YES. We scheduled the private tour and it was so fun! We met the animals and were able to give…read moresnacks and love. It's an amazing mission and we're in awe of their work! Playground review: it's a super nice space and is designed for ages 2-12. There's a ton of different equipment for all abilities. However frustrating when older/larger kids are wreaking havoc and abusing the equipment while moms are talking with their backs turned away from the playground. Don't be those moms.

Excellent animal rescue center and educational activities! Fabulous staff and friendly service for…read morekids. My child enjoyed every opportunity to meet animals in a relaxed and educational environment. They have a wonderful playground outside and is free. The animal tour is $10 / adult and $3 for kids. Worth every penny, my kid had never enjoyed animals until this trip. The outdoor animals are in excellent comfort and clean areas. We fed goats and pigs. Then we went inside and saw Guinea pigs, rabbits, and a lizard! Phenomenal educational opportunity!! You do need a reservation for the animal tours and they have summer camp so call Ahead to make sure it's available. Parking is in the lot.

I've volunteered for this organization a few times and they are great people. Super friendly and…read morewelcoming. What else makes this organization great? Their transparency with funds and ability to organize events that bring a community together and make everyone feel special. What more can you ask for? I know some people with HIV and I think they become dehumanized as just figures sometimes, this nonprofit does a great job of getting the word out that they are people just like everyone else. If you have some spare time or money, donating your help to pretty much the only support for people with HIV/AIDS would be an awesome thing to do.

I participated in the AIDS walk in 2012 in memory of my uncle who died several years ago after…read morecomplications with the virus. I believe in everything that this organization stands for and it was well planned and thought out. My family had t-shirts made and we drove about 5 hours to be a part of it. I'd like to participate again this year.

This organization helps women entering/re-entering the workforce by supplying business clothing…read morealong with counseling services. Twice a year, the organization hosts a sale to reduce donated items. These include shoes, purses ($5), pants, dresses ($10), skirts, scarves, belts, stockings, suits, pajamas, and outerwear ($15). Let me tell you, the items are priced to move! The line forms prior to the sale so arrive early. However, there are limits on the items priced to move quickly ($1) and there may be limits on other clothing groups. The funds help the organization continue its mission of helping women.

I feel exceedingly empowered and grateful for the services provided by the Charlotte chapter of…read moreDress For Success. The services and encouragement they provide are wonderful and very necessary. Their staff goes the EXTRA MILE to help and inform their clients of opportunities, options, etc. They give hope.

This is a great organization and I love what they are doing for so many teachers to have the…read moresupplies they need for their classroom! Today was my first time volunteering with them stocking the store and it was an awesome experience!! I will be back and hopefully be able to coordinate a group from my workplace to volunteer with me in the near future. If you are looking for a place to serve in the community, I highly recommend Classroom Central!

I had the pleasure of volunteering here earlier this week and had a great time. I went with about…read more10 of my coworkers, and we all had different "jobs" to do from helping with check out to running the stamps to cut out shapes for bulletin boards. What Classroom Central does, is provide free school supplies for teachers in underprivileged school districts. They cover about 7 districts from Union to Mecklenburg to even one in SC. They have everything set up for teachers to "shop" the store. They get a certain quantity of each item and can pick up to 25 different items. These items range from book bags, to one subject notebooks, to markers, pens, pencils, and crayons. All the items are donated and Classroom Central doesn't receive money from the state. Risa is in charge of the volunteers who work there, and she is a gem. She's very patient with people like me who ask a lot of obvious questions, and I can tell she appreciates everyone who comes in. If you ever have the chance to volunteer, please do so. They have a sign up online, and normally go in 4 hour shifts. Mine was 1:30-5.

Resources like these are necessary to fill the gaps in our community. The work may not always be…read moreeasy, but is definitely worth it. I would like to personally commend Ruth Pat for her positive attitude and her ability to find the good. Continue being the kind-hearted and genuine individual that you are.

The Food Bank is a great asset to the Charlotte, NC & surrounding areas! It is continually finding…read moreways to network in the community to combat hunger. Typically NOT open to the general public. This is a place where organizations (i.e. Churches, Schools, nonprofits) can come and shop to feed underserved communities.

Great company and environment to work in. Lifespan provides adult health, in home skill building,…read moreday care, personal care, job placement and much more for children and adults with disabilities. I recommend looking into this not for profit company to see if they can be of help to someone you may know with special needs or disabilities!

Crisis Assistance Ministry is a literal joke! I feel they pick and choose how and who they will…read morehelp. if they are the main source for rental assistance then why is it so hard to get assistance with your rent? I was starting a month long unpaid job training returning to my career as a flight attendant that next Monday with leaving that Sunday. I've been out of work since September 2024 having fled DV from another state, homelessness, divorce (that was the best part) house fire loosing EVERYTHING, car accident totaling my new vehicle by a drunk driver, job loss, and had two total hip replacement surgeries 7 weeks apart. So to get through that struggle and finally be able to return to work has been the best thing to happen to me over two years. I went on a Wednesday with all my information for help with my May rent and got a call back from a Myra the following Friday. I was told to pay $1600 of my $2300 rent and they can pay the remaining $700. She had not looked over my documents because if she had she'd seen I had already paid $1100 of my May rent and just needed help with the remaining amount so she said to pay $500 more and they will pay $700 because that's all they are providing everyone due to funding. I told her I don't have a way to get the $500 unless I turn down the job offer and NOT attend training and drive uber and Lyft to come up with the money. I guess she tried to be encouraging with saying not to turn down the job offer and miss training. She had also brought up June rent saying they can't help me with May Rent if I won't have June rent but I said I didn't need help with June rent as someone was staying at my place the month of June and paying the rent in addition to taking care of my pets while I was away. i had everything figured out. I just needed that last boost of help to get me back on my feet. I was only behind because I was in a car accident in April and wasn't able to drive uber/lyft a few weeks and got behind but paid a portion of May rent with what I had saved. So ultimately, I've turned down the position, paid the $500, now behind the rest of May and now June, (since the person staying at my place no longer needs to stay) I went to crisis ( I don't get return calls) to leave word to my case worker for assistance and I'm waiting for a call back. I don't expect any help without added stress and I don't wish bad on anyone but I really feel some of those people working there need to understand by experience, the struggle and pain of regaining your life back and the humility of having to ask for help. I've read through all the comments and feel for everyone and pray something more can be done to help the entire community because Crisis Assistance Ministry is NOT it!

Do not waste your time. Let me tell you the process that no one explains. The first step you need…read moreto get there at 6 AM and wait in line until 8:30 AM for someone to see you. Once you do that then you have to wait until about 10 to 10:30 AM to go inside and present your papers. Then they will explain, you have to wait about two weeks or more until you're called. But don't stop there you get a phone call and the process is if you can cover almost all of your rent they can assist, they only give you about $50 almost only if you can come up with the rest. So guess what if you can't come up with none of it they won't do anything especially partial payments. So, if your rent is anywhere above $50 good luck. They will only cover almost nothing. Do not waste your time. This is awful. I will be filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.