We had an amazing experience with Dogs without Borders. We applied to foster Denver, and we have…read morefallen in love with him! The staff is so communicative, the instructions are clear, and they even provide all the materials for the initial foster period. Moreover, the mission of this organization is so amazing and we are honored to partake in their vision.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but I feel morally obligated to share this experience because it…read moreinvolves both animal welfare and the way people trying to help are treated. My boyfriend and I found one of this rescue's dogs after she had been intentionally left alone at Rustic Canyon Park at night. The owner later admitted to me that she had hoped someone would simply pick the dog up. She also later texted us asking if we would keep the dog because she no longer wanted her anymore. I have text messages documenting these conversations. Rather than turning our backs on the situation, we opened our home to this dog, paid for her care, spent days with her, and worked to find her a safe future. We had absolutely nothing to gain--we simply didn't want an abandoned dog to end up in danger. The dog also had a reported bite history, making the situation even more serious. I expected the rescue to recognize the gravity of what had happened and work collaboratively to ensure the dog's safety and the safety of the public. Instead, I was met with defensiveness and hostility. During my conversation with the rescue, I was told the owner was "a good person" despite the fact that she had intentionally abandoned the dog, later admitted she no longer wanted her, and asked us to keep her permanently. My concerns were dismissed, and I was spoken to disrespectfully despite the fact that I had stepped in solely to help. I fully understand that the rescue may have had the legal right to take the dog back. That is not my issue. My issue is the complete lack of professionalism, accountability, and appreciation shown toward someone who volunteered their own time, money, and home to protect one of their dogs after it had been abandoned. When they picked the dog up, they refused to provide even a general reassurance about her future or care. While I understand not disclosing confidential information such as a foster or trainer's identity, the complete lack of transparency only added to my concern. I hope Athena is ultimately safe and receives the training and responsible placement she deserves. I also hope this rescue reflects on how it communicates with members of the public who step in to protect animals in crisis. Kindness, accountability, and professionalism should never be too much to ask.

I have always been a big fan of Salvation Army. On the 5th of this month, I happened to be in…read moreEncino. Never been nor noticed this lovely consignment store. I have been to 3 of their other locations. You can buy, trade, and donate whatever that you need to donate. Walked in, and was greeted by an employee by the name of Adam. I handed him two bags of clothes that I put together that we no longer used. From toys, to books, to clothes/shoes and few accessories. Adam, was very humble, kind, helpful and friendly with a nice smile. I even bought a nice blouse from their store that was spotless clean, well organized and everything were in the right places. They even have an Adult Rehabilitation Center. They have a nice selection of books, toys, kitchen supplies, clothes/shoes, DVD's/CDs, purses/handbags, knick knacks, furniture, frames/pictures, houseware stuff and accessories. That's all that I saw. Thank you Adam, Salvation Army and management.

This was my first time visiting this Salvation Army location after driving past it for years, and…read moreunfortunately, it was a disappointing experience. The selection was decent, although it seemed heavily geared toward business attire, older styles, and brands that appeal to an older demographic. My biggest issue was the pricing, which I found absolutely ridiculous for a thrift store. I came across several outdated, lower quality clothing items that still had their original retail tags attached, showing prices around $20 to $30, yet Salvation Army was asking $10 to $15 for them. Charging those prices for secondhand or donated clothing, especially when the original retail value was already so low, feels incredibly out of touch with the purpose of a thrift store. People come here hoping to find affordable clothing, stretch their budgets, and support a charitable organization. The pricing seems completely disconnected from those expectations. I also happened to visit during their advertised "Orange Tag Day," when orange tagged items are supposedly 50% off. I went through virtually every clothing rack in the store and spotted maybe 20 orange tags total. Even after the discount, some of those items were still priced above $10! It honestly made the promotion feel more like a marketing tactic to get people through the door than a meaningful opportunity to save money. What frustrated me most was the lack of consistency or logic behind the pricing. A thrift store shouldn't have clothing averaging around $15 regardless of whether you're looking at a basic tank top, sports bra, formal dress, or jacket. These are vastly different types of clothing with different retail values, and the prices should reflect that. At a certain point, shoppers can find brand new clothing on clearance at traditional retailers for comparable prices or less. To make matters worse, the customer service was disappointing. I eventually found one item that was reasonably priced and brought it to checkout. Before paying, I specifically asked the cashier to add me to their rewards program so I could earn points on my purchase. Instead of addressing my request, she repeatedly rushed me to run my card. There wasn't even anyone waiting in line behind me. After completing the transaction, I asked about my points, only to be told it was now too late to earn them. I had literally asked before paying, but she was so focused on rushing the transaction that my request was not heard. I genuinely enjoy thrifting, which makes experiences like this especially frustrating. I understand that thrift stores have operating expenses, but the pricing here seems excessive for donated merchandise, and the customer service only made the experience worse. Unless their pricing practices change significantly, I don't see myself returning. For anyone genuinely looking for affordable secondhand clothing or worthwhile bargains, I'd recommend shopping elsewhere.

