The largest regional food bank in Sacramento. This organization has been serving the community…read moresince 1976 and will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary: check out my photos for the QR code and anniversary details! I came here to volunteer, and to my surprise, there were even younger kids participating. I learned that the minimum volunteer age is 10 years old. Some students were volunteering for school service hours, while others came through different companies and organizations. We joined the second shift from 1pm-4pm. The session started shortly after 1pm with a briefing and task assignments from the group leader. All tasks were explained clearly. The leaders checked on us throughout the shift to make sure we were doing okay and to see if anyone had concerns. Halfway through the shift, we had a 15-minute break, and one of the leaders brought ice cream to celebrate a volunteer's birthday and shared it with everyone. I thought it was a meaningful way to celebrate a birthday while helping a good cause. We actually finished around 3:30pm, and our shift completed: - 5,451 lbs of food packed - 474 boxes prepared for the "No Student Goes Hungry" program supporting students from elementary school through college in Sacramento County. Everyone was very friendly and accommodating, and the facility was clean and organized. Restroom: clean, bright, and decent. If you are interested in volunteering, check out their website and register in advance.

Although not fun, there is one huge benefit to moving...being able to sort through a bunch of…read moremisplaced and forgotten stuff. Within all of this stuff, was a bunch of new and lightly used clothing. In the past I have donated clothing to my local Goodwill Express. However, I did some reflection and realized that all of the clothing that I donated was being sold for profit. Going forward, my intention was to donate to an organization that receives the donation(s) and distributes them to underprivileged individuals/families free of charge. Some research led me to the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. Upon calling to verify their hours (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10am-1pm and Wednesday, 4pm-7pm), I gathered all of the clothing and hit the road on a mission to make a difference. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a Sacramento Food Bank employee who eagerly began to load my clothing donations onto a cart. Since a lot of the clothing consisted of dress pants and dress slacks, he proceeded to inform me about a program called "Job Smart Clothing." Job Smart Clothing is a program within Sacramento Food Bank that provides career appropriate apparel for underprivileged individuals interviewing for employment or currently employed. How cool is that? I'm not a representative for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. However, I will say that they provide an awesome service to the community, and that a little donation goes a long way (individuals who benefit from their services often leave with 15-20 pieces of clothing per visit). Before you throw away that piece of clothing that you think is out of style or doesn't quite hug your curves the way that they used to, think about donating it to the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services!

How did I not get a chance to review the Goodwill location in downtown Sacramento? This has to be…read moremy favorite Goodwill location I've been too. There's always a good find here. Of course the service isn't that good as it's a thrift store yet the clothing I find here with the price is unbeatable. I also appreciate the book selections here, it's amazing. I recently bought a Levi's sweater for $10, and am looking forward to the cool weather to wear it! Overall would highly recommend when trying to find some nice clothing and books here in Sacramento!

So this is technically a Goodwill store, but it's nothing like ones I've been to elsewhere. The…read morewife says it's a "sophisticated" version of the typical Goodwill I go to sometimes to find certain DVDs (yup, I still prefer DVDs to streaming) and books, so it explains why it looks so different here. Doesn't really matter to me either way, as I'm not all that interested in clothes and shoes which this Goodwill had the most of from a quick scan. I went straight to the DVD section and they had a decent selection of several genres that I was interested in. I have a few collections of DVDs and add to them when I can. I also look for child and family-friendly ones so I can watch together with my kids or let them watch on their own. They have some books here, but not a lot, and limited genres, but a decent amount, but I didn't see any that was interesting enough to bring home with me. On certain days, there's a 50% discount based on the color of the sticker, so that's a bonus, and I happen to find a few DVDs I wanted to get that was half off. Check out was quick and the cashier guy was friendly. As for the rest of the store, they have lots of home stuff and some electronics in the back, and as mentioned earlier, a ton of clothes and shoes to choose from if you're a serious shopper. Parking is street only, so be ready to pay by meter/app. All in all, this is a nice Goodwill that's "special," but to me it just a fancier looking one, as long as they keep stocking items that are of interest to me, I'll keep coming back.

