I love this place. There are many worthy charities in LA, but this one is by far my favorite. The…read morestaff are all very welcoming and friendly, the administration is dedicated, and they all share a passion for helping those in need. They have built a community of more than just great volunteers, but also of the ones they serve. They greet them by name, know their stories and treat them with dignity and respect day in and day out, even when no one is watching. If you're looking for a great place to be a part of, I highly recommend coming here. The joy is infectious and I always leave with a smile on my face.

***This a message for those intending to volunteer with the St. Francis Center (DTLA), it's lengthy…read morebut worth the read*** This is nothing but an advisory service for those considering to volunteer with DTLA St. Francis mission. I wish not to deter or negate the intentions of the entire organization based on the actions of a few. There are genuinely good people and purpose being performed within this organization. With that said, I was recently dismissed from being able to volunteer with this mission. You might be asking yourself, how does one possibly get fired from a volunteer position that they signed up for? In my instance, it had nothing to do with my work ethic, timeliness, or understanding of the tasks at hand. (We were distributing food and clothing to the locals in need, absolutely not a complex concept whatsoever.) However, during my short stint volunteering with St. Francis I realized quickly that the management was somewhat dismissive of new volunteers which was masked as being overworked and overburdened. In most cases, running such a huge operation which can effect an entire communities functionality would be understandable. Unfortunately, I was personally met with this attitude and energy regularly. Despite that being the case, that didn't stop my enthusiasm or willingness to work diligently in order to positively impact the lives of those in need. I chose St. Francis for a reason, regardless of the circumstances of the people they serve they do so with seemingly compassionate intent. Unfortunately for me, an ill-timed joke made an organization possibly question the morality of their normalized "business" practices. Just days into my experience, I made a comment about some of the employees picking out donated items for their own personal use. In this realm of work, I'm completely aware that this is a common (and unspoken) practice amongst a plethora of donation organizations. It's shitty and in bad taste but it happens. Personally, it's not a big deal to me, it doesn't effect my well-being or sleep at night. My comments (which were in pure joking spirit and I thought were harmless) must have been overheard because I was approached by the director of the volunteer department. I was told by this person that the employees at the mission were allowed first dibs at the clothing, apparel, and miscellaneous items donated to the organization, to which I replied simply "I don't care." Said leader responded, "It sounded like you did, it would be better you not say anything at all." Shameless, nasty, rude. I completed my responsibilities, helped clean the areas I was assigned to and continued about my day proud of my participation with St. Francis Center. Sadly, later that afternoon I received an email claiming that I was 'not a good fit' at the mission and that I would no longer be allowed to volunteer with the organization. Initially confused and somewhat disappointed, I went on to laugh and laugh about the ridiculous circumstances bestowed upon me. The dismissal of my services from St. Francis Center won't hinder me from helping this particular part of town or community. (Mind you, there are a multitude of other organizations in the same area that do similar work and are seemingly more inviting, it can all be considered subjectively.) Regardless of my personal experience St. Francis' mission is genuine. Just be aware that those in positions of power in regards to their volunteer department may have some tyrannical and not so pleasant traits that rear their ugly heads from time to time. Do the work for yourself if you choose to volunteer here, in the end, righteousness will always prevail. God bless.

This place is amazing. The people that run it are amazing. They save lives of young people children…read moreand adults of all types going through human trafficking and are always there to help. They've helped me with so much. Miss Ventura is an angel as well as the founder and everybody else running Children Of The Night because of them I have my GED, which I am also on the picture from the very first Children Of The Night ‍‍ graduation ceremony

Dr Lee is the best with her resources She the best thing…read morethat happened to me But her staff Mayra and Victoria are soo rude and disrespectful it just makes it hard to ask for help when dealing with people that don't care 5 stars because it's not Dr Lee fault

Blessing for our communities!!!! Operation Love Thy Neighbor is an organization that aims to help…read morehomeless, hungry, sick , poor, anyone that needs help. I have witnessed several times that they go to schools, homeless shelters, skid row anywhere that people need help. They provide bags of toiletries, food, blankets, shoes, toys for kids, etc. you name it they do it. The holidays are an important time for them because they really take that time to make people regardless of their situation have a hot meals and kids have gifts. This organization is truly a blessing to community members and neighborhoods across Southern Cali. I am not a member or a worker but I have just witnessed their selfless giving philosophy and aim to help all regardless of race, age, status or beliefs. More people need to care for their community and neighborhoods like this organization does. This organization reminds me of the good that still lives in the hearts of many and hopefully they can inspire others to give a helping hand and look out for our fellow man.

