1/2 off days. Second Saturday of every month. My mom and I looked for over 1 hour at all the items…read morewe did not know we needed. Staff was great we came in today.. I appreciate their food bag distribution that mom gets weekly. So to support them today was a blessing. Thanks. And Mahalo.

Wow, corporate mentality has finally hit Grey Bears. Went there today as I do weekly, found a few…read moreitems I wanted and went to pay the prices as labeled on each item. Cashier then balked at the prices and said she couldn't sell them to me because she hadn't approved the prices, as the "guys" in the back, don't know how to.....even though Grey bears employees them to do so? WTF........... So if you find an item for a deal, they now have the unposted right to refuse the sale because someone thinks the price isn't reflective of it's true "give to us for free" value. Sad, but I have been slowly noticing this trend lately, just not as blatant as today.

The soup and pizza gave me the calories to sustain the day. Thanks for your altruism and good…read morefaith

The most amazing, caring, lovely, cheerful, warming (I could go on but I'll save you the reading…read moretime) people in the world! All the people here are volunteers, minus Richard who is the head of this and comes in every single work day. I'm a volunteer here as well, although I don't come regularly. What we do is prepare food - daily soup, salad, dessert, drink(s) - for the homeless of Santa Cruz. All the food is donated from restaurants/organizations such as Starbucks, Costco and many other places. We cook from 8:30 am to 11 am and serve food from 12 pm to 1 pm. Anyone is allowed to come eat! But you probably shouldn't come if you can purchase groceries and food on your own... :) Anyone can volunteer at any time. It's loads of fun and really makes you feel like you're a part of something bigger than just yourself (as cheesy as that sounds). Everyone there is so friendly! They are an religious organization, but no one there is pushing any teachings on you. We do say a prayer before serving food though. Great organization! Come by :) we are near downtown off River Street!

(I volunteered/Interned at Friends Outside over my 4 years at UC Santa Cruz and worked for them as…read morea Jail Librarian) Friends Outside is a National Non-Profit org. (in Santa Cruz, housed under the Volunteer Centers of SC County.) whose mission is to provide assistance to those incarcerated in local jails: "Our goal is to help lessen the trauma of incarceration for inmates & their families, to provide information that can lead to positive changes, & to assist ex-offenders with their re-entry into the community." http://www.friendsoutside.org/ Santa Clara: http://www.friendsoutsideinscc.org/ POST-RELEASE: If someone you know has been incarcerated or is on probartion/parole, contact FO! They are HELPFUL with: ~ Property retrieval & storage - Liaison between attorneys, family & other agencies - Confidential visits with a knowledgeable & supportive volunteer - Information about community services & drug/alcohol programs - Helping with emergencies caused by incarceration - Bring in resources such as dictionaries, reading glasses, bus passes, & writing tablets - Help with limited legal & financial situations - Begin planning post-release resources & referrals through the Aftercare process Everything from short & long-term case management which includes access to clothing & food vouchers, obtaining/applying for SSI & DMV I.D., housing applications & rent assistance, medical benfits & General governmental assitance, contacting your Parole/prob. agents & or family members, & registering to vote. We also visit prisoners ON THE INSIDE. After release from jail or prison, a client can meet with an Aftercare case manager for a one-stop resource & referral. Case managers offer support and advocate for clients, help facilitate post-release plans and provide applicable services. We make every effort to provide the information needed in the first few days of release. Friends Outside is unable to offer financial assistance; however, we may be able to connect clients to the appropriate agencies and churches. You may leave a message for a specific volunteer at 831 425-3434 or call for an appointment at 831 427-5078. We can help in the following areas: - Basic hygiene products and reading glasses - Information on food resources, voicemail, community programs, mental health and health-related services, education, counseling and shelters - Clothing vouchers / clothes - Bus passes (limited rides to court or appointments related to probation compliance) as well as maps and bus schedules - Assistance complying with probation to prevent unnecessary incarceration (WRAP) - Court accompaniment - Information on local and statewide legal and criminal justice agencies - Informal assistance with a job search - Free copies of the Friends Outside Resource Guide (which I created!) - Outreach and educational presentations about our services as appropriate Over the course of my time working for them as a case manager and jail librarian, I was able to access those incarcerated in Blaine Street Jail (minimum security for Women), the Main SC County Jail (Men and Women's Medium Security), "The Farm" and The Rountree Men's Facilities in Watsonville (Medium Men's jails). The experience was eye-opening, and got me into the work I am doing now as a Case Manager for Centerforce, San Rafael. I still work with Friends Outside, who contracts out of the Visitor's Center at San Quentin State Prison. We provide books, dictionaries (Spanish-English), and reading glasses to the jails through donation drives that we hold annually. Children's Events: Kids' Days! We love these days- so fun to volunteer and be a part of a positive event INSIDE the jail with families and children- Fun activities, crafts, and treats for children visiting their incarcerated parents during holidays (X-mas, Halloween, V-Day). Fliers announcing these events are posted at the Farm and at Blaine Street a few weeks ahead, so prisoners can inform their families on visiting day about the event (during the winter holiday season, we work with Toys for Tots gathering gifts for children with an incarcerated parent.) Please DONATE! As a typical struggling non-profit, they need all the support they can get to continue doing amazing, hard, and incredibly important work in the community!!! FOR NOW, NOT FOREVER I woke up today in a cold cement cell, No one to hold me so I hold myself. As I lie there, all alone in my bed, I am numb to my surroundings, I am lost in my head. I dream, I think, I fantasize, I try not to hear my heart's little cries. There in my mind, I learn to sever, myself from reality, for now, not forever. -Incarcerated client Santa Cruz location, Contact: Heidi Canales/Talia Stoessel at 831-427-5078. ~ scFriendsOutside@hotmail.com ~ fovolunteer@gmail.com Friends Outside in Santa Clara County: 551 Stockton Avenue San Jose, CA 95126 Phone: (408) 295-6033 , Fax: (408) 295-2907

