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.

Great organization! Well organized! Vital to the community! They provide food to anyone who…read moreneeds it.

I volunteer at the Food Gatherers Community Kitchen inside the Shelter Association of Washtenaw…read moreCounty every Tuesday. The community kitchen is just one example of how the organization endeavors to provide nutritional meals to those in our community. There are a number of ways to contribute to Food Gatherers. You can volunteer at the warehouse on 1 Carrot Way, inside the community kitchen (cook, clean and serve) or as a Food Runner delivering meals. Individuals can also volunteer for special events. Visit the website to learn more and sign up as an individual or as a group. Food Gatherers offers meals to anyone in Washtenaw County in need 364 days a year. Anyone in need is welcome to come for a meal; Lunch is served Monday-Friday 12-1pm and dinner is 5:30-6:30pm. On the weekends and holidays, from 3:00-4:00pm there is one community meal.

CAN has a lot of different volunteer opportunities available to get involved with the community…read morehere in Ann Arbor. I volunteered one Saturday morning when they were doing their monthly Food Distribution at Mitchell Elem. School for various families in the area who signed up to receive groceries. You can also make and bring food for the kids who come in the evening to one of their Community Centers. They have after-school programs and tutoring. www.canwashtenaw.org/volunteer

CAN is a great Non profit organization that does great work in the community. They have functions…read morefor low income children and schools. They have a regular picnic kickoff that gives pencils, paper, toys, etc to Secondary school kids. They also have various events to support the community. This includes tutoring and other assistance. I enjoy supporting this organization and I am impressed by the work that they continue to do to make a difference in people lives.

We all should be so lucky to have this place available to us in this community. I get tired of…read moreanybody posting the negative. When I was a recipient, I was told to treat the shelter as if it were my own home, and yes, we did have to do a very minor chore, however, with all these people do for you, and do not charge you, that is the least you can do. With helping with court, counseling, paperwork, and a plethora of things it would have taken you twice as long and a lot of money, I can't even imagine giving a bad review. Also, they kept me safe while I was in there. Consider what it takes to run this place. Please be grateful that this place is there for us. Myself, and a lot of people I talk to share my thoughts. It's unbelieveable how many people have been helped by this place.

I was privileged enough to work with Regina during a personal ordeal a few years ago. She was an…read moreexcellent educator and advocate for me in navigating the confusing judicial system to help me stay safe and protected. I am so grateful that we have this resource in Washtenaw County.

I went there today and bought a plastic container set new unopened. It was advertised by the…read moremanufacturer,Thinktank Technology, as having 24 pieces. It was not. They were counting the plastic lids like they were containers. The box description was misleading. So there were 12. I paid HfH $13 for this. Then I checked on Amazon and found that you can get 26 real containers for $15.99 from the same manufacturer: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Tecnolog%C3%ADa-conjuntos-almacenamiento-alimentos/dp/B01B5H3DGE/ref=sr_1_11?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Mj2ic_WDWxAn0YwtazeqQNMYQTgXigpLEqlj5ldabnK5T3jJPPcB6iS8-LOZq3RsLl8RCVoDFJB56pfs6i2IfC7jFa_y5RkSoty7DbwaJP3QpH5YBIAH6XlMoqHO2ad5PV_bDOJf3D06asbpX3jsdvSCZ-wDBzLywukYbM_MrP3A7Ar8CT-mDHOq-p3zNhBEFG8BHmw7qXt8IN1yQ7DGKcwzvlFt_94gi4QnZijFjry-HVoTO2tUjm3MQeYvXGP4boppAUv95aN3lFF27dl4BM1P-GABhx0UPqxlLPrD4pE.B1KIXO9Lds-f2S7N0Qtp-GfKcb4piAmAWVLWp3E5ld0&dib_tag=se&qid=1725771543&sr=8-11&srs=2602247011 I do not know if Habitat for Humanity is aware of how they are way overcharging for this item, but either way it is a scam from the manufacturer if hot HfH.

I bought a clothes dryer for $150 one year ago. It's still working just fine. They have a lot of…read moreamazing stuff there new and used. I'm headed there now to get a new side door for my garage. Everyone there is very helpful and courteous.

They use a spoof number in the add that forwards to your real number. After paying a lot of money…read morefor this add I did not renew and asked them to stop the call forwarding from the spoof number. Still getting tons of spam calls from tractor house bots. Since I didnt renew they are just allowing my number to get spammed.

I was recently visiting U of M for a weekend to catch up with some old HS buddies when they told me…read moreabout this place. After a short explanation, I had to say I was little skeptical about what we would be getting into...but come Sunday, I left Ann Arbor a true believer in The Tractor House and all that it stands for. Long story short: Good people, great times, memories made and even more forgotten. My suggestion next time you're in Ann Arbor? Take a ride on the Tractor and never look back. You will not regret it.

Me and my kids enjoyed seeing all the animals and all the staff was very knowledgeable about the…read moreanimals and they were very helpful with any questions or concerns we might have .

The Creature Conservancy is pretty awesome! I pass by it all the time but finally had a chance to…read morevisit during open hours on a Sunday. It was pretty delightful & the staff were super friendly and interacting with the animals. The CC was started 20 years ago with Al the Alligator! He was dropped off at the Vet clinic and they started CC all around him. Pretty awesome. It's not a massive space so it was perfect to get there at 3:30pm - in time for the 4pm show which is followed by an Al the Alligator feeding! We checked out all the habitats on the outside as well. Super cool experience - I'd love to come back for one of their turtle yoga, 18+ paint nights, etc. They always have pretty cool themed programming. Also follow their social media - they post the best content!

I have volunteered for this organization, so I know it well and of course am biased ;-), but the…read morequality, selection and prices of the books here are second to none. Lovely staff, clean, cozy space conveniently located off Jackson Rd.

If you love books, the best discoveries in town are at the Friends' Bookstore in the basement of…read morethe Ann Arbor District Library, downtown. They sell books, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes. Most of the books cost a dollar or two. When the shop opens in September the book buyers from the bigger used books shops line up at the door and buy boxes full of stuff. The shop goes through mountains of books every month, and a lot of it sells for less than what you would end up paying anywhere else. The best part is that the money you spend goes to the library. Only open on weekends, and hours are not the same as the library's hours: Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The bookshop closes during the summer months, so do your shopping between September and May. Full disclosure: I'm a paid employee of the library. And an avid supporter of the bookstore.

This is a huge Salvation Army store! Clothes are organized by color and the shoe selection is a…read morehidden gem. The "brick and brack" or Home Goods as other places call it is a bit on the higher priced side and there are many items not priced (which is understandable with that size of store, just difficult when hunting for items). If you're looking for clothes -- they've got them! I adore coming to this Salvation Army, but I don't bring my older friends because the lighting is so dim and I find it difficult to see clearly and often you'll walk out with a pair of shoes or dress that's a shade or two different than what you thought it was inside!

Amazing deals staff is excellent I have found alot of deals and new stuff cheap you have to check…read morethis place out I recommend

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.