I'm not a client at journey's - I'm a volunteer. It's a very rewarding experience. If you have time…read moreon weekends or are retired and have extra time, it's a worthwhile experience. They accept food and clothing donations, too. You can volunteer in many different ways (clothing panty, front desk, food service).

Not Good is an understatement !!! This privately owned non profit is masquerading as a resource to…read moreactually, truly help the homeless! Everything they do is a pretense to line their own pockets with government funds. Please read their bio: there actually is NO mental health support or services of any kind. The entire organization is run upon the backs of sincere yet naive volunteers. The "new" building is only 3 or 4 years old, yet there is no sufficient ventilation. It is an SBS. It has " sick building syndrome". The full week residents are constantly sick with every possible upper respiratory virus or illness imagine able. COVID ?? The facility doesn't care; they barely acknowledge such things. The food is often less than fresh. The few case managers do little to counsel or help clients to find a home. The managers main concern is to make CERTAIN that the residents ",sign in" every day. That is how they get paid by the government. There is NO medical staff, NO psychologists, and it is run like a locked down mental institution or jail in many ways. I'm too tired to say more. In my 70 years of life, the 3.5 months that I lived there were the most horrible and frightening months ever. I felt much safer living in my car. My title for this self-serving organization is "Journeys,the Road to Perdition". Look up the word "perdition" in a dictionary...it is a perfect description of Journeys. The day that I left Journeys, I put in a phone message,saying "I cannot come back even one more day. This place is psychically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually TOXIC."

Great organization. They do good work in Arlington Heights. Great fundraisers!! This is a good…read morecause and helps lots of people.

From the owner: We raise funds to supplement the Village of Arlington Heights, IL Emergency Assistance Fund (EAF)…read more The EAF helps Arlington Heights residents in crisis with stop gap measures to assist in getting their lives back on track. The money could go toward anything from rent assistance to car repairs. Arlington Cares offers fun events to raise money for this purpose.

This place is a teacher's dream! The owner happened to be there the day I visited, and she was…read morepatient and kind as she explained their offerings, and it's clear this business is a passion project for her. They have an amazing deal for teachers where you can pay $10 to fill a (standard grocery-sized paper) bag with any supplies from their teaching/loose parts sections for use in your classroom, or $40 to get a punch card to fill five bags throughout the school year. As an early childhood educator who strongly values open-ended, loose parts play, I left with my bag literally bursting at the seams and found so many goodies for my preschoolers, including many classroom supplies that I was having a hard time finding elsewhere. If you are a crafter or creative of any kind, this place is a must-visit. They even offer craft workshops, not only for children, but grown-ups as well! I was so happy to see a creative reuse center open in my vicinity and I hope they will be able to stick around for a long, long time. We need more places like this that encourage communal gathering and environmental stewardship!

Great store! Non-profit! You can find just about any craft item. Great store for teachers!read more

I would give them 10 out of 5 stars if I could…read more The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely care about the animals. The animals are clearly well cared for, and the adoption fee includes a lot, such as microchipping and keeping the animals up to date on their medical care. They are also happy to answer questions and provide advice, both before and after adoption. If you're considering a special-needs pet or aren't sure what type of pet would be the best fit, they'll take the time to explain the responsibilities involved and help you make an informed decision. What really sets this shelter apart is that they take the time to get to know potential adopters and make sure each adoption is a good fit for both the animal and the family. Their focus is on responsible placement and the well-being of the pets, not superficial factors. I especially appreciate that they don't judge a person's ability to provide a loving home based on their social media presence. Too often, some organizations seem to equate online popularity with being a good pet owner, but those things have little to do with one another. In fact, the amount of time someone spends building a social media following says nothing about the care, attention, and commitment they'll give a pet. This shelter evaluates people based on what truly matters: their ability and willingness to provide a safe, stable, and loving home. I adopted two kittens from them about a year and a half ago. One grew into a gentle giant, while the other stayed petite. A few weeks ago, I returned and adopted a large 3-year-old cat as a companion for my gentle giant. The adoption process was just as positive the second time around. I highly recommend this shelter to anyone considering adopting, donating, or volunteering. They are doing great work and truly have the animals' best interests at heart.

Very dedicated and loving volunteers…read more pets have all medical issues. Neutering and shots

