I volunteer at the Mission. I'm disappointed to read such a negative review. The purpose of the…read moreMission, as I understand it, is to offer a faith that can transform lives. They do this through a variety of direct services to people in need. Yes, if you want to eat a free dinner there, you have to attend chapel. You don't have to say that you believe. You don't have to change your life in any way. You are only asked to sit through chapel and treat the people you meet there with respect. You get to choose whether the meal is worth what is asked of you. If you want to receive something for nothing, this isn't the place for you. BTW -I've often eaten the food. It's frequently tastier that what I serve myself at home.

When I wanted to donate a sofa and matching loveseat that were in very good condition, I contacted…read moreHabitat and left an email message. I received an email back in a reasonable amount of time considering how busy they must be. The person in charge of donations asked me to send a photo (which is totally understandable) before pick up was approved. Shortly after, an appointment time was set for pick up. I had the furniture placed in the garage as requested. The truck came within the designated time, and furniture was taken to the truck efficiently. I would say it was "professional operation." When it was picked up, one of the two men said, "This furniture is in great condition. Thank you for your kind donation and for thinking of us." I was happy to donate to a good cause and will continue to do so. Three years ago we donated oak kitchen cabinets when our kitchen was remodeled. I saw that they were sold for $550. I was pleased to help an organization with such an outstanding mission.

This review is for ReStore, the store front for used furniture and recycled fixtures and appliances…read morethat Habitat for Humanity runs in downtown Schenectady. Habitat itself is an outstanding organization and does great work. The H for H offices are located on Pearl, so this should be recategorized in Yelp as Home Furnishings / Retail Furniture, not Contractor Services. First off, hours: Thursday 10-6, Friday and Saturday 10-3. Tip: if you come early on Thursday, you'll have your best chance of getting pick of the new stock for the week, since they're closed the other days but continue to collect donations. So this is basically a thrift store specializing in furniture. It's everything you'd expect from a place that runs on donations. The stock is not by any means new or in style, but they do a good job in filtering out items so you don't have any dirty or unusually smelly items. Some of the items I looked at were broken or had significant flaws, but they for the most part seem to have filtered out truly unusable stuff. They do have a little bit of everything, and the repurposed fixtures (including doors and windows) are probably the cheapest you'll find anywhere. I had a little difficulty at first getting appropriate help - there were many volunteers but they had to find the chief guy in charge to do pricing for me, and they kept asking me the same questions about the items I picked out (as to whether they belonged in a set or not, like that matters for very used furniture) - but it's hard to quibble with volunteers on the basis of the service. They tried, even if they weren't as organized about things as they could be. Be patient with this sort of thing if you go in. If Design on a Dime ever does a Schenectady show, they'll love it here. I have a lot of fun speculating about previous owners of many of these items. (I really got a hoot about the five-piece living room set I saw on my most recent visit, where there was a built-in Stereophonic Console in the corner table unit. 1966, here we come!!) I also urge you if you do go, round up on your purchases and throw the extra money into the donation kitty. This group builds houses for people, and does it in a way that brings the people who will live in the house and own it into the building process. It may be unfortunate that this is needed, but it is, and doing a little shopping here can help this effort while helping yourself. One caveat: from the blank expressions I got when I asked if they check for bed bugs on the furniture upholstery, I'm going to guess that they do not do their own screening here. So given the reality of bed bugs and older pieces of furniture, I urge you to check for yourself. This is true for any used furniture these days. Update: adding a fourth star after multiple visits - the stock really does zing in and out (well, some of it) and Thursday mornings are definitely your best bet. The second floor, which I neglected earlier, has miscellaneous small fixtures, lamps, plumbing stuff, and so forth.

I have been shopping at CT for at least 11 years and the whole place is amazing. The volunteers and…read morestaff are so friendly and welcoming. They help me out on a weekly basis. I look for vintage items and I've found some of the most unique finds there. One time I found some cow dolls with frilly dresses on and I made a video of them dancing. It was a hit! You never know what you might find at Captain's Treasures. I have found Pyrex mixing bowls in the Americana design. I'm saving them for my daughter. I think the reason why I never reviewed the place before is because I'm afraid that everyone will find out about it! It's too late..the people I see shopping there love it also. Thanks Captain's!

