Ann Arbor is lucky to be home to some amazing non-profits, but I'd say that the Neutral Zone is…read moreamong my very favorite NPOs. They consistently provide programming for teenagers that makes me think "Man! I wish someone around me had something like that when I was a teen." This is especially true when it comes to their awesome "Youth-Owned Records" -- one of the first youth-operated record labels in the country! Who knows, my guitar skills could be a lot better, maybe I would have stepped into a music studio before the age of 19, maybe my poetry skills would've been sharper pre-college, and I bet I would have formed a lot of awesome relationships with other teenagers as well as some of the staff. From what I can tell, the NZ always seems to hire staff who really know what's going on and are caring and committed as they are cool. I was thrilled a few years back to hear about the NZ getting their new home. One of the big benefits of this new location is the amount of space. The B-Side, a large open space that doubles as a music and event venue, is a great thing for them to have. Even though I'm faaar beyond my teenage years, I've been to multiple great all-ages shows here, as well as a few other events (including the recent inaugural Ignite: Ann Arbor). I think people overlook how great this space is -- it's lovely, flexible, open, and I'd encourage anyone looking for a meeting or event space to check into it. Can't hurt to expose more people to the NZ and their great work while having a cool spot for your event, right?

The Neutral Zone is doing great things big and small. Creating future leaders, artists, activists…read moreand entrepreneurs. Creating a safe space for the youth in the community to freely and fully express themselves. Putting on the most unique and exciting fundraising events. You've got to support this organization or better yet get involved with an upcoming event, it's a lot of fun and the dividends from your efforts are invaluable to the kids and the community at large.

What a wonderful organization to have in Northville. Although I wasn't able to come during business…read morehours. I was able to drop off my donations to the restaurant next door, Cassell's Family Restaurant. They also have other partners in the community where you can donate your goods. From their website, they accept money, canned goods, cereal, paper products, soap and cleaning items, and baby products. There's a list of additional products they accept posted on their door. Also, they distribute food on the 2nd & 4th Friday of the month from 10am-1pm. They DO NOT accept clothes (there's a clothing collection bin in the parking lot from another organization you could use). Either way, I'm happy I found this place to donate my things before I moved away.

I have never been treated so poorly when I have donated to the needy, this place is absurd…read more I went to Kroger and bought 3 full bags of food to donate, it was around the holidays. After I dropped them off I asked for a receipt for my taxes, the lady got very rude, I asked for $50 she laughed in my face and yelled, "$50 for three bags of groceries??? I don't think so!" and then wanted to haggle with me about my receipt for a tax deduction. I had the receipt from the store but it had my home groceries plus the donated groceries on one receipt. I will NEVER EVER donate there again. Instead of thanking you they make you feel like a criminal. I left angry, not what I expected after spending $50 on groceries for the poor. GIVE SOMEPLACE ELSE. JERKS.

They say charity begins at home so whenever possible I give something to Saline Area Social Service…read more(SASS) to help those nearby who need so so much. While it is important to help starving children in third world countries, it is essential that we don't neglect the ones that live in our area. Many of these families are desperately struggling to earn a living, stay together and survive. Be grateful if you have enough. Share some with others until they can get their lucky break, too. The downtown Saline office of SASS is crowded and busy with activity. The entrance is near Saline Downtown Diner, at the back of the block including Dan's Tavern. Some staff are there consistently, but you might be talking to a volunteer. They do what they can with what they have. They need donations: money, non-perishable and even perishable food including fruits and vegetables from your own garden, because they have a refrigerator and a freezer. So if you have extra of any type of food, please bring it by. They collect toiletries. The smaller travel size is preferred, but if you have full-size toiletries, they wait until they have about 120 of any given item and then they do a "distribution." At the end of the year, my church and many others in the area host a toiletries drive and collect shampoo & conditioner, bar soap & body wash, diapers, etc. that every family needs to function. Each of the churches in Saline including mine put together food baskets and gifts (for example, socks in specific sizes for boy, girl, man or woman) for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. That way, each person contributes just a little to make up a very nice windfall for each local family currently under the care of SASS, which coordinates the distribution of all of these baskets, so it makes giving logistically easier for an individual. If you wish to do some good, give them a call and stop by with a donation. During the summer months the pantry can get pretty bare so if you are into warehouse shopping, put something extra into your cart, then take it to SASS.

We have been so happy with our experience at TBDC. The director is absolutely outstanding and makes…read moreevery parent feel like they are part of a community. She truly gets to know each individual family. The center is nationally accredited, a rigorous process that takes into account many variables, so they are vigilant. It is a larger center, but each room consists of 8-12 children. They have a large outdoor space, which we love, and take the kids out multiple times per day weather permitting. The staff are amazing, each teacher is so passionate about working with kids and they plan the most creative and fun activities. Every time I see what they are doing, I am blown away with the crafts that they do with such simple materials. Our son thrives there- we are completely confident that he is not only in a space that is safe and loving, but one that will help foster learning and that appreciates him and his personality. No center is perfect and there are, of course, some improvements that can be made. But the key is open communication and we have found that whenever we bring up any concerns we have, the management and staff are eager to work with us. It's a great feeling to know that we are all on the same team and have the same goal in mind: to make sure that the kids are comfortable and happy!

Our son loves Teddy Bear and looks forward to going every day. The staff genuinely loves the…read morechildren and has worked with our schedule as our needs have changed.