I've recently been riding a bike that was passed down to me. It's an 80's road bike. Its my first…read moretime riding a bike since my old BMX bike from my middle school days. I'm in my 20s now and know absolutely zilch about bikes. My chain snapped and I brought it into the bike kitchen. I paid $10 cash for the shop fee and immediately a volunteer helped me mount up my bike and get to work. He was so welcoming and fun to work with. We evaluated whether or not my chain was salvageable, and decided we should take a few links from a chain in the back, and add it to mine. It was only $3, and from there he taught me everything about repairing a chain. He was so nice and helpful, I used the tools and he kept watch to make sure I was doing it right. Sometimes that can be stressful, but he made sure it was a fun environment and we laughed almost the whole time. I could not recommend this place more. For them, its really just about the bikes. It felt amazing to fix it myself, and learn something about my bicycle. The volunteer also helped inspect my bike to make sure nothing else needed fixing. He explained it like, "you already paid the shop fee, lets see what else we can do". I hope I learn enough to volunteer here one day. Truly a 10/10 experience.

Really cool nonprofit organization supporting the Sacramento community through cycling!…read more They'll help fix your bike and teach you how to do it yourself for only $10. For kids up to 17 years old, bikes are free. A lot of low income or immigrants families benefit from this offering. Every second Saturday of the month, they host open bar nights with live music: check out their website for the artist lineup! One of their workshops was even a Bike Jewelry Workshop where people made jewelry from bike parts. SBK is focused on making cycling affordable and accessible while teaching bike maintenance and safety classes to help people become more independent riders. Besides the bike shop, they also do community outreach projects and are always looking for volunteers if you're interested in helping out!

This review is specifically about my personal experience with attorney Lina…read more I sought legal assistance through WEAVE for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) involving a long history of abuse. When I was assigned to Lina, she was a newer attorney, but I chose to work with her because she had availability and I believed she would advocate for my case. Throughout our preparation, I repeatedly expressed the importance of presenting my evidence and witnesses. I had extensive documentation and multiple witnesses prepared to testify. Despite these discussions, I received very little guidance on how to prepare for court beyond what to wear on the hearing date. I was not given meaningful information about what to expect during the hearing or how testimony would be presented. Before the hearing, there was also an issue with service and filing. My ex violated the temporary restraining order, and when I contacted the police, I was informed that the order had not been properly served or entered into the system. That was very concerning for me as basic filing of the paperwork. On the day of the hearing, Lina told me the hearing would likely be continued. Instead, the hearing proceeded. I was unprepared for having to present my own case with little assistance. During the hearing, none of the evidence I had repeatedly asked to be presented was introduced, and none of my witnesses were called which I know would be in a trial (which in my case that's where I wanted to go). I was left to speak for myself while emotional and overwhelmed. I remember the judge even indicating that Lina could speak for me or with me, yet very little advocacy occurred with me. The DVRO was denied. While I understand that no attorney can guarantee an outcome, I left feeling that my case had never truly been presented to the court. My concern is not that the judge ruled against me, but that the evidence and witness testimony I had spent significant time gathering were never put before the court. After the hearing, I was told I would receive a follow-up call later that day, but no call came. When I eventually reached out myself to discuss my concerns, I felt dismissed rather than heard. Instead of receiving explanations regarding why evidence and witnesses were not presented, I felt my concerns were minimized and responsibility was shifted onto me. The problems continued after the hearing. When I later got a different attorney , there were additional issues regarding paperwork needed to remove Lina as attorney of record. As a result, close to an another hearing, she still appeared as attorney of record because the paperwork had not been properly completed. I understand that attorneys are human and that every case has challenges. However, what was most disappointing was the lack of preparation, communication, follow through, and advocacy I experienced during one of the most vulnerable periods of my life. I was seeking protection for myself and my children and needed an attorney who would thoroughly present my case and guide me through the process. I am sharing this experience so that others can make an informed decision when seeking legal representation during a domestic violence matter and not have to go through the added emotional aspect I endured when I was seeking for advocacy.

They only provide services for people facing intimate partner abuse or domestic violence…read more They will not provide intake or referral services for people experiencing other forms of domestic violence. People seeking services with them only find this out during intake when already in the midst of a crisis. The organization has a responsibility to be up front and transparent with people seeking services, the public, stakeholders and potential donors.

I reached out to SASSNA and Dave when I was looking for resources and help to determine if I was…read moreAutistic (age 41 at the time). Dave was great! He pointed me towards a local organization that did adult diagnosis, but he also encouraged me to navigate Kaiser Permanente's process since that was my health insurance provider. I successfully navigated Kaiser's process which is terrible if you're neurodivergent, but ultimately their Psychiatric team diagnosed me with ASD. I'm learning so much about myself, and thank Dave for the help he gave!

