So rewarding, and well organized. I'm in my second year volunteering as a literacy tutor and it's…read morevery engaging. Working with the children is fun, and the staff at the school are so dedicated and super nice.

I am an established resource parent in Alameda County, I originally went through the county itself…read more(social services) to be certified for foster care etc and then we later adopted through the county. We now have been finalized with our daughter for 3 years and are ready to expand our family again through fost /adopt, but we decided that we wanted more input than we were allowed to have with the county. My daughters sister (who was also in foster care) ended up in a great home and that all came about through A Better Way, so we decided to look into their program and have begun our pride training classes. Since this is my 2nd time going through pride training (my last training was more than 5 years ago) initially I was not at all excited, but I have to say that I am really enjoying the classes. Being that I have been a foster parent, a concurrent planning placement parent and now an adoptive parent I am quite familiar with how things work, what the kids go through etc... and A Better Way does a really good job of balancing giving out that information (and not scaring people) along with presenting the lighter side of fost/adopt. I am very eager to finish the training and get to the next and so far so good. I would recommend a better way to anyone considering fost/adoption.

Please beware. I experienced the staff within the Another Road to Safety Program as being very…read morenegative and unprofessional. Please beware.

Very organized!! I wish everyone knew how easy it is to volunteer a few hours of your time. This…read morewas my 4 time. They give you different jobs every time and it's so easy to just help. The Homeless need help on other days besides Christmas and Thanksgiving. When you see the children and adorable dogs.... you will not only feel humbled and grateful you will feel good about helping. It's so easy and it goes by fast. I'll be back for as long as I live in SF.

My initial reaction to this group was nothing sort of amazing. They provided me with essential…read moreitems I needed when I was living in near third world poverty. They have a plethora of items and services they offer and were for the most part friendly. Things started going sour once I asked for assistance with housing. The cost of living in San Francisco is astronomically expensive that is no secret and allegedly there are outreach groups that can lighten the burden at least temporarily in The City albeit I have yet to find one. Fact of the matter is if you're not in very specific social circles housing assistance is firmly off limits for San Francisco citizens I have come to find out. After being told politely there was nothing that can be done about placement in long term sustainable housing the conversation for me ended. Towards the end of last year I did attempt to get back in contact with the general inquiry form via the website asking for a voucher for a haircut (which they offer). This was after attempting to catch one of the satellite sites they allegedly have set up around the city on various days and no one being at the location during the timeframe they specified. No worries come to the actual brick and mortar location and we can get you a voucher right away. Once there I did receive the voucher but I also asked for a sleeping bag (again another item they allegedly offer) since the place I was staying at the time was so cold I swore I saw a few penguins running around one night. The woman literally laughed in my face and said I couldn't have one. Huge red flag that I ignored but I politely thanked her and left. The voucher itself is only valid at certain locations for the hair cut so I went to the salon and tried to introduce myself to the woman there. The woman proceeded to pointedly ignore me and project a very dismissive attitude towards me. Nothing was said I simply walked out and have not returned since. Overall this place is now NOT a great place to go if you're of African decent. Period point blank if you want something good done do it yourself. "Free does not mean good" and it really rings true for here. I am not sure if its the moral high ground of knowing that the people you're assisting are obviously at a much lower point then you are which in turn makes the workers feel as if they're above you. However save yourself the shame and disappointment and simply avoid. Its not worth it if you're already in a shaky place in your life to have this weighing on your conscience. As you can see from my other reviews I have not had the most pleasant experiences lately in The Bay Area...However! I write these reviews based on my experience so that others will benefit from the experiences that I have. But always do your own research!

Marin Link breaths life into programming. The organization creates fiscal sponsorships for good…read moreideas and supports small non-profits that are too small to become 501 (c) 3 organizations. Marin LInk creates a portal for good ideas such as shoes for marathon'ers in South America to Arts in San Rafael. It's a non-profit incubator for great ideas. My experience with the Executive Director is the organization is well connected and can provide you with the information you need to grow your nonprofit. Small organizations are under the umbrella Marin Link. These small organizations are fiscal sponsors of the organization. For a small fee (under $300) the new organization can do good works. M.L. also has an academy that offers classes such as accounting, media and branding.

I used to work for this incredible organization. They provide assistance to children and adults…read morewho have suffered burn injuries. They have very rewarding volunteer opportunities.