I had Clearbrook work with my son twice in the past few years-2018 and 2021. The assigned coaches…read morewould meet with us each time. We would do applications during the hour meeting. I even helped suggesting places that I knew were hiring, which they said was fine if I applied but just let them know the information. Each time when my son had a job interview, the job coach came along with him, since he has lower functioning autism and hard to understand him speaking sometimes. When he got the jobs each time, the coach would come and assist in his training. Then the visits would be be a little less until he can do the job without assistance. The same procedure was followed with my daughter, with autism spectrum disorder, but when she was hired, the coach didn't have to be at training with her because she caught on faster. I returned to because I was satisfied from each time. But I am not happy with the job coach he is assigned to, She isn't doing her job. She insists that I need to clarify myself as to where do I want her to play a role in this. I told her about all my experiences with Clearbrook and how the coaches handled things. She approached me with that same question more than one time. I get the impression that she doesn't know what she is supposed to do. The online meetings only lasted not more than 15 minutes. She gave me 1 job list email with jobs far away to travel when I specifically gave her location areas of where we'd like to find work at. I had an interview which she set up with a Culvers in Rosemont, 30 minutes away. She never showed up. I had another one at a nearby Culver's in Harwood Heights, only 10 minutes away, but the time and day didn't work out with the coach. She told me her availability and days she has meetings on. I went online to change the time to a time that would fit her schedule. But she can't come once again because she has a meeting. She now says her meetings change every week as opposed to just Wednesdays and Fridays. She made up a script for him to practice interviewing.which is fine. But she wants me to go with him and interview alone and bring the script. She said that we discussed in his staffing, it is in Nick's interest to attend all available interviews to help him practice his interview skills and have the opportunity to network. It is ok if Nick interviews alone, as he has a script that I was able to put together with the information I had that can help him on the interview. If you would like me to add more to the script, please reply to the email where I am requesting the information needed. Nick's goal is to work independently, so he can interview independently at times. We had a staffing with DRS and the coach said she would go to his interviews and trainings. Now she is going against what she said at the DRS staffing. She doesn't understand how to work with people who have an intellectual disability. The things she's doing are appropriate at a regular employment agency. Maybe she'll have to show him how to use LinkedIn as the next step? She's working for the wrong type of job agency. I know it's difficult with job searching right now the way the economy is going, but she needs to know that these clients need extra help. I don't think she knows what she's doing. I am very disappointed. Now I'm stuck taking Nick for this interview. How do I explain that the job coach isn't available today and if I tell him that a coach will be there to help train him if he is going to consider hiring him. Then there's no coach. Another incident that doesn't make sense. Nick had an interview with Burlington Thursday 7/17/25. I got a reminder text in the afternoon of the 16th and at 9 pm received a very disturbing email from them, closing with a rejection: "Hi Nicholas. Due to unforeseen circumstances, your upcoming interview was cancelled and we are therefore no longer able to move you forward in the recruiting process. Please reach out to your recruiter for additional details." I emailed the department with a screenshot copy of this text and still waiting for a response. If you're working with DRS there's other reliable agencies available to help.

I've been working with Clearbrook for two years now, and love it. From what I've heard there is a…read morehuge turnover rate in the positions higher than mines, but I'm guessing that stems from personal life experiences outside of the job itself. I will never know, but me, myself loves working with Clearbrook, because it's very flexible as a full-time student + it is very rewarding working with adults with disabilities. Rewarding as in learning more about them, and what makes them unique! My client in particular has autism, and I work with him inside of his own home as an SLA (Supported Living Assistant). Working as an SLA, you get a chance to become part of their normal lives, and fully understand about that client in particular, as far as learning fully about them good and bad. Working in this field you have to have patience, and understanding. If you do not then I would advise you to work elsewhere. I enjoy it, and I'm very open to working as a full-time employee with this company once I graduate; even though my degree is something totally different from what opportunities this company offers.

I volunteered here with a group from work, and somehow they managed to trick a room full of adults…read moreinto happily working an assembly line for an hour. The secret? A great cause, awesome people, and a playlist of absolute throwbacks. At one point, there were 30 grown adults singing way too confidently to songs none of us had any business knowing every word to. Productivity remained surprisingly high. In all seriousness, it was incredibly rewarding knowing the meals we packed will help feed children around the world. It's one of those rare volunteer opportunities where the hour absolutely flies by, and you leave feeling like you genuinely made a difference. The staff keeps everything moving, everyone is welcoming, and the atmosphere is upbeat without ever losing sight of why you're there. Highly recommend it. Come for the volunteering, stay because apparently you're the lead singer of a 2000s cover band whenever a throwback comes on.

Feed My Starving Children is a wonderful place to volunteer because it is open to anyone ages 5…read moreyears and up, is open regularly, and does not have any time commitments so you can go when it fits your schedule! I have been volunteering with "FMSC" for over 13.5 years. I go with my gym mates, my relatives, friends, co-workers, etc. You have to wear a hairnet, and take off all jewelry, and keep your hands clean, but that is minimal compared to what the kids you are helping face. You scoop vitamins, veggies, soy, and rice into bags, seal them, box them up, and have a wonderful time doing so! The music can be great and fun, one time I was volunteering and they did music trivia while packing. At $0.29 a meal, both your time and [voluntary] donations are being maximized! The organization is based in Christian values, but the prayer at the end is an invitation, not an obligation, so I appreciate the inclusivity. There is also a MarketPlace where you can purchase items that provide for the artisans that make them. My most used item is a clay mug from Haiti. The kids used to eat the clay, but now the artisans use it to make items. If you're on the fence, I suggest you give it a try! It's a couple of hours in your day and the most fun I can picture having in a latex free hairnet!

I had something to drop off and a young man that representative ran right out took it gave me a…read morereceipt and I went on my way. It was a nice experience.

The worker was super friendly and helpful. I'll definitely use this donation drop site in the…read morefuture.