I want to take a minute to both thank and congratulate, Dave Gaines. Dave and the staff of SASSNA…read moreare doing some fantastic work with our youth (and their parents). This organization provides social services and supplies necessary outreach to both educate and advocate in the defense of our youth. Being non-profit, they work on your pre-agreed upon donations. Basically, what you can afford. My daughter tells me the whole staff from social workers to clerical are professional, helpful people. Since their time here, I can see huge changes within our entire family. Thanks to SASSNA, my grandchildren will have a better life growing up with this disability than I did. Thank you, again! 01/25

I can't thank RedRover enough for how they helped our family. We had 2 dogs already when my…read moredaughter saved a stray from getting hit by a car. She brought her home and she was in bad condition. All matted, had ticks, hungry etc. In the process of looking for her owners we took her to the vet to get shots, flea and tick prevention and a well check so she could be around our other dogs. No one came forward as her owner and we loved her so much already that she became part of our family. We named her Baker :). Baker had a hernia that needed to be fixed. Recently, I unexpectedly got laid off. Needless to say, money was tight. I reached out to Red Rover and they immediately replied and thankfully they were able to help assist with the costs of Bakers surgery. We are so very appreciative, and words alone cannot express our gratitude. This is a wonderful organization and our family feels so blessed that they were able to make Baker's surgery possible. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you RedRover!

My husband and I been yelping and searching for a animal shelter, pet rescue, and any available…read moreplaces that accepts cat donation. But, majority of the places were closed and we were desperate to find a good place with a kind and loving person or people who has knowledge of taking care of baby kitten (feral cat). Our story started on this day. Saturday morning we saw a orange white stripe baby kitten. Crying and alone. It couldn't walk and it was shivering. We wrapped it in a new clean towel. Hoping the mom will come back for it. After half a day she didn't come for her kitten. We took it to Petsmart with a small box with blankets and see if we can get help on what to feed it. I also did research and try to figure out what cat it is and how to feed it. Petsmart isn't that smart with pets. We didn't get the help that we needed. End up getting kitten formula (GNC) and newborn nursing kit (GNC) and kitten wipes (Whisky) It had some milk but, it took only 2ML. Then 3-4 hours another 2ML. I was worried it wasn't getting enough milk. I watched for signs of it was full. It turned is head away and mouth closed shut. Even though I think it's not drinking enough but, I didn't want to force it either because I was scared it might get a tummy ache. Saturday night we left it in a blanket in a box and folded the blanket in the corners to keep it warm and a flat blanket in the center. Another tiny blanket wrapped around it. Sunday afternoon finally the mom took it and we watched through the surveillance camera. I was upset that the mom was not feeding her baby. But, maybe she wanted her kitten to go to her. After half day she finally took her kitten. But, she had 3 more! So now she abandon 1 more which is a ash gray kitten which is a little more chubbier and bigger than the orange white striped one. We waited for the parents to grab them. Since they took the other two away. Sunday night got really windy and cold. The poor kitten was probably crying because there were no more sounds coming out of them. They were cold. So, I move them to a box to prevent the wind blowing at them and also the blanket blowing away. They finally stopped shivering and crying. Monday morning the mother or father never came back. I tried giving them warm kitten milk as instructed from the container. I did not microwave the milk. I just warm the milk in a tiny small bowl with a another bowl with hot water. Let it sit for a minute and then uses a syringe to feed it. But, also test the milk on my wrist to make sure it's safe to feed it. It only took 1 ML for the orange kitten. The ash gray didn't take anything at all. I've notice the orange look very weak and it look like it has an eye infection. Again, we know nothing about caring for a kitten nor are we a expert. We rather take the kittens to someone who is an expert and more knowledgeable. If we can, we would do everything to care for it but, our mom wouldn't let us keep it. Thank you so much for all the beautiful ladies with big hearts! For being so kind and helpful. We wouldn't know what to do if we haven't gone over to Redrover. We apologize for dropping by of not knowing that this is not a rescue animal or a animal shelter. Just that all the other 6 places we looked into were all closed on Mondays. We were desperate to saving the kittens' lives because we knew that the orange white striped kitten looked malnutrition and it is starving. We wouldn't know how we can help it. (We feel really sad and guilty at the same time) the ash gray is starting to look weak too! Thank you for the kind hearted lady with short hair who whole heartily took the two kittens to care for. I feel relieved because I know the kittens will be safe and out of danger because we feel she knows a lot about caring for the kittens VS my husband and I who knows nothing about caring for the kittens. Even though we tried feeding it and keeping it warm. But, we wouldn't know how to properly care for it and instead do more harm to it even when we give it our all to care for it. Thank you again to all the ladies and thank you a gazillion for the kind hearted lady with short hair who took them in. I know it won't be easy to care for the kittens because one look very frail, malnourished and might have an eye infection because one side look smaller than the other. While the other kitten didn't have anything to drink all day because it didn't want the kitten formula.

