I love being a BUILD mentor. Once a week, you and two other mentors meet with a group of 4-5 high…read moreschool students and help them develop a business idea. They create a PowerPoint presentation, participate in 3 showcases and submit a written business plan based on their product. This culminates into a business plan competition where they compete against other BUILD teams from nearby high schools. It's held at Stanford's GSB and is a huge accomplishment for the kiddos. My team Star Mentality came in 2nd place and it was amazing to see them present their product with poise, maturity, and humor. The memorable moments include taking them out on a Saturday looking for outfits to wear at the competition or eating dinner with them at Chili's prepping for the showcases. The kids made this an amazing experience. I've volunteered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters since high school and this is an equally awesome program. So awesome, I'm returning as an E2 mentor. I'm getting my team ready to meet a real venture capitalist in order to secure funding to start their business. If you can't commit to mentoring, volunteer to be a tutor. You'll love it!

BUILD is one of the most well funded, connected and professionally run non-profits I've…read moreencountered. I found them through the Cisco Volunteer Fair and what stood out compared to the other after-school program is their huge college acceptance rate and their approach using entrepreneurship to incentivize students that are just bouncing at school. They have branches in the East Bay and Peninsula and I know people who are very dedicated to the cause. Their Peninsula office looks like a tech startup. I signed up to be a mentor. To be a mentor is like applying to school and job all over again. You have a phone interview, need to provide references, and write essays on why you want to be a part of BUILD. They do a background check on you because you're working with children. I volunteered on the Peninsula E1 with Woodside High School paired with a co-mentor with 5 students. Jacyln, the BUILD rep, was there every day and a great resource for us and Mr Moses, the teacher was a great person to reign in the kids. Being a mentor is an exercise time, patience, frustration and exuberance while you're crafting a product, business plan and presentation with them. At the end their hard work is presented at the BPC at Stanford School of Education in a huge hurrah! For Peninsula, if you want a more established system, go to the Sequoia High. But if you want to work with underdogs and be more unscripted then go to Woodside or Carlmont High. The other mentors are very talented and dedicated to the cause. We drive an hour and a half across the bridge from work each Thursday in order to be here. We spend more time on the road we do with our mentees but it's definitely worth it. If we could do this next year we will definitely do the E2-E4 class at their main office which is closer to the 101 Freeway.

Its notionally a non profit research center. But that rather bland description hardly covers the…read moresheer number of discoveries, inventions, and world changing product SRI has cranked out over the years. It is really not well known outside of a few circles. Yet it has been on of the most influential presence in technology since the dawn of Silicon valley Do you have an Iphone? Every used SIRI? Yep that was one of SRI's inventions. I doubt there is not a single person that has not been touched by their research or invention. its truly staggering: Inject printers, The Mouse (yes that mouse), LCD's, hypertext, initial work into AI, tons of DARPA stuff that may or may not ever see the light of day, drug development........ (I could spend days but you get the drift. As with everything its not always sunshine. Rumors persist that the center did participate in the infamous CIA remote viewing and mind-control experiments aka MKULTRA. My connection to the center is both personal and circumstantial. Growing up in the Silicon Valley, many of our neighbors were scientists and researchers there and for two summers I worked in the Credit Union as a teller there. The only other thing is the primary architecture of the main building: Offfph its rough. Its as if Joseph Stalin kidnapped Joseph Eichler and forced him to build a mid century modern gulag. I prefer to call it 'Stalin Chic"

Worldwide organization provides solid engineering services to the globe!read more

hubby surprised me with a cheese making 101 class at collective roots this weekend. didn't know…read morethat this place existed in east palo alto and must admit was a little wary of the location, but once we got there it felt like we were at someone's private residence. there is a beautiful garden with herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, chicken coop with hens and roosters, and beehives! we made 5 different yogurts and cheeses in our short 3 hour class: -yogurt - went through the steps of yogurt making using culture from store bought yogurt -greek yogurt/yogurt cheese - let the yogurt drain and have a richer yogurt -cultured butter - yogurt culture in fresh butter -ricotta - super easy to make and enjoy -mozzarella - fresh mozzarella in 1 hour the class was enjoyable, we got to meet lots of new people and learned a lot about local produce and cheese making. the best part was using the fruits, herbs, and honey right from the grounds of collective roots! nothing like fresh, local produce. great experience...can't wait for cheese making 102!

