This group sends tons - like thousands every month - of high quality free books to prisoners and…read morehas been reliably doing it for a very long time. A fantastically worthy cause really. Their website has info on how to volunteer - everyone is a volunteer - or help out in other ways.

Volunteering at the prison literature project is rewarding. Inmates incarcerated throughout the…read moreU.S. write letters requesting books. They appreciate the help. Sarah coordinated the Wednesday's I've helped. She is thoughtful and organized.

I started volunteering with Oakland Elizabeth House in November of 2016 and had the pleasure to…read moremeet so many wonderful families who are working overtime for the betterment of their family. I found Oakland Elizabeth House through instagram and went through the application and interview process with the house volunteer coordinator at the time, Dana. I was able to meet most of the house and become an active volunteer within that next week. At certain times of the year they seem as though they have no shortage of volunteers but during school breaks and certain weekdays, they require more volunteer assistance on several different levels, which can range from helping tutor kids, watching kids during weekly house meetings, planning field trips, organizing reading buddies, and more. I'd usually go one or two times a week for 2-4 hours, or for full days sometimes if it were over spring break or an unexpected rainy day. I'd help with meals and mostly craft time. The age ranges of kids are anywhere from baby through grade school so it's certainly a task to find something all will be interested in for their age. The kids are full of personality and genuinely enjoy and appreciate the extra attention they can get and opportunities to feel special among new people. Some volunteer days are busier than others but even if you aren't interested in organizing events or hanging with the kids, you can volunteer in other ways like sprucing up their garden and play yard. If you have any special skill that are shareable or teachable, that's such a gift to bring to Elizabeth House. Elizabeth House also accepts donations of clothing and food but there is a somewhat strict policy for drop off times, due to it being a very small community in the house and only a few windows open for volunteers and housemates to organize.

I volunteered here today! I met their volunteer coordinator at Yelp Helps and had been in contact…read morevia e-mail since the event. I was glad to finally be able to attend one of their scheduled volunteering opportunities. Their website is thorough and will give you lots of information about who they are, including frequently asked questions. I was signed up to help the mothers and children wrap Christmas presents but when I arrived they had that covered. The volunteer coordinator quickly found something else for me to do. I helped prepare volunteer thank you letters for mailing. I was fortunate to be sitting across the table from the volunteer coordinator and she answered all my questions about their organization. I didn't see Le M's review until now and it reminds me that there a lot of people out there who don't understand how much staff time goes into accepting used or not currently needed donations. We actually talked about this today after I asked about donations and their volunteer coordinator commented about recently receiving bags and bags of canned food items...all of which were expired. The staff had to go through all of them to compost and recycle. With a staff of four, they certainly don't always have the time to go through used items to determine which are good enough for the women and children residents. I am sure that Le M's items were clean, intact and free from rips and stains but it may have been that Oakland Elizabeth House just didn't have the staff time to accept the items. Not accepting used donations is not a measure of how well an organization is doing. Often it is the smaller, more financially strapped organizations that cannot accept used items. *Tips for making donations to an organization: 1) Contact them to make sure it is something they need. 2) If you wouldn't give the item(s) to a friend, don't give them to a stranger. This is a fabulous organization supporting women and children at a time when they need it the most. I am looking forward to volunteering more of my time here in the future.

On August 1st, 2024, my uncle and aunt went to a food distribution site to collect food. Arriving…read moreearly, they placed a cart in line to hold their spot while they went elsewhere to get more food. When they returned, they found a woman had cut in line and was repeatedly pushing their cart aside. They tried to ignore her and resumed their place in line. However, the woman, for some unknown reason, seemed to think my uncle was in her way and shoved him with her hands, causing him to hit his head on a pot and fall to the ground, bleeding. He was unconscious by the time the ambulance arrived. We hope the food distribution site can identify this woman and help us seek justice. Please be cautious if you encounter her! The site itself is convenient, and the volunteers are wonderful, but some customers can be a problem.

It's a bit pointless when they force someone to choose food or no food because they open late and…read moredidn't tell anyone. Also be very careful product sits out in sun no proper refrigerator, got sick last time off some spoiled pre-packed jicama. Some health code violations going on. Very diff than Berkeley food pantry whom follows health code and food safety standards. Emery assistance are actually wasting food as a lot of the food is expired which means you either eat expired food and perhaps get sick or throw away. So on top of perishables sitting out in sun and previously expired your asking for a food borne illness They really need to go check out how berk food pantry does things.

i'm in a writers' group on zoom and i treasure each meeting. we help one another with friendly…read morecritiques of our writing and enjoy one another's writing style/subjects. i've been in this group for two years now, and am grateful to ashby village for steering me there. when i need a ride outside paratransit's parameters, i send an email to ashby village asking for a volunteer to drive me on my errand(s). i'm finally trying to downsize and a volunteer, as well as one of the members of my writing group. is going to help me i would have given AV a 5 rating, but, as someone else mentioned, the person who first interviewed me on the phone was unfriendly, not at all empathetic and when we said "goodbye", i was licking my wounds. her sharp tongue, and her inability to listen should disqualify her from ever interviewing someone for membership in AV. during the conversation, she stated, coldly, that i was probably too disabled to qualify for membership. i'm sure she's scared other people away. i wasn't that easily scared; just very angry. thank you to ashby village; its wonderful staff and volunteers. you bring much joy into your members' lives.

