This place became heaven for me since I met my fiance. She is a teacher and she would always take me here when I or she needs something. I'm a tech guy and I love computer stuff. They have a technology department with new stuff all the time. Most of their computers and equipment are not up to date with new technology but the prices are so reasonable. Some items are even better then the Black Friday sales! I bought a few older PC's and servers here and they work perfectly fine with no issues. The guy that runs the technology department builds the computers himself and he's always helpful. They got all types of computer cables, LCD monitors, tech books, keyboards, mouse, etc.., You might even get lucky finding your laser printer cartridges here. Those things are expensive but Raft offer them like 80% off! Anyways, I recommend all teachers and tech people to come here for their goods. read more

Cons: 1. Service: Stocky bald man is not very helpful. Rest of the employees are super nice though. The line can also be a very long wait and the employees are not jumping up to open another register. 2. Annual membership cost is $45. Since this is a program for teachers and non-profit org employees to buy things for work use, why charge such a high annual membership cost? How about $30 or $25? I'm getting a lot of papers and supplies this year, and then I 'm taking a break for a bit. 3. hit or miss, except for the basics. You see some of the same items not selling and they sit there for months Pros: Basic office supplies are really inexpensive here: clips, folders (with logos), files, and there are many used staplers, hold punchers, and file folders. A lot of different types of papers to choose from: card stock, poster size, stationary, bright colors, etc... I love their graph charts and other charts that you could laminate and reuse. out of season greeting cards - great for collage projects with kids many tools and gadgets - rulers, beads, things are great as 'prizes' for kids peace and quiet - since small kids are NOT allowed here, I could get some peaceful shopping time. read more

Ok I've never volunteered before, but I chose RAFT (Resource Area for Teachers) as my 1st experience. I have to say, if you've never volunteered before you should try this place 1st. I actually volunteered at the Sunnyvale location. RAFT provides discounted projects to teachers. All the projects are made from donated items. You would be amazed at what they can come up with. Nothing goes to waste and I mean nothing! On Brick was hosting this event. When I arrived I really didn't know what to expect, but when I walked through the door I was greeted by Baldwin who is the head coordinator for this event. He was very friendly and explained to me what the process was. If you're interested in meeting people, this is a good way to do it. Once everyone was checked in, Brian (RAFT's coordinator) explained what each project was and what we would be doing. If you're looking for a place for team building then this is the place to be. You have all different types of people working on different projects all at the same time. You'll start to notice who the followers, leaders, and of course the bossy cows are of the table. There is no special way of doing things, but you want to make sure your time isn't wasted. Quality and quantity is a must. So if the process isn't working than it should be fixed. But the question is how do you tell someone that you just met that they're not doing it right or maybe they should be changing their position. Not an easy thing to do, trust me I had to do it. Thank goodness I had experience from work. Otherwise I would have just been a follower who was very frustrated. After the event was done, On Brick invited everyone over to St. James's burger place for lunch for networking. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend. Who knows maybe next time. I will definitely volunteer here again and would recommend it to everyone. read more

After seeing the perfect 5 star reviews for this place, I was really tempted to give it a 4. Just to throw it off. But I couldn't! This place is awesome! I used to volunteer here in high school, and I remember wanting to buy all sorts of crap. Now that I'm a teacher, I actually can! They have random power cords, mouse balls, papers, folders, and all sorts of things you could imagine! I once got 35 CD cases for a dollar (yay yellow bags!), and I had my students use them for a project. It was really neat. FYI, overhead projectors cost $50, which is a complete steal if you need one. The membership cost is really worth it, and I'll be hitting up RAFT again next week! read more

I can see why this place has 5 stars: it's very cheap. But I had THE worst time ever volunteering in the warehouse here. I cannot believe they let the MOST ANNOYING underclassmen volunteer here. They were complete idiots and I had to work with them for 3 hours today (+ who knows how many more hours, since my class makes me volunteer somewhere for 10 hours). Sometimes the guys didn't even count out the stuff, they just stuffed a bunch of things in a bag. Plus, the lady in charge of the volunteers refused to write me a letter (seriously, I need a 3-sentence letter -- too much to ask?) stating that I volunteered here for 10 hours. I need that letter for my class or my grade goes down by one letter. I guess it's just my luck that's got me into this mess. Crappy teacher who makes me volunteer, crappy volunteers on my first day, and a super mean lady in charge of it. read more

