Great organization! Well organized! Vital to the community! They provide food to anyone who…read moreneeds it.

I volunteer at the Food Gatherers Community Kitchen inside the Shelter Association of Washtenaw…read moreCounty every Tuesday. The community kitchen is just one example of how the organization endeavors to provide nutritional meals to those in our community. There are a number of ways to contribute to Food Gatherers. You can volunteer at the warehouse on 1 Carrot Way, inside the community kitchen (cook, clean and serve) or as a Food Runner delivering meals. Individuals can also volunteer for special events. Visit the website to learn more and sign up as an individual or as a group. Food Gatherers offers meals to anyone in Washtenaw County in need 364 days a year. Anyone in need is welcome to come for a meal; Lunch is served Monday-Friday 12-1pm and dinner is 5:30-6:30pm. On the weekends and holidays, from 3:00-4:00pm there is one community meal.

Ann Arbor is lucky to be home to some amazing non-profits, but I'd say that the Neutral Zone is…read moreamong my very favorite NPOs. They consistently provide programming for teenagers that makes me think "Man! I wish someone around me had something like that when I was a teen." This is especially true when it comes to their awesome "Youth-Owned Records" -- one of the first youth-operated record labels in the country! Who knows, my guitar skills could be a lot better, maybe I would have stepped into a music studio before the age of 19, maybe my poetry skills would've been sharper pre-college, and I bet I would have formed a lot of awesome relationships with other teenagers as well as some of the staff. From what I can tell, the NZ always seems to hire staff who really know what's going on and are caring and committed as they are cool. I was thrilled a few years back to hear about the NZ getting their new home. One of the big benefits of this new location is the amount of space. The B-Side, a large open space that doubles as a music and event venue, is a great thing for them to have. Even though I'm faaar beyond my teenage years, I've been to multiple great all-ages shows here, as well as a few other events (including the recent inaugural Ignite: Ann Arbor). I think people overlook how great this space is -- it's lovely, flexible, open, and I'd encourage anyone looking for a meeting or event space to check into it. Can't hurt to expose more people to the NZ and their great work while having a cool spot for your event, right?

The Neutral Zone is doing great things big and small. Creating future leaders, artists, activists…read moreand entrepreneurs. Creating a safe space for the youth in the community to freely and fully express themselves. Putting on the most unique and exciting fundraising events. You've got to support this organization or better yet get involved with an upcoming event, it's a lot of fun and the dividends from your efforts are invaluable to the kids and the community at large.

I was among the first wave of folks to sorta help get this organization started a bunch of years…read moreago. I went away for a bunch of years and came back, and I can't tell how how JEALOUS I am at how awesome they are now. Everyone there is so creative and knowledgeable and friendly. I really hope this place continues to thrive into the future ..

This place is fantastic! Whether you're into 3-D printing, software, knitting, lasers, etc., there…read moreare plenty of materials and options. Plus, the staff and patrons are knowledgeable and friendly. I was pleasantly surprised by how organized this place was, considering the huge variety of materials. Their emphasis on education and community is a huge plus and demonstrated by their classes and Open Build nights. Stop by for a tour during public hours, and get inspired!

A magical, zastical, wonderfilled place! There isn't any other color like it in the city. In the…read morestate! Why aren't there more of these? There is so much art. So many creative tools. Drag makeup, dresses, wigs, paint supplies, recording equipment, a projector, a stage--it's an underground creative paradise! There are events all week long and tons of inspiring people to meet. Did I mention it's a technicolor overload explosion of yes wow? Yeah! You gotta see it. Or at least go to the website and see the virtual tour. But preferably go there! This place soothes my soul and reminds me that it's okay to be different, to be free, to let your wild bits out sometimes, to explore the edges of possibilty! Gosh there's so much, craft tools, tarot readings, postcard parties, queer film screenings, drag shows, open mics, performance, activism, love, energyyyyyyyy...... Go feel the vibes, baby! (disclaimer: i am a co-founder )

CAN has a lot of different volunteer opportunities available to get involved with the community…read morehere in Ann Arbor. I volunteered one Saturday morning when they were doing their monthly Food Distribution at Mitchell Elem. School for various families in the area who signed up to receive groceries. You can also make and bring food for the kids who come in the evening to one of their Community Centers. They have after-school programs and tutoring. www.canwashtenaw.org/volunteer

CAN is a great Non profit organization that does great work in the community. They have functions…read morefor low income children and schools. They have a regular picnic kickoff that gives pencils, paper, toys, etc to Secondary school kids. They also have various events to support the community. This includes tutoring and other assistance. I enjoy supporting this organization and I am impressed by the work that they continue to do to make a difference in people lives.