Since becoming a member of Ashby Village I've been to art classes, social get togethers, philosophy…read morediscussions, and best of all, the writing group, A talented ,warm funny group of people who get together on zoom and , on special occasions, in person. I have also made requests for help putting up curtains and hanging pictures, breaking down boxes and other helpful little jobs that I now find difficult.

Bay Area Rescue Mission provides real value through the services they offer to the community. I…read morepersonally referred someone there, and they were very helpful, especially in assisting a woman in her 80s. The staff showed patience, respect, and genuine care. It's reassuring to see an organization that truly follows through and supports people when they need it most.

Review is for volunteering experience:…read more This year, my work team decided to volunteer at the Richmond Bay Area Rescue Mission (BARM). I did not know much about BARM, other than they do offer meals to the needy and are a Christian-faith organization. We had no idea what we'll be helping with on the day of arrival. Our entire group of 12 or so did have to pass a COVID Antigen test before entering. Our event turned out to be kitchen duties, like you read about in Kitchen Confidential or from cooking reality shows. Everyone was super friendly, but you feel the adrenalin of working hard in a commercial kitchen. You work as a team and you work safely, since you got hot surfaces, sharp objects, boiling liquids and occasionally wet floor everywhere. My main task was dishwasher, which brings back memories of my first job. Scrape, Rinse, Sanitize and dry! Those high-powered Hobart washing machines make cleanup a snap. The feel of the nozzle is great as it blasts away all food scraps. Wish I had these at home! My next task was helping cutting up some 30-50 pounds of chicken breast for a marinade. The chef was planning to make some coconut-curry soup so he occasionally dumped Five-Spice and Chili Sauce as we cut. Those Dexter Chef Knifes were super sharp and the blade was something like 10" to 12" long, like a short sword. I thought my home 6" Henckels Chef Knife was sharp but those Dexter knives were on a different level. At the end, I can show my blisters proudly. My other colleagues served food to customers, cooked, diced vegetables, cracked dozens of eggs, unloaded a delivery truck, and moved things to the freezers. They got some high-quality produce here from Costco, Sprouts, and Trader Joes, and some of it organic! Highly recommend considering BARM if you're interested in volunteering some time. Being in a commercial kitchen was also fun since you experience what its like to be part of the machine that cranks out food. Everyone had a role to play to make it possible to crank out 50-100 meals per shift.

I recently lost weight so I donated a full wardrobe and also gently worn and new shoes. I recommend…read moredonating your gently used clothes, shoes and any other items here rather then a Goodwill because they can be given to the people who need them for free rather then donating to an establishment that will resell them. Some people just don't have the funds to even buy from a thrift or second hand store so giving directly to the people who need it is best.

their breakfast usually suck, but their lunches are top notch. Thank you for everything!read more

I have volunteered time here. The ground floor of this building is a drop in center for homeless…read morewomen. It's run by a nun and affiliated with Saint Mary's Center down the street. It's open from 830 to 2pm Monday thru Friday and women can come here to shower, do laundry, use the phone, get coffee, breakfast, and lunch, or just get a little bit of rest in a safe place. They also do events here for the women like housing workshops and hair cuts. This place is doing great things for the community, and the women who run this place and work here are some really amazing and compassionate human beings. This is a great place to donate to, and even if you can't give money, they always appreciate food items, warm clothes, and toiletries.

They need to work on loyalty and appreciation for their volunteers. They should learn how to thank…read moresomeone who supports them and their programs.

Whoa....I can't believe my last review of WCRC was in 2008! Well It is now 2017 and I'm still…read morealive and kicking after two diagnoses of cancer. First of all they have moved into a new building in Berkeley. I've sent the corrected info twice but Yelp has not yet updated it. The new building is quite spacious. A large meeting room for support groups, another largish room for belly dance classes and/or workshops, offices and a very roomy kitchen with plenty of cupboards for every day stuff and additional storage space as well. I've been attending weekly support meetings for nearly ten years. I have been fortunate to have my cancer be stable...I can never be cured or go into remission. I still receive regular treatments, tests and drugs . Like many people living with cancer I hate the term "battling" cancer. That translates as warfare. I see cancer as more of a pesky visitor that won't leave. WCRC offers individual counseling, workshops and classes. Although primarily geared for women some of the workshops i.e.. medical marijuana and other workshops are open to men as well. Some workshop topics include nutrition, banning sugar from your diet, drawing journal writing to name a few. They also have art exhibits from local women artists...the subjects and media type vary...photographs, paintings, drawings, weavings and more. They also offer referral to supplemental treatments like acupuncture, acupressure, counseling and other issues. When I was first diagnosed a volunteer would phone me every week to check in with me. That was so helpful at a time when I felt very alone and bewildered. Currently I am in a weekly support group.....see website for groups and meeting times. Although some of the members in my group have passed away, their presence is still felt and our memories of them will remain. It feels safe and comforting to be with others who are going through similar treatment, tests, scans, radiation, surgery, doctor visits and reactions from others. There is really no one else who can understand what you are going through other than "fellow" cancer patients. I feel so excited for WCRC, the staff,the volunteers,the attendees of the support groups and workshops and the new building. What a wonderful way to welcome the new year.