PB&J Family Services is certainly one of the more lauded, awarded and active nonprofit…read moreorganizations in Albuquerque, but what do they do, exactly? Well, the scope is really tough to explain, but for me, it starts with parenting, specifically with dads. Of course, fatherhood is a subject I'm particularly passionate about, I'm simply fascinated by our ever-shifting non-nuclear family roles, the ways in which we dads now often balance the homemaking demands of everyday life, and more than anything, our lack of experience on the job. The parental job, that is. In many cases, we grew up in homes without solid father figures of our own, and when we go out into the big grown world, we often don't know where to begin with our own children. At PB&J, training dads to be dads often begins when dads get out of prison. "Imagine watching a father helping his daughter tie her shoelace out on this playground, or pretend to cook, or help her on the playground equipment," the Executive Director, Susannah Burke, said to our group during a tour. "Very often, this is the first time they've had an opportunity to connect, to share one-on-one experiences, and to learn how to care for their child. We watch relationships form and grow deeper, we watch kids grow stronger, it all starts right here." And we haven't begun talking about the moms. They're strongly represented here, too. This center offers more than day care, it's more like day school, day training, and day support, for endless families in Albuquerque's south valley and beyond. Over 40+ years they've held programs all over the state, including women's prisons. Personally, I love that what they do isn't overtly complicated. They provide shelter, a safe zone, and love, so people can thrive. New Mexico is blessed to have this organization.

What an incredible organization doing SUCH important work serving at-risk children in our…read morecommunities. I had the privilege of taking a tour of the facility with other Yelpers who came out to lend a hand on a variety of projects, and we learned in depth just how much this organization does, and how much it has grown since it's birth in 1972. They provide so many services to support and nurture the family dynamic including providing a safe, healthy, stimulating environment for children to learn, and opportunities for parents (many whom have struggled with mental illness, depression, addiction) to be educated and taught how to reconnect and rebuild relationships with their children. The fruit is evident, the success stories are mounting, and we have this great organization to thank for it. Let's continue to support everything they do!!!

I have had the wonderful opportunity to cook for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald house…read moreseveral times because my work volunteers as a guest chef once a quarter. It is a great team building experience for myself and my coworkers and it is such a rewarding experience! Truth be told, it's loads of fun! The Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico helps by "providing a home away from home" for families with a sick or injured child. During their stay there they can prepare their own meals, but almost every night, volunteers will cook for them. Anyone can volunteer! Couples, families, companies! Contact them and they can give you a calendar with open dates to come and cook! It has become something I look forward to each quarter!

I know, I know, the rating isn't exactly a big surprise, here. How does one critique a charity,…read moreother than gush? "I was going to give them five stars, but the receptionist was a jerk. One star!" Of course not. But this House is exceptionally worthy of a review, if only because when I toured the facility I learned so much about the organization and the good work they do. So here, dear reader, is an overview of what makes these clowns so special. I'll approach this from the standpoint that you don't know anything about 'em - I didn't. I knew it was a national organization, I guess, but I had no idea that this facility operates completely independent of national support. This is OUR house, and it provides assistance to the bedrock of our New Mexican population, our kids and their families. This state is one of the most rural in the country, which is why RMH is so crucial; when children become desperately ill or need serious medical attention, they're often headed to Albuquerque because, let's face it, there aren't many choices for quality medical care across the state. At RMH these families have a home. For a week, a month, two months, whatever it takes, they have a place to eat and sleep and concentrate on bonding, rather than stress about survival. All of the food is donated. The facility features rotating local chefs, so the dining options are often fabulous, and the house itself is lovely, with sitting areas and an outdoor playground and a bevy of clean, comfortable rooms. From an operational standpoint the faculty is superb, and this charity puts on a lot of great events throughout the year, Girls Night Out being the flagship fundraiser. If you've ever considered supporting this nonprofit monetarily, voluntarily, or otherwise, but have wondered how "local" it really is, I promise, this place is authentically New Mexican.

Horrible place to work. Also horrible place to take your loved ones. They where good at one point…read morebut after being there for 5 years it has really gone down hill. They need to clean house and get new management because the ones that are there are not in it for the right reasons anymore. Btw you and your clients would benefit more if you brought your day hab back.

Horses. Farm fresh eggs. Alpacas, baby goats, a curated garden and peaceful shaded patio, green,…read moregreen acres. If I'm looking for a term to describe my visits to Mandy's Farm, I'm going with Idyllic. The property is true country livin' and from what I understand, that's exactly what this nonprofit that assists folks with developmental disabilities -- chiefly, those on the autism spectrum -- is going for. What an incredible organization. And when you think about it, of course, simplifying is the solution. Individuals on the spectrum tend, generally, to really struggle with the peripheral, what's going on around them, ambient noise and motion and shadow, and the urban everyday is absolutely clattering with these distractions. Mandy's Farm provides a permanent residence -- it's a home, first and foremost -- for people who need to take shelter from the storm. Residents learn to simply live, whether that's cooking or growing food or riding horses, the main facility includes a specially designed swimming pool for rehabilitation, the farm provides tactile experiences and interactions with nature. How friggin' genius, man. Essentially, the story goes that the farm was named after Mandy, her parents were concerned about what Mandy would do as she matured and they got older, if she might struggle to handle the busy world around her, and so they built this farm, and Mandy started her own little business, E is for Eggs (she loves Sesame Street), and the farm has grown to support many people, a job training program, and produce they sell to local growers markets. You can experience the idyllic by volunteering your time, any time of the year. Just contact them.