After being rejected by over 10 daycares in San Francisco, my colleague recommended ICRI where her…read moredaughter had attended since she was 3 months old. I was hesitant given we lived in San Francisco (I work in Oakland) but figured we had no other options and it would be a temporary solution until we found something in San Francisco. Our son is now 3.5 and has been attending ICRI since he turned 1. There has not been a day that has gone by that we regret putting him here. The school is fantastic and the teachers are simply wonderful. He comes home every day telling us how Teacher Linda did this for the kids or Teacher Zakia did that. He's never come home complaining about school and gets up excited to visit his friends. We've had schools in San Francisco finally call us back over the years but there was no way we were going to remove him from ICRI. It is a challenge when I travel for work as my wife works in SF but we make it work because we know he is getting the love and attention he deserves. I highly recommend giving ICRI a chance and would be more than happy to answer any questions.

ICRI was recommended to me from a friend a whole heartingly trust. Her two sons attended ten years…read moreapart. My daughter now 5 graduated and I have my son who has been attending since he was a newborn so as a family our children have gone through the different classrooms. They document everything, they document how many times they changed your child, if it was wet,dry or poop. They document when they eat and nap and they hand me this sleep every Friday so I can know about their entire week. It's up for display for me to see daily. I have shown up unannounced, many, many times as my schedule flexes and I have been there at nap time, they do rock not shake babies to sleep. My son does not enjoy being rocked, so they don't rock him. Both my children would extend their arms to their teachers, NOT an action I think they'd do had they been shaken or mistreated in any way. I agree, they do not have the fancy and frills but I know my children are safe, loved and cared for. Many actions show this as the teachers know my children's likes/dislikes, and I can tell by their actions they've learned to know my child, NOT just pacify them. My 5 year old started Kindergarten fully ready as Juneko and the other staff definately had her ready not only educational wise but emotionally, they had daily talks about what big school would be like. I needed that reinforcement. She also has the best memories there and loves to visit with her baby brother. I have become friends with other parents and many of them have had other children and they also have enrolled their children back in ICRI, NOT an action a family would do had their older child/ren been mistreated. I HAVE recommended ICRI to my coworker who started with his daughter, now has his son and soon his newborn son will also attend. He recommended to his friend, who also has a son there. I agree, this is one of Alameda's best kept secrets.

My daughter went here a couple years ago. They were great with her and she loved it. They pick them…read moreup from the school right there and get to met new friends that they go to school with and other wise wouldn't play with. They also worked with my income

This is an amazingly structured and organized before-and-after school care program for the kids…read moreattending Garfield. Director Miss Abby and her staff truly care about the kids and it shows. My son adjusted very well here within the first few days and has never had any problems. He comes home with his homework always done, does different arts and crafts and is excited to attend. The staff is always on top of things, reminding me of class field trips and parties. It's also pretty affordable compared to the usual daycare rates! So happy I was able to place my child here.

Okay, I don't want to seem like everyone else who is writing reviews for things, but E.L.L.S.S.A…read more is literally one of the best non-profit organizations I know of. Yes, there are amazing ones out there, but working and being and ambassador for this specific one has given me so many great opportunities. I was given the opportunity to move and live in California from a little town in Oregon. Not many people I know get out of this little town I call home, Albany, a town of scarcity. I was ELLSSA's first intern. I am still learning everyday! Along with teaching the little things I know as well. Everyone involved with ELLSSA are all amazing, bright, and beautifully flawed people. We all have our own story and ELLSSA has helped us all in our own ways. Many of us come together to create and evolve as one. ...Living within a new family. ...A community of living. We, as a community, have held free events for those to join and learn self development and many more things within that such as meditations and daily wellness. Donations involving the distribution of clothing, personal items, and food to the homeless. Free weekly yoga classes and many more have been put out in this world of ours to show that we are trying. Within ELLSSA is a product line called NoMore. It is a part of how we fund to support those in this world who are in need. Our products are created with pure, all-natural, and handcrafted recipes. Each purchase gives a direct percentage donation. Recently, I have been working with a few of the team girls and we have came together and had what we call "Mixing Day." They worked together to teach me their ways (LOL, 'their ways') of mixing. And I had a blast. The process is long but well-done and as systematic as it gets for being done at home. I love everything about ELLSSA and everything there is to come beyond what we have now. There is so much more that can happen! -Asia Rayne

ELLSSA brightens my life every day. Through the weekly homeless distributions, daily wellness…read morecoaching, and nightly meditation sessions I'm able to connect with those around me as well as myself. Life as never been better now that my family and I live the "Mission" of ELLSSA.