It feels great to help people in need, and I managed to convince my girlfriend to volunteer with me…read morehere and give it a try and see how rewarding it is. I've volunteered at various food banks and this is definitely one of the more challenging ones. Packing/sorting the peaches is a messy job and either that or the onions got some type of allergen on our forearms, making us super itchy. On the box packing assembly line I was given two stations so I worked like a dog as fast/hard as I could so I wouldn't let the rest of the line down even though I probably should've taken a break. It was like an hour long cardio workout and I was drenched in sweat by the end of it, but we got A LOT of boxes packed.

Great place to volunteer and give back to the community. They are very well organized. There is…read moreusually lines where you work to box food items into it. Great way for groups to come and volunteer together. You will have fun.

He answered me in a timely manner and let me know if they could help me with anything else. I had…read moreother needs to let them know.

I've donated to them many times - great group to work with. You can drop off a pod type unit and…read morethey will unload it while the pod driver waits.

Adopted our pup in 2012 Lucy Lu still with us. They told us that she was the best dog…read more She is amazing Would always recommend Barks of Love

I had the pleasure of going to the Mixology masters event last night at the Porsche dealership in…read moreIrvine. They had some really amazing restaurants mixing up their most favorite concoctions for all of us to enjoy. The money that was raised for Barks of love was a huge success!

They were so easy to do business with. A live person answered their phone, they asked what I wanted…read moreto donate, scheduled an appointment for pick up and on the scheduled day right on time a large truck pulled up to my garage , picked up the items gave me a tax receipt and done!! Use them they were great!!

For Military Veterans- Patriots and Paws is a treasure literally! They serve those that served and…read morenow need assistance attaining household items as well as items for pets. Many items are used yet still valuable to those that don't have. Everything from refrigerators to chairs dishes and pantry items. For your furry friends they have leashes, collars, cat and dog food and more. Although they serve all vets in So Cal, they can only pick up donations in Orange County. If you are able and willing they need volunteers whenever possible. If you are a veteran in need just bring your veteran ID or DD214 and valid ID to receive goods.

Spring cleaning and I wanted to make sure my quality goods didn't go to waste. I have so much brand…read morenew work clothing or worn once bridesmaid dresses that I know can be helpful to someone else. I found Orange County Rescue Mission and I love the support they provide for the community so I decided I wanted to give my donations to them. Orange County Rescue Mission is open Friday to Wednesday from 8am-5pm, Closed Thursdays. They have a convenient area for you to drive up, and their volunteers are super nice and will be more than happy to help you lift and unload your donations. Donation receipts available upon request.

Honestly if I had known exactly how simple this process would be & how friendly and nice the people…read morethere had be, I probably would have gone a LOT sooner. I've previously had my donations picked up, or gone to donation bins, or dropped a few things off at Goodwill. Orange County Rescue Mission has a drive thru drop-off for your donations. I had 5 boxes, so a lovely gentleman brought a bin on wheels over and helped me put my boxes inside. He asked if I would need a receipt for my taxes but I politely declined. I do believe the items I donated had good value but I don't have much experience with taxes and previous receipts I've gotten usually end up missing by tax season. Prior to donating my things, I was able to go on their website and see exactly what items they accept. This helped a LOT because there were actually a lot of items I wouldn't have even considered donating like unused toiletries. I would probably try to give them to a family member or a friend of perhaps end up just tossing it away. I'm really glad they provide a list of acceptable items for donating!! I hope other people who wish to donate items really do READ lists such as this one, so they are aware of what can be donated. I just remembered people from my past who would try to donate opened foods, & insisted they were still good because they were non-perishables. Some people just don't know you can't donate ANYTHING. I don't understand people who donate things that they wouldn't use, if the same or similar item were donated to them (in the same manner). Some behaviors are perplexing. Anyway!! I LOVE this place and I'm currently working on filling up another 3 boxes. I'll have to go buy some more boxes so I can start sorting through my storage unit as well!! I do have a few questions on some items and what condition they must be in to be accepted for donation. I'm pretty sure they had a number on the same page that I could call and ask, which I will be doing, just haven't gotten around to it yet! I'm really happy I found this place & recommend others to donate items & volunteer here if they have the time! (:

