Always a pleasant experience. Staff and manager are always helpful and friendly…read more Stock is neatly arranged and buyable. Not only is Shepard's Gate worth a visit, but they support our community.

This review is written as an observer at a distance given lack of access during the recovery…read moreprocess. Most info gained through family members who have had direct contact and my own research. This program and organization is unlike any other I've seen or heard of. While being very structured in many ways such as lack of outside communication for most of 11 months, this allows the individual to step out from under the burden upon them, long enough to make the personal changes needed. The facilities are excellent, and the needs of the participants are well met. Religion may not be your thing, but if accepting God into your life helps reduce the anxiety, or other inhibiting factors, why not? If participants learn to think about their actions prior to acting, they learn to avoid problems, and get help when they recognize it on the horizon. Those are much needed skills today. The support shepherds gate receives from all the churches in the tri-valley area is nothing short of amazing! It is evident by the volunteer support the organization receives. This program has attendees learning coping skills necessary to live functionally in today's world. They help them develop computer skills. They help them interview for and get employment. They have access to every resource from sponsors to doctors and therapists. Attendees of the program seem very positive. Some refuse to play by the rules and are removed from the program. In the end this is a free 11 month program. Not because insurance is covering it, they don't charge. Yes that's written correctly. This is a program that gives the time needed to move to a new lifestyle, and have stabilization. I can't imagine what this would cost otherwise. When it seems like everyone's got an angle to rob you blind, here is the purest form of love and support. I had my reservations given its structure. But the feedback is outstanding.

I joined Pleasanton North Rotary about 4 years ago and feel that it was one of the best decisions I…read morehave made. This group of people all have one thing in common: Service above Self. This is a group of some of the most generous and thoughtful people I have known. As a club we are involved in many projects from building homes to delivering wheel chairs internationally to raising funds for local charities. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved in at any level. I would like to also mention that this is a service organization and not a business or lead sharing organization. This is not a place to sell your own business services or try to get referrals, HOWEVER, through the relationships that I have gained I have earned many clients and so naturally and organically my business has benefitted. I love Rotary and everything they stand for and I especially love Pleasanton North Rotary Club!

If you are looking to join a service group in Pleasanton, this is your group! Great mix of…read moreprofessional people looking to make a difference in our community.

Need help? Look elsewhere…read more It will be impossible to reach anyone by phone. If you're lucky enough to catch someone on the phone, it's because they accidentally called you - then felt trapped - and made an appointment for a future date to get off the phone quickly. They will turn their phone off and be unreachable during the scheduled appointment time. Then, they will never return your calls, voicemails, or text messages. EOCP - Engagement Optional, Clients Powerless

Unfortunately my father stayed at this facility for 2days, and I had to manuver my life to bring…read morehim home with me because there is no way his hygiene can be kept up l in this facility. upon his arrival the bunking quarters were clean but the matresses was filthy. I have posted some photos that were taken of the bathroom and shower quarters and im absolutely appauled that the most vulnarable people in the oakland community have to deal with these type of conditions its disgusting, these people deserve livable bathing and bathroom conditions. One photo shows a vommit filled toilet in a 3 stall bathroom that is completely unusable and bio hazzard problem and has been like this for 3days with absolutely no fixing. Also a the shower stalls looked to have mold and rust and just plain filthy. These are such unfortunate conditions I will be contacting corporate office to discuss how to manage a cleaner environment for those in need. Signed concerned oakland resident.

I had the privilege of seeing Amma on her tour in 2018. My son really likes hugs and when I heard…read moreabout Amma--who is known for many things, including having hugged more people than anyone else in the world--I figured it would be a good cultural experience. My husband, son and I went and it was a wonderful experience. She hugged us: first son, then son +husbnad, then son+ husband+me. I didn't know what to expect but it was quite moving. If you visit when Amma is here, you get an intro video that explains her work (impressive), some meditation (nice). Newbies are invited to sit at the front and you get hugged early on. After that, you can shop the visiting vendors and buy some yummy food they set up outside. The grounds are beautiful too. Try to arrive early. Identify yourself to the greeters as a first-time visitor. Amma's volunteers do lots of interesting things on site when she isn't here: gardening, making food for those in need, recycling projects. They also COOK FOOD AND DELIVER IT EVERY SATURDAY. This can be combined with delivery of fresh fruits harvested from the Amma center. Check out the Food From Home Yelp review for more information on that.