They're finally open again, yay!…read more I'm a firm believer that art should be accessible and it's awesome that places like 516 exist. Today I went with a friend to first Friday and this is the first time 516 has been open during the event for quite awhile. They had a great exhibit focused on Haitian and francophone Caribbean art. Again, it's free art open to the community so I'm just thankful that it exists. Even if a specific exhibit isn't your exact preference, it's always worth going back.

They are advertised as open. However I drove 20 minutes and paid parking for it to be closed. Very…read moredisappointed for the false advertisement

The Power Of Local Food and Love…read more Another gem to add to beautiful downtown Albuquerque. It's not only a cool new local cafe, but it's also a non-profit, community kitchen, community classroom, and test kitchen. That promotes using local products. They also just started catering for events. The space is comfy, the staff is beyond friendly (I asked the waitress to take photos of me, she was so sweet about it), and I love the view. There is just something about Gold Street that makes me feel like I'm somewhere else. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. I treated my friend to brunch and both our meals and drinks came out to a little over $20. Make sure you stop by and support them. We need more initiatives like this in our community.

Hard to find and homeless population crowding the entrance. Unable to get inside to get anything…read moreto eat.

Excellent service . Can always find what I need. I Like the people and prices work there. Good…read moreprices.

I must have come on an off day or a picked over day. Didn't find much. Everything was well…read moreorganized. Worth a stop though. With resale shops you have to go more than once. As I was coming in, a woman had like 12-14 vhs that she said were free. She had a smile from ear to ear. So, you never know what you will find.

Found great items but was really disappointed to see they changed how your 20% of reward works. And…read morenow after spending 338 dollars I was only offered $20 off?? Apparently after spending $100 that's all they offer now. Also sadly got pick pocketed well inside & $40 was stolen from me. So go for the items, double check the price & don't expect such a good discount Again want to be clear items were great & staff was amazing

The management is awful here! Rachel is passive aggressive! the clothes are crammed and…read moreunshoppable! Prices are atrocious! You can't try anything on, I prefer to a store that has dressing rooms and buy new clothes for the same price as their used stinky torn clothes then buy from here.

While the experience is usually enjoyable, I have never felt more sexualized in an environment like…read morethis one. The instructor was very disrespectful and commenting on what I was wearing in a misogynistic tone in front of everyone. I thought it was outrageous because I was wearing shorts and a hoodie just like everyone else except the only difference is I am a women. There was never information on a distinct dress code other than close-toed shoes. If there was an implemented dress code I would understnad but the way he went about it was disrespectful on so many levels.

I am so very grateful that organizations like Roadrunner Food Bank exist in our community. The…read morestaff is always so friendly and it's really simple to set up time to volunteer. A little while back, I did a group volunteer activity with some friends, and it was a very good way to spend a Saturday. We ended up sorting potatoes and were there for about 2 hours, but opportunities and needs vary from what I understand.

Tried to leave a Google review but there is no way to do so. First, I couldn't get into the back…read moredonation area because a trash smash truck was in the way. Then when he finally moved, I drove to the back and a worker came out and said they don't take the items that I specifically checked the website before I went over to donate. I had cast iron sinks, faucets, mirrors, medicine cabinets. I told him I already checked the website and he ended up taking the items. I checked other reviews and mostly they're negative because they are overpriced. I wish there was a better local non-profit to donate to because the local Albuquerque one gives the Habitat for Humanity name a bad reputation.

Mary was an enormous help and condensed our miscellaneous stuff to a great price! Always upbeat…read morewhen we've been there. So happy to find gems and support this wonderful charity! Very well organized for the amount of random things.

C'mon, that's a dope, straight up business title, right? I should've started a Poor Student Beer…read moreFund in college. A nonprofit, maybe. Trading existential meanderings for barley pops. The last time I needed to fix my clothes dryer, I found this dude on Craigslist who came over on a Sunday (appliances always break when you need 'em the most) and got-r-done at half the cost of the company he worked for. Yep, the guy drove his branded company van to my house and explained that he could make twice as much money off duty as he would workin' for the Man. It was a fine repair, and when the dryer busted this past Sunday, I hounded Craigslist again, this time coming across an ad that offered a $50 service fee plus the parts cost. I sent a text to the contact number, and Evan called me. I told him the problem (no heat), he asked me to send a picture of the model number of the dryer, and we set an appointment for 3:30 the next afternoon. Evan contacted me early the next day, he said his University class got out early, he could arrive whenever. 30 minutes later this kid steps out of his truck, he's like six foot five, I ask him what he's studying at school: medicine and philosophy. "So this helps with tuition?" I asked. Yep. He went right to it, and 20 minutes later the dryer was, ah, drying, again. He showed me the parts he replaced (igniter switch and a couple something-or-others), told me something about a glider -- I think -- that was okay for the time being but would need to be fixed down the line, showing me pictures. Total cost was $84. He handed me two business cards and I said, "575 area code. Are you from Las Cruces?" Yep again. He'd mentored with a guy before college and the trade was paying off, literally. You're all set, Evan. You're a sophomore. When you realize that med school isn't worth the price tag, and nobody will ever pay you to trade existential meanderings for beer, you'll still have your appliance repair company. Sweet.