Obviously a great resource for teachers. As a teacher candidate in the SJSU science education program, I got to go on a field trip here. We took a tour of the facilities. An annual membership is necessary to purchase anything here. I also recently donated some things to RAFT. Donations are taken at the small door on the left side of the building (straight ahead when you enter the parking lot). You just bring your things inside. Staff will help you if you need help carrying things. You'll be asked to type in your name and information, and they'll print a form letter for tax purposes, indicating that you made a donation. Pretty simple. read more

I LOVE LOVE LOVE RAFT. The first time I went to RAFT it was like the Disneyland of arts and crafts; it was my dream come true and I was like a kid in a candy store. Such a wide variety of supplies, new and used, standard and unorthodox. There's always something new and unusual to discover, a place filled with inspiration and ideas. The die cut station is a dream, the craft samples are great, and the bulk items are perfect for teachers. Not to mention the discounted prices! I would've given them 5 stars if it were not for particular instances with the staff. While they are most helpful for the most part, they did tell me that I could create an account for my org as a whole so that each member could have a card. I returned later to find out that I couldn't do that? I don't know. They also do not consistently make sure that you scan in when you enter. In addition, I also do not like the fact that if my name is not on the membership card that I cannot use my debit/credit card to pay for the items. This can be a hassle at times. . read more

Lots of resources for elementary school teachers. Not a lot for the high school realm though. It is a cool experience none the less. Being a high school history teacher, I was disappointed. I wish there had been more notebooks and binders. Those two items are really important to any high school teacher. There were not any notebooks to be had. What I did like was all the ideas for arts and crafts and science projects. Those would have been a great resource for any elementary school teacher. There are a lot of a little items for counting that would be great for elementary school teachers as well. What was cool was the fact that they had coffee and food for anyone shopping. They also had a raffle for gift card. Overall, it was nice but I probably wont go back. Meaning I wouldn't buy a membership. Oh yeah, you have to buy a membership to shop there. $30/year read more

I have volunteered at this location several times and each time its pretty awesome. To give you an idea, we usually come in on Thursday nights from 6-8 pm. There's usually a large group - around 40 folks. Brian gives us an overview of the days projects, explains where the parts came in from and what's the new "use". Once he goes through all the projects for the day - everyone divys up amongst themselves and gets to work. Its amazing what we accomplish in two short hours. :) I enjoy it very much and love to come back again and again. read more

This Member/Teacher run warehouse has everything under the sun from hundreds of pounds of candle-wax to nearly-new electronics, all for teachers and all at a really low price. Plus, the staff come up with creative science and art projects that can be made from the absolutely random stuff that the Silicon Valley companies decide to write off. Considering that the majority of public school teachers spend their own money on supplies and things for thew kiddies, (because they earn just sooo much money) this place is an excellent alternative to having to decide between eating anything other than ramen or buying crayons. read more

Amazing place! Great for teachers of all sorts! They have so much cool random and essential things for teachers. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful. I love coming here and would spend at least an hour there, even when I am supposed to just grab a couple items off my list. I come here often and always find something useful or unique. The trainings are also amazing with knowledgable trainers! I love them all! Membership is needed but it's worth it! Membership is $40 but they have many promotions for $20 membership fee; along with a lot of great sales throughout the year. Plus the free stuff they have! I've scored free binders, maps, posters, paint, and much more! Their prices are very reasonable. You can find a variety of things here from art supplies, packaged activity kits, and lots of things to tinker with. If you have the ability to imagine and be resourceful, this is the perfect place for you. They also give you free resources to help. It's even free on their website. I love that we are recycling these things and it's just not going to waste. Only downside is their kits have become more expensive, wish it was the prices a couple years back. I'm not as able to purchase as many anymore. read more

My review is for RAFT as a volunteer project. I volunteered here last weekend and had a great time. The cause is great and extremely interesting - the organization uses coporate byproducts and other donated items to create science projects and other teaching tools. This on top of offering school supplies at a very reduced cost to teachers which I am sure is extremely helpful. Brian is the volunteer coordinator and he is very nice, organized, and passionate about the cause. The project is fun, we sorted binders, cut binders, cut straws, wrapped and moved pallets, cut and rolled foil paper. I would definitely come volunteer here again. Location is convenient - right off of Lawrence Expwy in Sunnyvale and plenty of parking. Brian makes coffee in the breakroom for all the volunteers too. =) read more

Every year we buy this for my friend's bday because she's a teacher and she seems to love it. Tradition continues...