From the owner: The Collective Roots Community Garden provides an opportunity for gardening skill-building,…read moreresource sharing, and community empowerment in East Palo Alto, CA. Operated by 501(c)3 non-profit Fresh Approach, the garden offers a place for community members to gain hands-on experience with organic gardening. Through our workshops, volunteer workdays, and community resources, we equip families with the skills and means to grow their own fresh fruits and vegetables. Residents of East Palo Alto can enjoy additional free resources, such as a tool lending library and free seeds, while qualifying residents can apply for free home garden installation and use of garden plots at the Collective Roots garden. By building a strong, sustainable network of local growers, we're improving access to healthy food while helping preserve the food sovereignty of the many cultures that call East Palo Alto their home.

Historically significant bookstore that touches upon the beatniks, musicians and bohemians…read more I love this long-lived bookstore. It opened originally across the street in 1955 by conscientious objector Roy Kepler. He had ties to and thought along the same lines as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the founder of City Lights Books in San Francisco. Ken Kesey, Jerry Garcia and loads of other literary and musical bohemians have mentioned the impact this bookstore had on their lives. Support your local bookstore and come here.

Kepler's is a cozy book store in Menlo Park. I was able to find underground parking for free on a…read moreSaturday afternoon. The staff were really friendly and accommodating when I came to see some author friends speaking on their Speculative Saturday sci-fi/fantasy panel and book signing. Lots of restaurant options in the area. After the event, some of us headed out to dinner together.

One of those moments when you are hesitant to enter and you friend convince to go inside and take a…read morelook. The reason of my doubtfulness to get into the store was fear. Fear that it was a too posh store for me and it would look weird to just say the classic 'just browsing today'. What a great surprise to find out that The Shop is, actually, a thrift shop. Posh, but second hand clothes at really good prices. Everything in the store is impecable, clean, well organized by colors and styles and in great state. I got 2 great deals that look simply fantastic on me (will post pics of that soon:). Got a jacket from Max Mara for just $20, very chic and fitting and another dark brown corduroy blazer for just $15 of no name brand but equally super fitting and flattering. I was beyond happy when I left the store. This is not your casual Salvation Army, this is high end stuff well taken care of at great prices (even the high brand with higher prices were not very expensive).

Prices have risen and selection has worsened. Books are $8,…read morefor example. They used to be $4! Just a small item but it shows that customers are not #1 anymore. Profit is. No Bueno!

Great finds in store for bargain prices! Feels good to donate as they really reach out and help…read morethose who are very in need.

St Francis Center is a great place to donate whatever clothing or small kitchen appliances. You are…read morelooking to donate. They allow people in need to fill three bags and it's free of charge to them. This truly helps people who are in need and especially the ones who are starting a new life here in California from other countries. B. Larocque

Awesome nonprofit that proactively advocates, educates & protects nature & open spaces in the Bay…read moreArea

From the owner: POST protects open space on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of…read moreall. POST is creating a network of protected lands where people and nature connect and thrive. These lands are preserved forever so present and future generations benefit from the careful balance of rural and urban landscapes that makes our region extraordinary! POST cares about helping people discover and enjoy these special landscapes. Check out our events (guided hikes, bike rides, family outings and more!) and trail guides to help connect with nature. Learn more on our website!

It's always nice here , the service is great by John , the quality of the place is new, the…read morebathrooms are clean and it's great having ADa's cafe next to center to get all your snacks!! Very good value with free library on site , amazing staff. And there's tennis courts!!

We came here for the AAPI History Month Event over the weekend. Great space with lots of room for…read morevarious types of events. Parking can be a little challenging depending on the event you attend. This community center has free wifi provided by Palo Alto libraries. In the central outdoor area there is a large tree that provides a lot of shade, if perchance you need to escape the heat a bit.