Amma (Sri Mata Amritanandaymayi Devi) is a God-Realized being who has nothing to gain from us, or…read moreanyone. She is the spiritual mother to millions traveling the world to give solace, advice and comfort to those that seek it. She is only here on this earth plane to uplift all of humanity, and does so through a simple glance, Her embrace, Her very breath. One is not required to follow the religion of Her birthplace which is called in the west "Hinduism", but in reality is Sanatana Dharma -- eternal wisdom -- a philosophy that welcomes all regardless of their spiritual path or religious orientation. Amma's religion is Love. Amma owns nothing and every cent donated goes towards supporting Embracing the World -- all of the charities and initiatives created by Amma. Donations are strictly voluntary. Amma never asks anyone for money. The majority of the staffing is also voluntary, with no salaries in most areas. Amma Herself monitors how every penny is spent and every resource is utilized and emphasizes the importance of minimizing waste.

We feel so incredibly lucky to have found RCD. Our daughter started there when she was just 8…read moremonths old, and from day one, we've been blown away by the love, care, and thoughtfulness of the entire staff, the babies absolutely thrive under Miss Gloria's care! The teachers are absolutely special, they are kind, nurturing, attentive, and genuinely invested in each child. It's such a comforting feeling to drop her off each day knowing she's in the best hands. We also really love RCD's play-based learning approach. It's been amazing to watch our daughter grow and she's made huge leaps academically and developmentally. She absolutely adores going to "school" and we can already see how it's laying the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. The facility is great, not brand new but very safe and setup great for the kids. The community is warm and welcoming, and on top of all that RCD is actually affordable for the quality of care and education they provide compared to other options in the area, it honestly checks every box. We're beyond grateful to be part of the RCD family. Thank you to all the amazing teachers and staff for creating such a wonderful, nurturing space for our daughter to learn, play, and thrive. The peace of mind makes leaving her in the mornings just a teensy bit easier :)

RCD has been a wonderful part of our lives for the past four years. From the moment we enrolled,…read morewe've experienced a warm, welcoming, and nurturing environment. The staff are incredibly compassionate, the facilities are always clean and safe, and the curriculum is both engaging and thoughtfully designed. What makes RCD truly special is its connection to the Lutheran Church. It's more than just a preschool--it's a community. Being part of the church has added a deeper sense of belonging and support, and I'm especially grateful that my child has learned the foundational values of the Christian faith in such a loving setting. RCD is diverse, inclusive, interactive, and supportive. I recommend it to any family looking for a place where their child can thrive academically, socially, and spiritually, all while feeling safe and cared for.

Melissa at Horses Healing Hearts has a huge heart and has helped countless horses in need. She's…read morealways had time to give me advice on rescuing and connected me with other great organizations. Keep it up HHH, you're helping out the community in so many wonderful ways!

Safe food pantry, with security cameras out front at least for those in need. I understand the…read moreprocess to receive food can take all day because it requires waiting in line for a number early in the day, then returning later in the day when the number is called and people receive food. That seems like it would be very impactful to people's lives, if they need to spend the better part of any given day to receive food. That means a 20% loss of potential time to find work for the week. And even more than that because they may miss calls or otherwise be unavailable to attend to jobs business from previous applications for the better part of a day. It also seems like a lot of time in transit to go back and forth twice from home to the pantry, unnecessarily polluting our air from exhaust from combustion engines in vehicles and power plants where electricity is generated, not to mention the cost for gas and maintenance or vehicles for people who cannot afford it. It seems like a raffle where names are randomly selected from the list of people who have registered online in the morning would be a better service to the customers but I guess the implication is that these people's time is not important because they are not working and they deserve to wait in line for hours during cold mornings, standing on cement. At least there is shelter from the awning for the first people who arrive but the others bake in sunshine. Often the later people to arrive don't even wait in line because there is no room to actually do so, so they wander around the parking lot. Compared to the competition, I hear this is a food pantry but still lacking in services required for humane delivery. I won't even start to share the rumors I've heard about how badly people are treated by some staff and some volunteers, as well as people dropping off food. Suffice it to say that there seems to be an 'Us and Them' phenomenon going on amongst providers, despite their sometimes apparent good intentions.

If you use the food pantry get there early as numbers go quickly. That said, the people that work…read morehere are friendly and helpful. They give a wide variety of food & are really organized. This a good place to go if you need food.

Solid faith-based international nonprofit, focusing on the well-being and education of at risk kids…read morein Belize. PathLight provides an opportunity for church and teams to come together in Belize and roll up their sleeves on specific projects and get the work done cohesively alongside parents, students, teachers and schools in partnership with the community.