Captain's Treasures is a great non profit to support since it helps local people. One-hundred…read morepercent of the proceeds from CAPTAIN's Treasures supports programs for kids, families, and seniors. I stopped on a Wed. at 10:30 to donate clothing and home goods. There were no parking places in front. Since donations are dropped off in back, I found the last parking spot in back. Parking is inadequate. CAPTAIN's Treasures is a next-to-new shop that provides gently-used, quality clothing and home goods at great savings for families - all while supporting kids, families, and seniors in the community through CAPTAIN CHS's over 30 programs and services. CAPTAIN's Treasures also provides clothing and household goods at no cost to individuals or families suffering significant hardships, such as victims of domestic violence or theft, or who have lost their homes due to fire or other disaster. More than 60 dedicated volunteers help to operate the shop and organize the generous daily outpouring of donations from the community.

The staff is always polite and very fast and efficient. I've found it's best to get there early,…read moreespecially in the Summer.

Great staff, and very fast! Facility is clean and doesn't smell like a brewery like most redemption…read morecenters. Only downfall would be their parking lot, but hey - you work with what you have! Process goes super fast if you return containers in their original boxes!

Clothing is organized by size and category (pants, skirt, tank top, t-shirt, etc) great selection…read morealong with reasonable prices. Small selection but quality home decor.

So today feels like such a let down. I went into the store to purchase a bag. I found $50 in the…read morepurse. The attendant takes it out of my hand and says it belongs to the store. I was told that the store has to track down potential donors in order to give them the money. Ironically the song "Waymaker" was on. I will say this. You never know the need that someone has and how God may have been trying to meet that need. I am so disappointed and upset with how Christ was represented today. The attendant asked me as I was walking away if I I had a need that she could meet... **Just an update, I was just told in a response message that, "we are sorry you feel this way, tracking down the owner is the right thing to do."-- (message I just received). Hmm.. the attendant told me (via the manager on the phone) before I left out about an hour ago that they tracked down the owner. Maybe the manager and the attendant needed it. I pray that you bless them Lord-- they must have needed it more.

Great thrift store. Lots of clothes, dishes, bedding, books, etc. Cheap prices. Staff is very…read morehelpful.

One of the best thrift stores in the capital district the volunteers and manager are so friendly…read more Proceeds go to charity , which is a great plus and it's near my house. I will be a repeat shopper and supporter.

This review is regarding volunteer experiences at the Regional Food Bank…read more I've volunteered at the food bank about 8 times with a service organization (we have an ongoing monthly "date" scheduled with them) and overall my experience there has been positive. The people are generally friendly and flexible. Volunteer duties generally involve sorting and re-packaging donated goods for distribution to local charities. If you're looking for ways to contribute to the community, this is a good place to go. Approximately 75% of the food bank's labor hours are provided by volunteers so they're open and appreciative of volunteers.

This is an excellent place to volunteer. You email them to sign up, they get back to you in a…read morereasonable amount of time. When you show up they are ready for you with a plan and they are thankful for your help. There is plenty of work to do while you are there so you feel like you are making a difference but they do not compel you to stay longer than your assigned shift- which I appreciate. You work hard for the time you are their and they respect your time. They do great work in the community and I am happy to have helped them out on three occasions now. I look forward to returning.

Beyond grateful that this place exists! They were available in a time of need and showed up big for…read moreour family while our son recovered in the hospital. We all need some support sometimes (in our case in the middle of the night in a new city with an injured kid) and it's people who work at places like this that restore faith in humanity.

Ronald McDonald House is an amazing resource for anyone who has to go through the emotional…read morerollercoaster ride of having a sick child in the hospital. This organization provides everything, from housing, to food, to even laundry and transportation. Every volunteer and staff member provides compassionate support to families, and does everything in their power to allow families to stay united during trying times. My friend faced such a situation recently, and I cannot thank Ronald McDonald House of Albany enough for being such a invaluable resource to her. If you have the means, I highly recommend volunteering or donating to this worthy charity. The work they do is beyond words.