scout bees to return and for the hive to calm down and acclimate to their new environment. Mike returned early in the AM before 0700 the next day to pick up the box of bees and left a jar of honey. Spring is when the bees may swarm to reproduce if the old hive is over crowded or the nest is disrupted. Don't panic, call the SF Beekeepers. Thank you Mike, Jim and SF beekeepers. Save our bees!

This club is full of interesting, wonderful, fun people who know more about bees and beekeeping…read morethan you ever thought possible. Meetings are at 7:30 pm on the second Wednesday of the month, beginning with an informative question and answer session from 6:45 to 7:30 pm. Prominent guest speakers lecture most meetings. Classes are inexpensive and better than anything you'll find anywhere else for any price. Check the calendar on the website for more information.

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is one of our preferred charities. Lets face it, there were people…read morealready hurting before COVID hit and now that's all the more exacerbated. When it comes to food security or a lack thereof, you need a charity that literally helps put food on peoples table. They provide food for those that would otherwise have to do without. They also take fruits and vegetables (You must call ahead and set it up) along with the more typical donations. In addition you can also volunteer to help sort and setup. They have a website to help direct you. However, it is very popular and sometimes days are already filled up. As with all charities they need our help. How can you help? 1) Food donations. Every bit helps 2) Volunteer to help out 3) Cash is king. Consider a cash donation so they can pay for operations and buy essential items that they don't get donated. I mean how many cans of pumpkin filling can you make someone eat right?

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is truly one of the most impactful and well‑run organizations in…read moreour community. Every interaction I've had with them whether donating, volunteering, or simply learning more about their programs has left me inspired and grateful that such a dedicated team is working to fight hunger right here at home. What stands out most is their professionalism and compassion. The staff and volunteers treat every client with dignity, and you can feel how deeply they care about making sure families have access to healthy, nutritious food. Their operations are incredibly organized, and the scale at which they serve the community is nothing short of impressive. I also appreciate how transparent they are about where donations go and how efficiently they use their resources. It's rare to see an organization combine heart, innovation, and operational excellence so seamlessly. If you're considering supporting a local nonprofit, volunteering your time, or looking for a meaningful way to give back, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is an outstanding choice. They are making a real difference every single day.

I went here a couple of times in the past month for the first time and had a blast volunteering!…read moreThe people are really nice and they do an awesome job for the beautiful Presidio... Ely is bright and sunshine-y like the sun! And she loves what she does and it shows! She loves teaching, especially kids, about plants... This is a great place for people who don't have a garden of their own; you can get closer to nature and feel great knowing you're helping to take care of and grow native plants... 5-stars plus!

Unbelievable operation. It's amazing that volunteers and interns do all of this. I once knew an…read moreintern there. It was a different time, long since passed. Lots of tummy clenched emotion during those times. But like the cycle of native plants, when something is out of place... it won't flourish or grow as it should. It can't adapt or find it's rhythm with the surrounding topography. Understanding native plants might actually help with your broader understanding of life. It did for me. =)