Heads up: No phones allowed in the gym except for hallways and lobby…read more The YMCA in Ann Arbor is definitely a family friendly gym and offers a lot under one roof. If you have children, they provide child care while you work out for up to a couple of hours, which is a huge plus. They also have an indoor pool, and I recently went and enjoyed being able to swim indoors, especially during colder months. The facility is large, spread across about four floors, and includes an elevator, which makes it accessible for everyone. There are a lot of activities happening throughout the building, including breakout rooms for workshops and classes. They also have a lap pool, a sauna, an indoor track, and a full range of machines and weights. Depending on when you go, the track may be reserved for team use, so it is helpful to check the schedule in advance. I really appreciated how thoughtfully they handle locker rooms. There is a separate women and girls locker room, a men and boys locker room, and a universal family locker room. This makes it comfortable for families and people of all ages. The women do use the locker room as intended, so having a separate space for younger girls feels appropriate and well considered. They also have showers and provide towels, including towels for wiping down equipment. That said, my main area of feedback is cleanliness and sanitation. I understand it was the holiday season, but as a first impression, the gym had noticeable odors throughout, mostly sweat and stale air. It would benefit greatly from better air circulation or air purification. While there are hand sanitation stations throughout the gym, not all of them were filled, which is especially important during winter months and flu season. Cleaning could be more consistent overall to better match the volume of use. Parking is another challenge. It is mostly street parking, and there is no parking directly in front. I am not aware of a dedicated garage, so you may need to allow extra time to find a spot. The staff were helpful, kind, friendly, and professional. Everyone seemed to be doing their job well. Nothing felt over the top, but it was solid and reliable service across the board. Overall, this is a good gym with a lot of amenities and a strong focus on families, as well as individuals working out on their own. I would go back, though I do hope they continue improving cleanliness and air quality. With that addressed, it could be an even better experience.

I came to the Ann Arbor YMCA today with a guest pass and had a beyond extremely upsetting…read moreexperience. In the women's locker room, a women confronted me and my friend in an aggressive manner about our children being present (age 20 mon., 3 and 5). Instead of calmly explaining the policy or offering help, she pointed at us, repeated "They can't be in here," and escalated the situation to the point that my 5-year-old began crying and hyperventilating. She told us she was an employee, which made the behavior even more shocking, as she didn't offer any guidance or kindness, only hostility. She later continued to correct and monitor us in the pool area, and another patron tried to take a pool noodle from my child's hands- again aggressively making statements about how "they can't use that". How is a 3 year old not going to be curious about a pool noodle on the side of a pool... This was supposed to be a positive experience, but instead I felt harassed, watched, and completely unwelcome. I will not be returning. I understand facilities have rules, but the ways they are communicated matter. The lack of professionalism and kindness from staff made this a very negative experience. The lifeguard I spoke with was the only kind person and listened to everything I had to say. She also informed me "the older population can be kind of cliquey". Which I proceeded to ask... how it is okay for a clique of older people to bully new potential clients because were "in their space".

A treasure trove of tons of stuff. It is jumbled and disarrayed, and I love it! Wandering through…read morelooking for things I can use again. It is s huge warehouse running on a shoestring. Be kind!

This used/vintage store has everything and the kitchen sink (literally). Where most thrift stores…read morehave a carefully curated selection of items, the ShareHouse feels more like going through grandma's attic and grandpa's barn (if your grandparents were hoarders). Fish tanks, doors, puzzles, sewing machines, vintage clothing, seasonal decorations, artwork, office supplies, boxes of tiles, miter saws, salad mixers, teacups, umbrellas, wrapping paper, guitars, ski poles,...if you can think of it, you can probably find it there. There is so much stuff at the ShareHouse that it was overwhelming the first time I went there. I now go there a few times a year. There is no signage for sections, no prices on the majority of the items, and searching for what you want might require a lot more digging and hunting than at the Goodwill. Prices are often negotiable at the front counter, but when they are busier they are less likely to haggle because they have a long line of customers waiting to check out. I've found the pricing, in general, to be very reasonable...but I always try to shop there when there are fewer people when the cashier is less stressed. I rarely haggle. If unclear pricing is not for you, you may not like this store. The quality of items is just as chaotic as the store...I got a practically new Vera Bradley backpack in great condition for $10 but the appliances section looks questionable to me. I don't know if they test any of them and many are very old/vintage. Unlike other thrift stores I've been to, I don't think that ShareHouse does much more than clean the merchandise and put it on a shelf. If you enjoy a massive variety of items, love a treasure hunt, and don't mind some chaos...this is a great place to check out.

They use a spoof number in the add that forwards to your real number. After paying a lot of money…read morefor this add I did not renew and asked them to stop the call forwarding from the spoof number. Still getting tons of spam calls from tractor house bots. Since I didnt renew they are just allowing my number to get spammed.

I was recently visiting U of M for a weekend to catch up with some old HS buddies when they told me…read moreabout this place. After a short explanation, I had to say I was little skeptical about what we would be getting into...but come Sunday, I left Ann Arbor a true believer in The Tractor House and all that it stands for. Long story short: Good people, great times, memories made and even more forgotten. My suggestion next time you're in Ann Arbor? Take a ride on the Tractor and never look back. You will not regret it.