I interned at Friends Outside in 2004/2005 as a jail visitor. It was an amazing experience that I…read morewill never forget. FO is a great resource for people who are incarcerated and their families. This is one of those rare nonprofits that makes their money go a really long way by using it for the clients rather than paying a bunch of administrators. Even though I am a poor graduate student I make it a point to donate every year (even if it's only a little bit), and I would encourage you all to do the same!

Have given them lots of children's clothes and toys jackets,…read more Glad to share clothes with children in need

I used to really love this place. They took away the donation incentive. They added signs…read moreeverywhere about watching your kids and don't touch anything. Took the play area away as well as the bathroom/changing table. This is a family story. With so many littles and pregnant moms. I understand saying customers only on the bathroom. My daughter needed the toilet and they told me to walk down a few buildings to the pizza place....they are also not friendly in store. Such a shame it used to be so nice and inviting.

we found five baby raccoons orphan in our attic. The mommy came back for all of them, but one we…read morebrought the baby to Native animal rescue and they took great care of it. Now we just found a baby owl will be giving that to them tomorrow morning.

I brought in an injured baby animal and they were kind and reassuring to me. I have done that…read morebefore and they even let me know how it was doing.

We have no words to express what our dad's time in Tara Home and the volunteers meant to our…read morefamily. We went from feeling isolated and hopeless about his disease and situation to feeling empowered and deeply connected to him, ourselves, and the community of angels that support this home. He wanted to die with dignity and that's just what he did, over a period of nine days, nine days filled with so much love that I think it'll keep us floating through the next decade. What a portal that was to sit through with him. We are so grateful for the Tara Home Community for being a part of it-- for every prayer, blessing, chant, song, bedside sit, hand squeeze, meditation, hug, and offering of love. For holding space for him and for us. This experience completely changed our experience of our father's earthly departure. He was ready for so long and we feel so grateful that he got the best final chapter for this lifetime.

Tara Home is a hospice cottage located on the property at the Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel,…read moreCA. When there is a resident, the cottage is staffed around the clock by a group of compassionate, trained volunteers as well as Hospice staff, who provide end-of-life support and companionship.

-cute house -beautiful employees…read more -some of my blood slave here -great service =HOPE TO HELL I WOULD NEVER NEED IT

A great community resource for any woman that needs crisis support. They can help you with…read morerestraining orders, housing, counseling, etc. Although relatively small, they are highly effective and are always looking for good volunteers!

Stayed there for less than a week, got accused "by a staff member" my second day being there of…read moresmoking pot in the house (definitely smelled it that morning though) was open and honest the entire time that I had smoked a few times during my pregnancy before coming there, and I wouldn't pass a drug test as I smoked the night before I left my hometown to move to Siena House. Simply told that that "didn't look good for me" and I moved on because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I didn't have a guilty conscience for something I didn't do. I told them they could thoroughly search me and my belongings considering I didn't own so much as a lighter. I guess that wasnt good enough because a few days later I was told that a member of the board had moved to have me evicted. With no real evidence whatsoever. That's what you get for being honest with these people. False accusations and threats to be put out on your butt. And from what another woman living there told me I'm far from the first person to have that happen. And all of this within not even a full week of me staying there. I didn't stick around to see what else could possibly go wrong living there, I packed up my stuff, left, and moved in with the father of my child with whom my relationship is incredibly strained, because I had no other options The woman who live there are lovely, and even the staff themselves conducts themselves in a friendly manner, but if you have any skeletons in your closet whatsoever, be prepared to be treated like a criminal and probably be the first one to be accused if anything happens.

Call these wonderful people if you need help and are pregnant. They will help you. I have not…read morevisited them yet but they were so great when I was trying to find shelter for a homeless pregnant woman. God bless Siena House!