This place is an awesome resource for teachers, community group leaders: aka: scouting, day care, church groups, etc. I went with three other Girl Scout leaders. Two of them were members, and they were able to bring one guest each in on their membership card. Plenty of shopping carts available, and you will need them! On the day we went, some of the bargains we scored: yarn for .50 a skein, 'germinator' kit for 20, made from CD cases, (to sprout seeds) for a mere $2.00, another kit for 20 to make butter, which we'll use on our campout for breakfast pancakes! (a steal for one buck!) Loads of Mrs Grossman stickers at .25 for a large sheet. We loaded up on the free pattern/ idea sheets for crafts, & science projects. There is a large room with plenty of die machines so you can make your own die cuts, not sure on the price of that. They also have lots of prepackaged classroom sized science kits, cheap. I was told that the weekends here are crazy crowded. Best time to go is during the week...not sure how it will be during the summer. Check their web site as there are membership specials, for example Boy Scout leaders can buy a year membership for $20.00, normally $35.00, deal good thru 1/1/09. The warehouse is huge, spacious aisles, and good lighting. For all the 'stuff' that is packed in there, it is fairly clean and organized. No children allowed in under the age of 12. They do accept donations, but call first. read more

I love RAFT !! They have provide a lot of martial for teachers !! IT's a great resource for teachers to buy stuff for classes. read more

The $40.00 annual membership fee is so worth it!!! RAFT is such a wonderful place to shop and every time I go, they have NEW ITEMS along with the regular offered items. It is like Treasure Hunting!!! I have been shopping at RAFT for many years now and each time, every staff member who I encounter is kind, helpful and overall-amazing! Going to RAFT and looking through all of their creative & useful items is truly an AWESOME EXPERIENCE! Last but not least, the prices are fabulous, the facility is clean and orderly, they usually have coffee / beverage & refreshments as you enter and yes, they have clean & tidy restroom accommodations! I LOVE RAFT....and thank you for being there for us! :) read more

Raft is pretty dope! They were giving away free books for Christmas! The materials are extremely cheap and what's so cool about this place is that they give you ideas to do with your class and they pack the materials with it! The negative is that sometimes they may not have the supplies you're looking for. They have so much junk you can turn into fun activities with kids! Who knew scraps of paper could do so much ahha You just have to be a member to shop here... non-profits, teachers etc.. read more

Love this place so much! As a special education teacher I have found so many great items to use in unique, fun and engaging lessons! If your a teacher and haven't been, you must go! read more

I had a terrible experience here as a volunteer. Sure, they treat the customers really nicely, but their volunteers are treated like dirt. The lady in charge was not nice at all, and I had a bad feeling. I was only there for 3 hours, but I could barely stand it, I was ready to get out of there immediately. The staff was very cold, unaccommodating, and rude. We're there to help, yet it feels like we're a hassle to them. I usually like to volunteer no matter how hard the work is, but i expect to feel happy about helping others. This is the FIRST TIME I haven't felt welcome at all as a volunteer. read more

There is nothing like RAFT! I love browsing all of the great "junk" and enjoying the creative juices that flow when given the opportunity to consider my options. As a preschool teacher, there is a great kit to use with my students. I also find that the die-cuts are very useful for a small school like mine that does not have that resource. For teachers that find themselves spending their own cash on materials, this is a great place to buy bundles without breaking the bank. read more

I am a middle school teacher, and I don't care for RAFT. Teachers have to pay $30/year for the privilege of purchasing items that were donated to RAFT. Many of these items, before being donated to RAFT, were given out free, at conferences and the like. A lot of the items are just garbage-y things, such as empty video and cd cases, cardboard and plastic tubes, bottle tops, scraps of cloth, etc. And the prices are not that cheap! I'm glad it is useful for so many teachers, but I find it rather depressing to visit. On the plus side, I did find three heavy duty hole punchers once, for $5 each. That was the best thing and best price I ever saw there, at least for me. I would like to like RAFT, but it is difficult. read more