"Instruction for Longevity and Wellbeing"…read more I cannot praise enough the highly skilled group of instructors at the Y. Their professionalism and dedication to helping students reestablish, maintain, and improve their body's functionality is remarkable. Unique individual personalities are present in each class, using humor and anecdotes to keep things light, interesting, and patience to ensure everyone feels capable. They take the extra time for true one-on-one attention; remembering students' names and incorporating tasteful, appropriate music that keeps the energy perfectly tuned for the session. In essence, they teach movement, emphasize balance, breathing, and the critical mind-body connection. Also, they incorporate Eastern philosophies, like Qigong and Tai Chi, alongside practical physical training - from therapeutic/transformative aquatic arthritis to fundamental stretch classes. This thoughtful variety ultimately ensures that, no matter your current fitness level or age, you will find a safe, welcoming space to heal and thrive. Whether you are looking for joint recovery, rehabilitation, or long-term mobility, strength and mindful reinsurance, they provide a path for overall wellbeing.

This is a small-ish YMCA located in Midtown Sac. I have been here twice now for the pool, which is…read moregood sized but also is kept way too warm for lap swimming (85 degrees!!!). The weight room and cardio/machine room are also pretty small, but the equipment is mostly good, with squat racks, barbells, etc. There's a large gymnasium with basketball. I am a bit dismayed by some of the other clients, who act somewhat rude and entitled. I also had an encounter with one rude staff member, but the others have all been nice. All in all, this place is o.k., but I could see myself getting tired of dealing with the other members too, and the pool temp really needs to be brought down.

Since 1999, this nonprofit organization has been committed to eliminating animal overpopulation in…read morethe greater Sacramento area. And my daughter who's brilliant boyfriend bought her a pug (neither daughter or boyfriend has a job) was getting ready to overpopulate. After reading about the low cost Spay Day in the newspaper (I thought awesome, daughter has no job remember), so we called this wonderful organization and they offered vouchers for spaying/neutering. After answering some questions and providing proof of unemployment; they sent the voucher by mail the very next day. Along with a list of vets. I highly recommend this organization, they also have a feral cat program. If you don't have a need for their services; how about a donation, I'll be sending them mine.

I, along with the rest of the country residents on our street watch over a feral cat colony. This…read morewonderful organization, SAAC, has helped us out with vouchers many times in the past. I donate to them whenever I can and can trust that my donation is going to a very good and humane cause. Thank you Sacramento Area Animal Coalition!

This is a incredible place in Sacramento. I was in the market for some art supplies and got this…read morerecommendation for supplies that I could use. I went ahead and booked an appointment (not sure if you can go in without one). When I arrived it was a super easy process 1. ring door bell 2. tell them your name 3. grab a bag & "shop" I tried to be mindful of course and only take what I needed but I was so amazed by all the crafts they had and the condition they were in. You can only book once a month according to the website which is nice in my opinion that way you have a opportunity to get some good things. This is also a art studio so you can see the spaces artist have in the back as well. I also love that you can bring any supplies for the most part and donated some unique things were glass jars , cups, storage containers. I went around Christmas so there was a section of holiday supplies and decor. I scored some amazing things and would recommend folks to go if they have donations, picking up a new hobby or cant afford art supplies right now and still want to create. Lastly - they have so many community workshops & events too. Check them out!

They give out free art supplies but an appointment is required. Many of the supplies were unused,…read morepractically new. I picked up a few children's coloring books for my nephew. I also picked up a roll of sketching paper and drop cloths for myself. For beading enthusiasts there's a lot of beading magazines and How-to Guides. Art supplies are donated, so selection varies week to week. They also host group exhibits regularly.