Last Saturday the ministry I work for came in and volunteered at their "clothing store" to help…read morethose affected by the Los Angeles fires, and it was amazing! I had never heard of this place before but it's truly an amazing place! The name is very fitting for the amazing work that is done here. Their store was filled with brand new items (many popular brands) fitting every style and size. They also include necessities such as backpacks, shoes, toilet paper, etc and the rule is YOU CAN TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU NEED! Usually there's a limit but not here, they provide you with trash bags and you can take as much as needed. They also have an area for groceries, toys, hot food, and so much more! It was truly amazing working here and seeing so many families being helped. There were so many volunteers and so much resources being passed out, I've never see anything like it. I recommend this place for anyone who is having a tough time, facing homelessness, job loss, etc to seek this place out. They also help with finding housing and schooling. Such a valuable place to the city of Los Angeles!

I went to drop off clothes on a Thursday morning. Before we could even fully walk up, Ruben…read moreacknowledged us. I was expecting it to be like a Goodwill where people aren't that friendly. But Ruben was beyond amazing. He answered all our questions and gave us information about how Dream Center gives back to the community. It really made me happy to know that dad's old clothes were going to a place that give away the clothes and not sell them. Thank you Ruben for making our morning so amazing. Especially after driving in 1.5 hours of traffic :P

This organization helps individuals , businesses, and churches with children's ministry support…read more Excellent trainings, curriculum, and resources! My experience has been since 2013 when I started a Good News Club (elementary curriculum) and JesusYouConnection (idle school curriculum) at my children's school in Hacienda Heights, it is still there and I love that there's a lot of other ministry opportunities for people as young as 13 y/o who are called to sharing the Gospel.

I used to go to Food on Foot for many years. Everything was great with the food part and most of…read morethe volunteers(always one bad apple in a bunch). But the clothes on the ground were absolutely degrading and uncivilized. Like a slap in the face for any down and out person or anyone for that matter. Who picks up anything up off the ground unless it's trash to throw away. And some of the clothes were very beautiful. Many are seniors and or disabled and can't bend down either. I sure hope they did something about that clothing, shoes, etc. Tables would solve the problem. So depressing to experience a line of food, smiles and hope just to come to the end of the line to see clothes on the ground reminding people how bad it really is(some go back to tents on the ground, etc). Lines and the wait is very long so if you can't stand for long periods(like myself) - bring a rollator walker to sit on.

What an amazing and rewarding experience this was!! I had been wanting to volunteer to help out the…read morehomeless and i wanted to find the right organization. I went on Google and started doing some research when I came across Food on Foot. Wow. Before I even signed up, I knew that this was something to look forward to. This organization not only gives food to the homeless, but they really work with them to help them with housing and finding jobs. We even got to hear from former people who used to be homeless--they are called 'Graduates'. Their stories and their energy prove that this is such an impactful organization and everyone deserves to know about it and help out. It is $20 to donate, but you actually can see where your money is going. The staff were very informative and friendly. I had an amazing first experience and I will be volunteering a lot more often with Food on Foot.

I affirm the contents of that one other review for this. Speaking of which, organizations that do…read morereally well in doing so much good for the community should receive more of the recognition and support they deserve! :) The nonprofit is the base that hosts volunteer activities initiated by different groups all over the city. It is the hub from which various other nonprofits voice and turn the wheels of their projects. Even a recent Yelp Beach Cleanup event, associated with Heal the Bay, required volunteers to sign up first with LA Works. For MLK's Day, LA Works planned a morning at Rosemont Elementary where hundreds of people, most of them a part of their employer company (ex. Target, Home Depot, JP Morgan, Accenture), showed up to help revitalize the campus. A radio station came prepared with dancing and music to jumpstart the day. Volunteers were assigned letters and numbers, then told to report to their assigned tasks. It was all very organized and efficient. They cleaned the computer labs, classrooms, storage room and rec room. Adults and kids alike transformed drab brown walls into a playground of rainbows and sunshine. Snacks, juice and water were available throughout the event. Following, food trucks showed up, some of which were either prepaid by the organization or declined to charge. You can become a volunteer by signing up for an account - and then going through their available search options for projects you would be interested in. I like looking through their calendar for a big picture of their activities. Some projects, like anything that has to do with animals, are hot and fill up faster than others. Clicking on the individual project listing will provide a detailed description and, more importantly, the geographical location/zip code. Trust me, the easier it is to get there, the more available and willing you are to enjoy the event, maybe even on a weekly basis.

I've volunteered twice so far through LA Works: helping paint preschool walls at the Westside…read moreChildren's Center, and Toddler Time at LA Family Housing. It was easy to sign up for both events; the respective coordinators got back to me quickly, and I had a wonderful time. You really do feel like a part of the community when you help out your fellow residents. Many people say they wish they could set aside time to volunteer, and I'd just like to tell them that it doesn't take any effort just to ask how you can help, and the rewards are neverending. I look forward to helping out with future events. Thank you again!

We had a great time here for my husband's Christmas party. It is so pretty inside at Christmas time.read more

Might be a legitimate charity that does good but uses an aggressive telemarketing service, MDS…read moreCommunications, that bombards phones and knowingly flaunts the National Do Not call List. Sad...