Have you ever thought of giving yourself the gift of "Humility?"…read more In a society overrun by materialism, we often forget about those who lack the basic necessities just to survive on a daily basis. I will admit that I use to be one of those offenders, you know the ones who see a homeless/less fortunate person and say, "Awwww, I feel sorry for him/her..." then turn a blind eye. As obvious as it may seem (yet we tend to ignore), feeling sorry for someone isn't going to help them unless you proactively help to change the situation. One day, I had an epiphany and felt like something was missing in my life. This is where One Brick came into my life to help fill in the gap. I've wanted to volunteer for a while now but with a busy work and social schedule, I couldn't commit for 6 months and 3-4 hours a week like many organizations require. After searching on Yelp, I came across One Brick, a non-profit organization that makes volunteering easy with NO long-term commitment. (Thanks, Sam T. for giving me more insight about One Brick and making my decision much easier!) SIGNING UP FOR A VOLUNTEERING EVENT 1) Create a One Brick account, which takes less than 2 minutes. 2) Go to the Calendar and choose from a number of volunteering opportunities: prepping supplies, food repackaging, food distribution, park clean-ups and gardening are among some of the examples. Each event has a description of what you will be doing and what to wear (*ahem* Ladies, NO stilettos! Lol!). 3) Once you find an event that tickles your fancy, you RSVP on the website. You can set a reminder to be emailed to you up to 7 days before the event. If you can't attend, you can always cancel. 4) Most events last for 2-3 hours with an option to go to lunch or dinner with other volunteers afterwards. MY VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE It's been a month since joining One Brick and so far I've volunteered at two events (with more to come): *Food Distribution to Families at the Mission Bay Community Church: http://ecfoodpantry.missionbaycc.org/. *Supply Prep for the Homeless At The Crossroads: http://atthecrossroads.org/. Before starting each event, you check-in with a volunteer manager(s), get a name tag and there is a short intro of the organization, as well as, the other volunteers. I love that the managers explains HOW your individual efforts contributes to the overall efforts of the organization and HOW it will help those individuals/families in need. They even provide drinks and snacks for the volunteers! Thus far, none of the work was strenuous by any means. For the food distribution, we had to open boxes, organize, and hand out food items (e.g. rice, soup, veggies, etc.) to Excelsior families in need. And, for the supply prep, there were 5 stations: candy packing, toiletry packing, folding scarves, hanging up coats and sweaters and cleaning supplies. On a first come basis, you get to choose what station you want to work at (I choose to pack candy). The managers and all the other volunteers are very friendly and take the initiative to get to know you. Being able to socialize while performing our tasks made the time fly by quickly. In addition, it was refreshing to socialize with people out of work and the nightlife scene. With only two volunteer events under my belt, it has been a very humbling experience to say the least. To see those who are less fortunate and the smile you put on their faces has truly been life changing. Although physical gifts are nice, nothing exceeds the intrinsic reward you get when you know YOU are making a difference in HUMAN LIVES! I can't say enough, how I HIGHLY recommend One Brick as an avenue to begin volunteer work. In just 2-3 hours of your time, you can improve the quality of life for others, extend your social network and give yourself the gift of a humble heart. Without the help of volunteers, One Brick and other organizations would NOT be able to do what they do. So, as we are approaching a new year, why not start it off right by GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY ONE DAY AT A TIME...all that's required is a SMILE and a HELPING HAND! :)

My Fellow Chicagoans may not know too much about One Brick. I met some One Brickers while…read morevolunteering to clean up Humboldt Park on Earth Day and they seemed like a nice friendly lot. Plus, they went for food and drinks afterward and invited me along, it's like Yelp +Volunteering! So it seems a perfect match to push their cause here. It took me a while to volunteer after that initial meet, but it was so easy! You can sign up on their email list and register directly from there or go to their website and do it. My event last week was cooking for the Lincoln Park Community Shelter. One Brick brought about 12 people together that chipped in for the food, the organizer made up the menu and brought the groceries and put us to work! I had no idea I could fry up 30 breasts of chicken in an hour but call me Mel I guess! "Order up Dingbat!" The volunteers did range from the experienced (100+ events done) to the novice (me and another), but we were made to feel welcomed and there was no snobbery or lack of getting to know people. There's such a variety of volunteer opportunities and you can sign up whenever you want and not feel pressured.There are also Social Events (hello Yelpers) where One Brickers meet to drink and socialize and perhaps rally around a cause like bringing school supplies for needy kids. I'll definitely volunteer with them again. (Getting down from my Soap Box now so you may climb up!)

I have been on several volunteering trips together with 20-25 other volunteers from the Bay Area to…read morehelp with tech-related and light construction projects in Santa Barbara, Honduras where footsteps run most of the programs to benefit economic orphans (adding some pictures below). All of the trips were great, and I have very good memories. This non-profit is rather small and thrives on volunteering groups helping as they have a lot of needs. The work you do depends on the skills of each volunteer. I am a techie, so I helped to install network equipment, and fix old computers, other people did painting or helped with kid-related activities. I took my then 10-year-old son on my second trip, and he really enjoyed it as this is a family-friendly type of volunteering (on that trip we had 13 adults and 12 kids), it also was eye-opening for him to see how people who are less fortunate live as we had the opportunity to walk some of the kids home, and see they live in little shacks with no electricity, running water or sewer (adding a picture of one of the nicer homes where one of the families lives that invited us to take a look inside). The trip was very well organized, and we felt safe and welcomed by the locals. We stayed in a hotel that had air conditioning and ate very good meals (portions are smaller than in the US but way more healthy as they cook everything from scratch). The work was not really hard, but we felt we were making an impact. There is free time after dinner, and we got to know the other volunteers (we played a lot of board and card games at night, and shared stories). Overall I would describe it as a vacation with a purpose. Would definitely go again in the future if the opportunity comes...