I had the wonderful opportunity of volunteering at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and it was…read moresuch a great experience! The staff was wonderful and I loved how they have tips for staying healthy and low budget recipes to try which I can't wait to share with my friends and family. Thank you for all you do!!

Quote from Main Page "The Rhode Island Community Food Bank…read moreworks to end hunger in Rhode Island by providing food to people in need. We envision a day when all Rhode Islanders have access to nutritious food and a healthy lifestyle." The amount of goodwill provided by this organization is amazing. Through programs like the Community Kitchen, Kids Cafe and the Express Pantry, Rhode Islanders in need have access to food and can work on learning critical skills for life. Volunteers are always welcome here. I could not think of a better organization to become a part of. From sorting in the food bank, to working in a community garden or even helping out in the Community Kitchen, there is something for everyone. Please go to the website if you are in need of assistance or are looking to become a part of the organization!

This women owned pantry never fails to support the community around them. Although only established…read morein August 2019 they have successfully provided Thanksgiving, Christmas dinners and Adopt a Child(50) . They are now heading into trading 40 kids and their families during the Covid-19 crisis. Please check out what they do and donate.!

Great market, great prices, fresh produce and really friendly volunteers there to help. Description…read morefrom their website. "Hope Market is stocked with donations from our partners in the retail food industry and is open to anyone who needs to stretch their weekly grocery budget. All proceeds from Hope Market help Feed RI deliver up to 150 pallets of food every month (free of charge!) to nonprofit organizations and community groups who feed their communities."

The food and the service from the kind and patient volunteers stood out the most to me. The only…read morenegative thing was that I walk with a cane and needed a chair, but there were none available. Unfortunately, I sat on the floor. My spine was in screaming pain ! I learned my lesson the hard way. I will definitely bring my walker next time...

I will never go here again. That should start to explain things…read more If it makes it a little confusing, then let me go into detail. We, myself and one other person, came in early on a Wednesday morning. It was the 13th, to be specific. And we came in at approximately 8:56 am. What we didn't know however, was that it was Senior hour from 9:30 am to 10:30. That isn't what I'm complaining about though. Sure, we were a bit miffed that this wasn't on the website when we came but we didn't have any problem with it. We just sat there and waited for our turn. Then, at exactly 10:26, did the rest of the people who weren't 60+ started coming and we were at the front of the line. By now, we were just happy to be getting our turn. Then, a man, whose name I will not disclose, asked if he could move forward with the last people from the line for the 60+. They asked his age, from which he respectfully replied that he was 59. They let him in. But, now you see, this is where the plot thickens. He had someone with him. A woman who was clearly disabled in a walker who needed help to move around. They didn't let her in. This was a conundrum. Why? Let me go back. Before, there was another woman in the 60+ line who pulled along with her a young woman who was clearly in her 30s and very capable of staying behind and waiting her turn. So then, I ask you, was it fair that this 30 yr old was allowed access, while this poor, disabled woman was forced to wait outside, uncomfortable, like a common stray dog? I think not. Hence, the other person that I was with, started asking the guy who was at the front door, why they didn't let the woman in. She, the other person, was very respectful, and tried her best to be understood, because she had a bit of an accent and some words ran together occasionally. The guy looked a bit affronted. Then a woman who worked there came out and the whole thing started all over again. Then, he came out. I believe his name is Will McGovern. The pantry manager. This guy had to be 6'3 maybe, with a beer gut, blond, blue eyes, and holding a shake from McDonalds. He came out with fury in his eyes. He then started spewing, and pardon my language, bullshit about how she was disrespecting his employees, and a whole bunch of other shit. I swear, the guy was on a rampage. The people behind us were shocked. And angry. She looked shocked as well. She vehemently denied this, stating that she had only been asking. Anyone with eyes could see this. Literally anyone. The guy just kept saying "I dunno. I only know what I heard." In this namby-pamby little prissy boy voice. I was shaking by this point. Not from fear though. Oh no, not from fear. Rather, from anger. Anger that this incompetent little overgrown brat called this other person, who happens to be a close family member of mine, a liar. He then proceeded to pluck the card, the card that you use to get in, right from her hand and said that he would permanently take this away from her if she continued to disrespect his employees. I had enough of this by this point. I got right up in his face and told him off. I said, "Sir, I apologize for whatever you think you heard, but clearly, you are not listening. She told you what happened but you just wan't to live in your own little world of denial. I can vouch for this woman. She is trustworthy and she has never lied a day in her life. Never. She is painfully honest." I then started to say MY piece because he had his turn. It was my turn now. He was silent. Shocked in fact. I don't like causing trouble with people. I'm usually pretty easy going. But, this man, no wait, this Lounge Lizard, this social parasite, insulted us, disrespected us, and treated us like we were nothing. Like we were less than nothing. My grandparents didn't come here, to this country, to be treated like some bothersome parasite. We did not fight for our freedom, to be treated like crap. So that, when we need a little help, a little helot get back on our feet, to be treated like a common slave. So, if you, Lounge Lizard, social parasite Will McGovern, are reading this, I hope you feel ashamed of your actions. Will McGovern is a racist man who hates woman and Latinx people!

