I went to Gifford because I got a pair of cats from them decades ago without any problems. Times…read morehave changed. Don't bother looking on their website because you might fall in love with a cat that you will likely not get. THEY pick your cat for you based on THEIR idea of which cat will be best for you. And you won't get it soon. Here is a direct quote from an eMail I got from Gifford. "We work by way of a matchmaking process, where we seek information from applicants about what they are looking for (or not looking for) in a cat or cats. Based on that information, and once a person makes it through our approved adopter list (which can be a bit lengthy at times), we review cats in care against the applicant's information and offer meet and greets with 1 or 2 cats or pairs of cats we think fit what a person is looking for. We email you their profiles ahead of time and if you want to meet them, we set up a time and if they don't seem quite right, we would try again based on your feedback about the offered cat(s). We don't currently have appointments where people can come meet multiple cats without working through the matchmaking process. If you are OK proceeding with our matchmaking process . . . ." No, I am not OK with that. Talk about arrogance. They also did not tell me if I was on their "approved adopter list" even tho they did say their interview with my vet went fine. And they only other thing they said about wait time was that kitten season was coming up so I shouldn't have to wait too long. I'll get a pair of kittens elsewhere. :-(

The staff was very friendly and patient while we decided which kittens to adopt. All the cats here…read moreare in a good environment!

The most beautiful grounds and very comfortable short-term living options. Apartments are…read morewell-priced for what is included -- It really is a quiet oasis in a gorgeous part of MA with the D line very close by and right on Rt. 9 so you can zip into the city for fun. Shopping and restaurants nearby and a even a Pete's coffee down the way! Wonderful staff, they provide entertainment and host lectures as well as community events for young people including cookouts and activities!

I have been here twice, first time I went in for a food basket. They gave us plenty of food to take…read morehome. They were very organized and polite. Tonight I went to the dinner, they gave us fruit salad, salad, Fish, carrots and grits and for dessert that was good, everything was good . I would recommend if you need food, encouragement, and a sense of community you visit here , they will make you very comfortable.

From the owner: We serve a free and complete meal every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Open to all; no ID checked…read more We also distribute food baskets to residents of Allston and Brighton who are income-eligible. These distributions are on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from 10:00-1:00, except for November and December. November is the Saturday before Thanksgiving only and December is the second Saturday only. Anyone who has a MassHealth, WIC, or SNAP card is eligible, as well as people with unemployment papers, or a referral letter from Project Bread, a social worker, a health care worker, or a clergyperson.

What an amazing place that carbs about the community. Was here for volunteer work and quality…read morematters when it came to separating items for donations. I like that care is put into this organization. Donations that were damaged, stained, smelled, etc were trashed. Just because people get donations doesn't mean the deserve poor quality items. I truly enjoyed volunteering here and would definitely do it again. Please donate any new or gently used goods here. It helps people who need it.

I've volunteered here 3 times in last 4 or so months and it's truly incredible. I need to sign up…read morefor more! You get grouped off to different stations (shoes, big sort, sizing, or building outfits, etc.), and by the end of the two hour shift, the staff is able to summarize everything each station completed. You can see and hear the immediate impact you're making on children at risk of clothing insecurity in the Greater Boston Area. It was super easy signing up online as a volunteer group, and I couldn't recommend it more.

There are just so many good things to say about this place that I'm not sure where to start…read more First, it is not a "shelter" in the typical sense of the word, and the staff and guests do not refer to it as a "shelter". They consider themselves a "community", and act as such. There are NO lines for anything at the WLP. The women are served their meals at their tables by volunteers, and their materials are bussed for them once they are done, unless they choose to self-bus. The food. Oh heavens! WLP prides itself on serving nourishing, FRESH food. Each meal will have all nutritional requirements met, and there is always a veggie option. We're not talking canned goods or sandwiches here, folks. No, this is chopped and diced fresh veggies, prime cut meats, the finest ingredients. If you're a good cook and after you've volunteered a few times, they are happy to let you get in the kitchen and help whip up stuff. The resident chef there, Gina, is wonderfully creative in the kitchen (and very nice), and from time to time, other professional chefs from local restaurants come in to put together a meal. The WLP isn't jsut a food place, although that's the highlight of the day. It also provides the women with full time advocacy support to help with finding housing, food, or other services. There is a computer room/resource room that the ladies may use. There is also a nap room where women can go to get sometimes some much needed rest, and also a quiet room for just some peace, solitude, and maybe reading or reflecting. Women are also able to get various toiletries and clothing that they may need. They may do their laundry and take showers. The Program Manager, Heather (also very, very nice and competent) has done a great job of making sure that there are interesting activities for guests if they choose to participate: yoga, painting, field trips, knitting, etc. Since the WLP is run as a "community", the staff are INCREDIBLY patient with the women, and if a guest is being disorderly or breaking a rule, she is not immediately tossed out, but is counseled and given more than one opportunity to redeem herself by correcting her behavior. Throwing someone out is a last option at the WLP. WLP treats its volunteers as the valuable commodity we are. We are appreciated, thanked, and made to feel a part of the "team". Added Perk: They also have really incredible volunteer thank you events! I enjoy volunteering here. I learn something new and meet new people each time I go. I don't have a lot of spare time to volunteer, but when I do, the WLP gets me all the time, every time. It's important to know that this place could not be so great without us- the community at large supporting it through donations, volunteering, contributions, etc. The staff, Regina, Linda, Joanna, Lauren, Linnie, and Cheryl are terrific- go meet them! This is just a wonderful, wonderful place. You will not leave here without your heart being touched in some way.