The best place for teacher supplies art supplies bar none They have idea sheets w instructions for free And also pre packed activity kits For those who complain about no kids allowed, I think there are too many things here that would be too enticing for little kids to grab or touch or climb on and including bulk bins of art and office supplies that could hurt read more

I am sure Raft offers good resources, but discovered children are not welcomed in their establishment. I have verified this fact through two emails and I have been told that no children under 12 are permitted not even a 15 month in a stroller. This is a appalling for a company who prides itself in education. I sure hope they reconsider this policy. read more

I love RAFT! It is a MUST shop here destination for all teachers---tons of unusual supplies to be used in the classroom---and so dang cheap! They offer kits, some that are only pennies per child, created by actual teachers focusing on content areas. For instance, one kit supplied each child with a mini seed germination device made from CD cases! I love using their laminating machine too. Companies donate their unused merchandise to RAFT so a teacher might find different bins at each visit. My creative edge always sharpens after shopping at RAFT. read more

RAFT is a fabulous resource for teachers. They offer an enormous variety of throw-aways donated by companies, as well as project ideas for how to use them. My favorite section is in back, where you can fill a paper grocery bag for $1. Stock up of foam blocks, fabric scraps, cardboard tiles, and whatever else they have that week. You need to buy a membership to shop and you can't bring kids with you. read more

CHILDREN NOT ALLOWED?! Nothing said about it on their site. That's so so nice to find this out at the entrance

Of course, who's not going to 5 star RAFT? It's probably the only place that understands teachers. Teachers who need the time to lesson plan, they've got "make and takes" already made and ready to be taked. They've got no need for teachers to use half their budget on essentials such as post its, pens, or paper. It's here for fractions of the price. This place is busting with action on the weekend, which is surprising to me because really IT'S THE WEEKEND. RAFT, dedication at its finest for most dedicated, TEACHERS! YAY! read more

Thank you my wonderful school district for subsidizing my RAFT membership. Everything here is so cheap and the resources available to you are also great. The area in the way back with the stickers, dice, pipe cleaners and other assorted goods is lower elementary heaven. If you need a monitor or a hard drive, you can also purchase one at a pretty decent price. In the Green Room, there is a mind-boggling assortment of Ellison die cuts. This is a terrific resource for teachers that should not be missed. read more

RAFT is the best "benefit" a teacher could ask for. Whenever I need something that I'm going to have to pay for out-of-pocket, I can find it at RAFT. I recommend getting on their email list so that you can find out about all that they have to offer, such as the dates to receive free Gift of Books that you can give directly to students or use to build your classroom library. Another suggestion: go up and down all the aisles a few times at first to get a feel for what they have to offer, and check out all their creative ideas. Then, when you need something, RAFT will pop into your head as THE place to shop first. read more

I visited RAFT yesterday to renew my lapsed membership and grab some materials to make a board game for my students. The membership was $35 for the year which is well worth it for the materials and educational opportunities RAFT provides. The kits they have available are not usually what I purchase but do often give me ideas for ways to use the recyclable materials I buy there in bulk. I'm excited to create a board game for my students based on the Jewish holidays of the year. I got a blank board game (referred to as the Circle Game), game pieces, and blank dice (which they recommend you write numbers on and not dots so that children get used to doing computation with real numbers) all for under $4. I hope that my students have as much fun playing the game as much as I have creating it. Don't know what I would have done for this activity without RAFT! read more

I love RAFT! Every single time I come here, I find new, cool materials and projects to use with my students. Almost everything is so inexpensive. I just took my first day of workshops on math and science projects and it was fabulous :) Thanks to all the teachers, volunteers, and contributors for making it all possible. read more

Mecca. We go all the time, all the way from Oakland. We get games, craft supplies, books, make die cuts, get cool ideas, explore... it's a strange sort of entertainment. We are lobbying for an all night teacher slumber party where we can make die cuts and do crafts for 24 hours, but we are not well. read more