Excellent organization! Great people! Working for the less fortunate. Love their work and kindness.read more

I agreed to be a Loader. A Loader, I was told, had to have the ability to lift at least 50-70…read morepounds for three hours. Naturally, I saw this as a challenge, and I accepted. The Greater Boston Food bank employs 14,500 volunteers and provides 19.5 million meals to 320,000 people in New England annually, not just Boston. Volunteers allow the GBFB to defer nearly $600,000 in payroll costs. Wow. Volunteers help in many ways, but mainly by inspecting, sorting and re-packing food at the Roxbury warehouse. Here is what my team accomplished in an afternoon shift: . Number of volunteers: 43 . Total pounds of food sorted: 10,412 (Ten Thousand Pounds!) . Total pounds of food salvaged: 8,330 . Pounds of food sorted per volunteer: 194 . Meals made possible per volunteer: 149 . Total meals made possible by NAIOP volunteers: 6,407 There are many ways to help. You can donate money. You can donate food. You can volunteer for a less physically demanding job. Just do something.

If you're looking for a place to volunteer, this is it. Good for singles or groups. Call ahead,…read moresign in, get ready to sort. Huge new clean place used to sort donated food. It's awesome. You get a rundown on food safety, what to look for, how the process works, then you're off to the main room to sort. It's actually kinda fun. And the facility is nice and new so it's definitely safe and good. Bonus - they feed you expired candy and crap after you're done! Yay!?

Peter and Elizabeth are extremely kind and caring people and do a great job. I highly recommend…read moreRICAN.

Fair pricing for clients and great offerings for assistance, I think…read more.. As to the reference re: "leadership of staff and such" - I had heard the very same things she speaks of and from someone(s) whom I know would not speak such if not true... Let's try honesty and kindness and generosity - no strings attached!

The volunteers who work here are little angels! They don't make you feel uncomfortable that you…read moreneed help, they are smiles all around and they talk to you, and make you smile while you wait. Please do the research before going so you know when you can in regards to ya name and times and stuff. But they welcome everyone they DONT question your income or anything, so don't feel embarrassed because we all need help. They are there to help you pay 6.00 and you get a range of groceries that they have, you pull into the parking lot at the school in West Warwick, you get a number wait in line, then when it's your turn you go down to the building and pay the 6.00 cash or card , pop your trunk and they load it up as much as they can. It's been a blessing to have them when I've gone through some tough times. Make sure your trunk is empty or they won't put as much as they might've. They're all so sweet, ask any questions you have All the volunteers will gladly help you. This isn't like a food pantry where you get to pick your food, this is a pre-made box that's put in your car. They never disappointed me for 6.00 one item cost that alone and they always give you such a range of items. Good luck, and never be afraid to ask for help especially when you need it.

Be the Change/Project Hand Up has been providing food to the community for years. Before the…read morepandemic, you were allowed inside their warehouse to shop for food at a reduced cost of a few dollars per bag. They offer shelf stable items like pasta, rice and canned goods as well as fresh produce. Much of the food available is provided through local businesses such as Job Lot, Trader Joe's and Wholefoods for example as well as buying in bulk using funds donated to the organization and grants they have secured through various organizations. They also accept food donations. Check out their website and/or contact Coreen at coreenst13@gmail.com for information. They are always in need of toiletry items and welcome donations from church and other community organization 'drives' to provided H&B as well as food items. This is a volunteer run organization. During the pandemic the need for food across the state has greatly increased! Now, volunteers bag up the groceries and place them into customers trunks. Each bag contains the same items (you do not get to choose at this time), everyone, including those in their cars (keep your windows UP) are required to wear a mask for safety and the groceries can only be placed in your trunk (not the back seat for example) so be sure your trunk has space! I have been following them on social media (facebook.com/groups/760470710772856) from the beginning and luckily I have not had need to take advantage of their services, but I have donated to them in support of the community and share their posts publicly. There is no application, no financial requirement, if you are experiencing a food scarcity, drive up and they will fill your trunk with food. Follow them on social media or check their website to know which days they are offering curbside delivery (determined by the first letter in your last name) and what items they expect to be in the bags, with a caveat that the items may change once they have exhausted the supply. This is a much needed organization in our community, especially during this pandemic when so many people are out of work! I have definitely been in a place where I appreciated there were organizations like this one to get me out of a tough spot that many people go through at some point in life. It's completely OK to get help during these moments. As their name states, the are Project Hand UP, not hand out. They are available to working individuals, seniors on a fixed income as well as those who are unemployed or otherwise find themselves having the make tough decisions between paying for rent/medicine/etc. or eating. Now I 'pay it forward' as I am sure many of those who are presently taking advantage will be able to do in the near future. I appreciate the efforts of all the volunteers and Coreen St. Jean specifically for beginning this organization to meet the needs of the community, keeping it going and expanding it to meet the growing need. If you need a helping hand, please get it. If you are looking for a way to support the community you will find a donation link on their website. A community supporting itself, being the change they want to see.

very kind and accommodating as they can be to address individuals needs. I am grateful to have…read morehad the service while I needed it. Thank you

I am thankful for the hard work performed by the entire staff to allow seniors with medical issues…read moreto eat. The Driver(s) are incredibly reliable, empathetic and helpful. Nutrition Services listen, make suggestions and are willing to make menus changes when I need extra help. The food is good and the portion sizes are huge. Without this service Id still be buying, and waiting, whatever I can afford, not necessarily health conscious decisions. If I had one suggestion re: Community Servings Id ask for menus medically tailored for IBD, softer, or pureed food easy to digest. Otherwise, 6 Stars. ​

Also had a bad experience with the customer service desk on the ground floor, After being…read moredisrespected at the desk, I responded negatively. My expectations are to be treated courteously, but after being verbally attacked I responded with the same negativity I was accorded. But the abuser with the authority was able to get my membership bounced. This is abusive and not judicious. Poor management won, they did not get to the bottom of the issue, abuse will continue. Normally it's a good experience until it's not. The bully was rewarded. Selective abuse will continue.

I love the JCC. I'm so grateful our son is well cared for there. The staff are great and I'm very…read morehappy with the pool and the workout facilities.