I just wanna say Ann Arbor Kindercare has shown great office and staff communication through the…read morecenter, Great Quality, Children are engaged in activity's as well as teachers keeping supervision key. Thank you Keyonte Jones and Faith Griffey for doing a great job for the center each and every day! They provide breakfast,Lunch, snack that gives kids the ability to feel comfortable healthy and never hungry at this center. They have outdoor playground Time and safety is taken well were they watch the temperatures and make sure the child is dressed to the weather and never missing out on learning. What is best at Ann Arbor's Center is there Monthly curriculums. Seeing the children's art work Is amazing and watching them grow Making friends and learning. My daughter Madelyn, has attended Ann Arbor's Kindercare since she was 6 weeks old. I knew coming into KinderCare my child would learn to go from an infant to a toddler in no time. She was in infants and learned to roll talk and walk. Going into toddler A and B she learned to walk so well she started potty training in toddler b on the potty and now in discovery preschool she's officially 3 and she's fully potty trained. The teachers really show how much this job means to them and what it takes to have a child improve. I'm super happy with how much She's grown as a toddler and learning to speak fluent sentences. Most of all what makes me the happiest is they have us bring family photos to stick up on the classroom walls and the child can be at eye level and know I'm in a safe place because my family is right beside me in my classroom As I move to each class as I grow. If Your ever wanting to enroll in a child care center that is learning based Ann Arbor Kindercare, its CLEAN! Teachers are very welcoming and friendly and the management takes high Pride in what they do for work! Thank you again for everything ! I will keep watching my child grow around the center.

Kindercare has been so fantastic for our family. We have to kids attend and both experiences have…read morebeen amazing. They are compassionate, caring, fun, and flexible. We were nervous to go back after all day cares were shut down due to Covid. Ms. Crystal took the time to talk with us on the phone and answer all our questions and made us feel very informed. Now that we have a been back for a few weeks we feel so well taken care of and safe at the center. Our daughter didn't want to go back after being home with us for weeks and now she wants to stay longer every day!

I love this thrift store. It's so clean and organized. The pricing seems to always be a great…read morebargain. They frequently have special deals like today... 50% off EVERYTHING!

The store is very organized and clean. The prices are a little high for a thrift store, for clothes…read moreespecially. The person that checked me out was not very kind. She did not smile or respond to any of my interactions. After I was done and said thank you, she just turned away with a frown. Probably won't return.

Heads up: No phones allowed in the gym except for hallways and lobby…read more The YMCA in Ann Arbor is definitely a family friendly gym and offers a lot under one roof. If you have children, they provide child care while you work out for up to a couple of hours, which is a huge plus. They also have an indoor pool, and I recently went and enjoyed being able to swim indoors, especially during colder months. The facility is large, spread across about four floors, and includes an elevator, which makes it accessible for everyone. There are a lot of activities happening throughout the building, including breakout rooms for workshops and classes. They also have a lap pool, a sauna, an indoor track, and a full range of machines and weights. Depending on when you go, the track may be reserved for team use, so it is helpful to check the schedule in advance. I really appreciated how thoughtfully they handle locker rooms. There is a separate women and girls locker room, a men and boys locker room, and a universal family locker room. This makes it comfortable for families and people of all ages. The women do use the locker room as intended, so having a separate space for younger girls feels appropriate and well considered. They also have showers and provide towels, including towels for wiping down equipment. That said, my main area of feedback is cleanliness and sanitation. I understand it was the holiday season, but as a first impression, the gym had noticeable odors throughout, mostly sweat and stale air. It would benefit greatly from better air circulation or air purification. While there are hand sanitation stations throughout the gym, not all of them were filled, which is especially important during winter months and flu season. Cleaning could be more consistent overall to better match the volume of use. Parking is another challenge. It is mostly street parking, and there is no parking directly in front. I am not aware of a dedicated garage, so you may need to allow extra time to find a spot. The staff were helpful, kind, friendly, and professional. Everyone seemed to be doing their job well. Nothing felt over the top, but it was solid and reliable service across the board. Overall, this is a good gym with a lot of amenities and a strong focus on families, as well as individuals working out on their own. I would go back, though I do hope they continue improving cleanliness and air quality. With that addressed, it could be an even better experience.

The facilities are adequate but not great. The staff for the most part are good. Cleanliness could…read morebe improved. In the summer, it seems that the kids camps take precedence over the members. I'm sure it is a cash cow for them but the seem to forget their bread and butter. The paying year round members. I was once accosted one by a questionable person in the locker. It seems that they allow some homeless people to use their facilities. I saw one man washing his clothes in the shower. I did not feel safe. They can do better but they don't seem to care.

I was among the first wave of folks to sorta help get this organization started a bunch of years…read moreago. I went away for a bunch of years and came back, and I can't tell how how JEALOUS I am at how awesome they are now. Everyone there is so creative and knowledgeable and friendly. I really hope this place continues to thrive into the future ..

This place is fantastic! Whether you're into 3-D printing, software, knitting, lasers, etc., there…read moreare plenty of materials and options. Plus, the staff and patrons are knowledgeable and friendly. I was pleasantly surprised by how organized this place was, considering the huge variety of materials. Their emphasis on education and community is a huge plus and demonstrated by their classes and Open Build nights. Stop by for a tour during public hours, and get inspired!