RAFT does this amazing book drive that took place just recently. I saw a poster at the Milpitas library and was immediately drawn to the cause. I didn't even know what RAFT was before then. Although I am not a teacher, I commend this organization for the service that they provide to teachers. I am also grateful that they gave me the chance to help out our local teachers via the book drive. read more

I went here with my mom, a preschool teacher. It was pretty cool because they have a lot of knick knacks and school supplies there that are really cheap. read more

This is the most amazing place for anyone! ANYONE! A warehouse of odds and ends for teachers or anyone to use for their projects. Whether you are teaching a third grade class or working on a float for school, this is the place to get the stuff you need. The mission and the overall system of RAFT is state of the art and it truly benefits everyone in the end. I tip my hat off to Mary Simon and her team for giving to this community such an awesome place to go to when in need of class materials. I especially love the access to butcher paper...omg! :) Before you go to Michael's or any other arts and crafts store for your classes, check out RAFT first! It's WELL worth it. read more

Simply excellent. Too bad its not open to the general public.

This place is awesome for teachers and members of organizations. I am not a teacher but I have volunteered here twice with HOBA (Hands on Bay Area) and have seen the smiles this place puts on teachers' faces. It is a big warehouse where teachers an load up shopping carts full of stuff to use in the classroom at a fraction of retail cost. They even have this great STICKER area which was my favorite part of the place. If you are a teacher or part of an organization, go check out this place, it's really cool and it's for a great cause, too! read more

I was very disappointed and it's really for one reason. The membership few. I've been to RAFT once before at the beginning of the school year and no one asked me for a membership card. But today when I came back they would not let me make my purchases without first purchasing a membership. I understand that might be how they make the bulk of their money but PLEASE....WE'RE BROKE TEACHERS! I'm not going to spend $40 on a membership that will be used to purchase a $3 paper organizer! I might as well buy a nice one at Staples for that price. The one thing I do have to say I was very pleased with was the bins of free used 3-ring binders that they had outside the store. That was actually one of the items that I had come looking for so it was like hitting the jackpot for me! I loaded up my car with 60 binders (one for each of my 1st graders) and I was on my way! No membership needed for free items outside of the store! read more

RAFT-Resource Area For Teaching - Inside - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Jose, California

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I was very excited to come here for the first time today. I had my 1 yr old son in a stroller with me sleeping and everything went well until I went into the green room. I didn't see any signs saying kids couldn't be in there and I walked by a woman who worked there and she didn't say anything to me. Asked a couple of women how everything worked and I started grabbing templates. Then a woman who worked there came up to me and told me I couldn't have my son in there with me and that I had to leave him outside of the room. I told her well I'm not leaving him alone that's ridiculous so I'm just going to put everything away. Went to pay for everything and mentioned to the lady checking me out that it's absurd that she wanted me to leave him alone and that I won't be able to come back again because I'll never be able to go into that room. I was very upset because of that and I guess one of them mentioned it to that lady while I was leaving and she aggressively walked up and stopped me from leaving and tried to explain to me why I couldn't go in there. At that point I was crying because I just wanted to leave and I told her well I didn't see how it was a problem since he was asleep inside of a stroller and no danger to himself and she said "well don't you have friends to help you with your son?" Then she said "I will watch him don't you trust me?" I tried walking away but SHE HAD HER HAND ON MY STROLLER AND WOULDNT LET ME WALK AWAY!!! First of all she should NOT have touched me or any of my possessions and there was no reason to ask me that, second of all no I don't have anyone to help me because my husband works and I have no family close by. And third no I don't trust you you're a stranger and you seem very rude. I never asked for any special treatment I was just excited to get the things I needed that I could actually afford and she ruined that for me by being aggressive towards me and keeping me from leaving. I'm never coming back here read more

I love RAFT. However,....I called RAFT this morning to check their hours. The message made no indication that RAFT would be closed today (9/4/12). I understand that staff needs a day off for training or whatever the reason. It would be courteous to post a message on the answering machine and on the doors of RAFT to let customers know that you were closed. It was very frustrating to drive up in icky traffic and to arrive and to not be able to get somethings done for the classroom. At least there's another day to try again. read more