I'm not much into McDonalds. Maybe the occasional egg white McMuffin on my way to an early…read moretee-time. But McDonalds beats In n Out hands down when it comes to caring for sick children and their families. My Lion's Club chapter had the honor of cooking for 50 people here this week and I am the one who feels the benefit. Without going into the full history of this place, the brief story is that McDonalds donates a small hotel-like building walking distance from different children's hospitals. This one is next to Children's Hospital Orange County (CHOC). The donated structure is run like a no-charge hotel, with volunteers and a few staff members, for families to stay while their child is at CHOC. Families must submit an application, have financial need and, pending space (maybe a dozen rooms) can stay here up to a month before requesting an extension. Breakfast and dinner is cooked each day for families. The food and labor is provided by volunteer groups. Groups of friends, businesses, restaurants, service organizations, etc. sign up about three months in advance. The menus are pre-approved, the food must all be cooked on site, and volunteers must all be in good health. They provide a fully stocked kitchen and some permanent volunteers are on hand to provide guidance. We were able to sit and dine with the guests and hear their stories of heartbreak, perseverance and strength. Think about the triple whammy that these folks go through. First, their child is sick enough to need a specialized children's hospital. Next, it is far enough away from home that you need a hotel for the family. Lastly, you don't have the financial resources for both the medical care and housing. This place fills that need. The Ronald McDonald House is a God-send and McDonalds should be applauded for providing this type of low-key and vital assistance to the public. No Happy Meals are served here. No golden arches out front. No McDonald's advertisements, clowns or commercials blaring inside. Just good people caring for their kids and good people assisting the families. Very humbling.

I have been blessed with my life to live this long and share the journey through Yelp and my work…read more Life does surprising things and I hope for the better. Unfortunately, life tends to do a 180 and the best thing we can do is to help our fellow neighbors. I work for a very large company and they are constantly doing their best to help our fellow man. My company teamed up with a special company, but not because they have the Golden Arches or they make Hamburgers, but the foundation that we see, but ignore. Our Team is headed over to the Orange County Ronald McDonald House in the city of Orange. Located about two blocks north of W. La Veta Ave. on the east side of Batavia St., you will find the three story tall and world famous charity, Ronald McDonald House. While the name is associated with the Golden Arches, this is a separate entity and does not promote fast food and is not fully funded besides from the contributions of the local neighborhood. My employer is a large organization and they decided to spend some time helping families and their children that are going medical procedure at the local Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). A few minutes or hours of our volunteer time are helpful to the families in need. Families can stay at the Ronald McDonald House with approved forms from their Physician for only $10 a day. The $10 covers the room, food, laundry, and many other activities. This place is essentially another home away from home. Some families are not fortunate to drive many miles away to leave their littles ones behind thus requesting the assistance of the Ronald McDonald House. This home is amazing. It is three floors of amenities for families just looking for a short place to stay. If I am not mistaken, there are 20 rooms for families to stay. There is a large kitchen for volunteers like my organization to prepare and cook meals for the day. Also, there are game/activity rooms for families to help ease some of the mindsets/emotions that they are going through. Heaven forbid you and/or your child has to go through this. Our organization signed up to prepare breakfast. The Ronald McDonald House has all the tools (i.e. knives, plates, utensils), but all we have to do is bring the ingredients and cook. We had the task of making breakfast burritos, eggs, waffles, sandwiches, and many other delicious. Food is what makes the journey memorable. Volunteering is a human characteristic that we all have done in one form or another. The greatest part of the whole experience wasn't just cooking, preparing, cleaning: It was the smiles and gratitude from the families who just wanted a hot meal. I used to go to the Golden Arches and see a Ronald McDonald House Donation Box at the window. After talking with the staff member, donations are low and are usually high during the Holiday Season. While we may see the Golden Arches being a name on the house, most of the staff are volunteering out of the kindness of their hearts and their wallets. There are many donors across many doors and hallways. Donors are the reason why the Ronald McDonald House continues to thrive. Everyday many families come through this house looking for a haven and as we may feel helpless, we have done the best we can to make their day better and better by passing it forward. This Yelp Voyage is my novel. I write to share the experience and for you to interpret it. My guidance is through you. It is BECAUSE of you that I want to recreate the same experience. The end result is success because you made me share my story. Yelp your story every day!

I went to this food bank last week, and since it was the first time I went to get benefited by a…read morefood bank rather than assisting to volunteer.. I had a blast. It was a great experience! I forget everyone's names already, but everyone was fantastic and super helpful! I'm going to look to help volunteer since I feel the need to reflect their helpfulness onto other people.

All the food is free, can't get better than that! This…read morefoodbank is open every Sunday. I volunteer with a group here at least once a month- If you are in need you should stop by.

Oc united is one of the best organizations that could exist. My experience with them has been above…read more& beyond. I'm greatly appreciative being apart of united voices and others bringing resources to our community. We approach each-other with positive affirmations helpful information etc. Caleb, Gaby & Noemi thank you for your dedication. Can't wait to heal and be back on the team! (;

OC United, is a great help for the community. They have put on many events for the community where…read moreit has allowed the community to come together. They have a really cute little garden in the back and it's a great place for youth to go get involved, do their homework, and hang out with other students their age.