Just to add to the great review by Adrienne -- The Women's…read moreLunch Place is an amazing community run by dedicated and caring people. I've volunteered there many times, and the experience was wonderful. The staff is as open, kind and welcoming to volunteers as they are to their ladies. The ladies? Wow. Having the opportunity to really get to know some of the women in this community is a real blessing. The WLP is one of my favorite volunteer opportunities. Try it out!

More Than Words is a nonprofit bookstore that sells new and used books while supporting young…read morepeople ages 16-24 who are system-involved, including youth from foster care, court-involved backgrounds, housing insecurity, and more. The young people help run the store, learn job skills, and work toward personal and career goals--and it truly shows in the care and pride behind the space. The shop itself is small but mighty. I walked out with four excellent-condition used books (three of which had already been on my TBR list) and somehow also added two cookbooks because... no regrets. Everything was very affordable, and it felt good knowing my purchase was directly supporting youth in the local community. If you're near one of their locations (I believe there's another in the Boston area), I highly recommend stopping in or checking out their online storefront. Great books, great prices, and an even greater mission--absolutely worth supporting.

Great place to shop and support your community. I live that there are brand new housewares at…read morefraction the cost of retail. One can feel good in shopping and supporting a worthwhile cause.

I received orientation and mobility instruction (O&M) from The Carroll Center for the Blind in late…read more2017 from an instructor who is still employed there at the time of this review in 2024. During the course of multiple O&M sessions, the instructor cruelly laughed at and mocked me in an exaggerated, gleeful manner every time I made a mistake in cane technique, which is emotionally abusive behavior that made me feel extremely nervous, humiliated, sad, and inept. This was not only a counterproductive O&M teaching method, but also resembled the sort of drill-sergeant-military-boot-camp training depicted in movies. Then after many of these O&M sessions, the instructor detained me at length in her car to vent in detail about her numerous personal problems, as if it were my duty as her student to provide her with sympathy and emotional support (although clearly and ironically, she displayed none for me as her legally blind and struggling student). When I reported the instructor's horrible behavior to The Carroll Center via email on their website form, it took eight days for anyone to respond to me. Then at the start of my phone conversation with the supervisor/director, she attempted to gaslight me by saying that I'd most likely misinterpreted the instructor's behavior. After I provided more specific details that left no room for misinterpretation, the supervisor defended the instructor's unacceptable behavior by stating softly and sweetly that she must have been going through a difficult time in her life, insinuating that we should have empathy and forgiveness for this certified O&M instructor (who got paid to use me as her emotional punching bag and psychological dumpster while I learned absolutely no new O&M skills). After this profoundly negative (and quite frankly, traumatic) experience I've had with The Carroll Center and two of their employees, I will never be comfortable seeking further services from them, and I certainly cannot i

I guess you can go anytime during their posted store hours , I saw something on their page and I…read morethought it meant you'd need an appointment but I was incorrect . I finally got ahold of someone by phone. I haven't been yet , but am hopeful they'll be helpful to my low vision relative.

I work in the non-profit sector so volunteering is my job. Whenever I've needed to find some…read morereliable, hard working, up to do anything people... I turn to this meetup group, and I'm never let down. It's so great to have a go-to bunch of people, some of them perfect strangers, that are so willing to lend a helping hand without wanting anything in return. These individuals volunteer solely because they can. So, if you have some spare time... check them out... there is always something to help out at and there is quite a variety of things to choose from!

Great group! There's no commitment beyond the one-time volunteering events you can sign up for when…read moreyou want to on meetup.com or through their website. You get to meet some pretty nice and cool people. Plus, they have a wide array of events, so there's something for everyone. There's also social gatherings from time to time, to connect with the people you volunteer with. Well worth it!

" Staff is friendly but it's expensive" So the staff is…read morefriendly but the computers are expensive; well everything is . So this place gets you out of a bind . Like for example I ; needed to type and print something. Mt printer at home was out . I was better off waiting until my new printer was set up . Anyhow I spend about $50 typing and printing a one page document. Parking is in the back so that's not an issue . They have an ample parking lot .

I was massively impressed with the high level of customer service received from my visit to FedEx…read moretoday. I arrived nervous because it was the first time I was shipping internationally and with high valued items. Harvey was so friendly and genuinely interested in helping me with my shipment. He asked important questions so that he could offer the best guidance, he double checked everything because he genuinely cared about making sure my item got to its destination, and his sense of humor made me feel at ease. It's fair to say that I've never received this same level of service at competitor print and ship centers. As odd as it sounds, I'm now looking forward to utilizing FedEx more often for my personal shipments.

" Nifty bike shop with a social change mission " If you…read moreneed a bike or a repair this is your place . Check out their site so you can read about them and their mission . The staff is ultra friendly. They have reasonable pricing. It's definitely the at to go . They have a big parking lot; so parking should not be an issue .

Excellent values! I totally endorse their views and…read moreachievements. A donated bike can be utterly transformative for an individual to build a real life.