Last week I ran into a booth which was representing the Cactus and Succulent club. I stopped and…read moresaid "there's a club?!" Yes there's a club and they meet every 1st Thursday of the month at the OneGeneration Senior Enrichment location! My curiosity was peaked and the fact I could get a free plant on my first visit sealed the deal! Parking is plentiful in the front. Outside I thought the building looks small but it's a trick of the eye because after entering through the double doors the room is HUGE and has a stage with a big screen to project the power points. It's so spacious! I was so awed by the plants that were set up that I forgot to check the walls in case they posted what other events OneGeneration hosts but I'm sure I can find it online! As for the club it's so fun! I didn't know what to expect but I already learned some new things and there were so many species I never heard of before. Apparently once a year members also compete and bring their plants and there are thousands of cactus and succulent submissions that get judged over the 3 day event. After walking around and seeing so many new species and hearing other people's stories I'm now excited to be a part of the club! Tonight they also hosted Botany Bingo! I think they do this every few months and when you win you can choose a plant as your gift! I couldn't believe it I won the first bingo round and got a gorgeous cactus!!! For each round up to 10 people can win, and then there's 3 rounds giving plenty of people chances to win! So fun! I cant wait to research what other events are hosted at the One Generation because I had so much fun!

Very helpful and professional tax and advise service. Location and center ambiance very…read moreorganized, clean and comfortable. Definetly recommended for interested seniors.

It's wonderful to have an organization that preserves local history while also providing a…read morebeautiful space for arts, culture, and community engagement. I highly recommend supporting and visiting this unique community treasure.

How many hundreds of times have I driven by the Tarzana Community & Cultural Center? It has been…read moremany years, way back to the time there was a pottery store on the property. I finally had a chance to visit for a Tarzana Music Night last week. What a fun event! Because the weather was being forecasted to be cool with the potential of rain, the event was held indoors. Things were comfortable, but we were in close quarters with the other attendees. The sound was great and the performances were a lot of fun. I was primarily there to see a good friend perform, but I also had the chance to see some other talented musicians. I think each one was a singer songwriter, and I enjoyed each performance. Each one of the people that was working at the venue, which I imagine may have been on a volunteer basis, was friendly and a lot of fun. Normally the music nights are held outdoors, and I can imagine that most of the year, it is a lot of fun being in the open air.

This is the second year our parish has held it's winter retreat for our youth group here, and the…read morefacilities have been amazing to say the least. Quiet, serene, peaceful, an almost rural setting in what is a very accessible site via drive if you're anywhere near west L.A. Thanks to this place's hospitality we've been able to facilitate for our youth group wonderful moments of spiritual expression and growth. I love, absolutely love this place, and I hope we continue to have our retreats at this beautiful and accommodating facility!

What a fabulous organization! I found them through Volunteer match and was immediately drawn to…read morethem for 3 reasons -flexible, structured periods of time to volunteer. They don't give you an 8 hour window where you are required to attend - the food collected goes to local food organizations to feed the homeless throughout LA - it's a great excuse to get outdoors & get some exercise! Motivation I love the entire concept of this organization. It is challenging for the impoverished to get access to fresh fruit and produce. A low income man in the Midwest a few months ago went to the hospital and was diagnosed with Scurvy! Yes, like the pirates illness. Why? He was only eating cheap, frozen meals 3x a day for the past 18 mos., no fruit or produce, and was severely vitamin C deficient! MDs diagnosis, not mine. Access to healthy fruits and veggies is critical to health but can be challenging given the expense. In comes hero organization Food Forward! They pair up with local home owners who have excess fruit or veggies. They have volunteers come out to "pick" their excess fruit. The fruit is then taken to local food banks in the area and distributed outward. How cool is that? I spent 1.5 hrs with them picking grapefruit in Woodland Hills. It was such a fun way to volunteer my time but manageable enough to fit into my schedule. I loved it and look forward to volunteer with this terrific organization again in the future. Check them out!

I recently found out about Food Forward through the volunteer program at my job, they're a non…read moreprofit organization that works with private home owners & public companies picking fruit that normally won't be harvested & donated them to those in need. I got to work with them at their annual summer harvest at CSUN in Northridge, in two hours we gathered 5000 pounds of oranges to benefit MEND poverty in Pacoima, Family rescue center in Canoga Park, and Seeds of Hope in Los Angeles through the Episcopal Church. If you're looking for volunteer opportunities or you're a home owner that has a fruit tree that is rarely harvested you should look up Food Forward.

Super easy to drop off my donations at. A kind worker came and picked it up right from the curb and…read morethey were available at all working hours.

All Seniors Foundation truly saved my seniors by providing great supplies and constant support when…read morewe needed it most. They are always willing to help and regularly check up, which shows they genuinely care about the people they serve.

While I appreciate what the center does, the staff & security are atrocious, condescending and…read more(specifically security) and speak down & disenfranchise the homeless and disabled. - There are NO disabled parking spots available because the staff openly parks in them and tells people in wheelchairs and with oxygen tanks (saw this first hand) to PARK down the street. It is 103 degrees. - Too much staff standing around and talking, not enough actual help. - I hate to leave a 1 star review but they get away with what they do because the people that utilize the facility don't want to risk being kicked out or face more discrimination from the employees. - I am leaving 3 stars because what they do is important but there needs to be better oversight and some sort of training on how to DE-ESCALATE situations (specifically the woman photographed that literally chased down my husband saying "do we have a problem)?" - Also, training in FEDERAL ADA Law and MEDICAL TRAINING for how to deal with mental illness & disability for staff to de ecalate and assist in situations should be MANDATORY at facilities like these. - Being scolded like a child or spoken to like a dog is unacceptable. - Final note, a social worker calling a trangender woman a HE, telling security to "Help HIM and get HIS things" is not okay; some sensitivity training could go a long way at this location.

These people truly help the unhoused. I feel good about donating here and also when we shop.read more

I enjoyed my very first visit to Operation Gratitude about a month ago! I helped out in their…read morewarehouse with installing shipping boxes to ready them for putting items in them, and then later placing items in those care packages. It all took place over 3 hours. I was first very aware of the great things they do through becoming more familiar with veterans-based organizations at my workplace. I signed up to volunteer through the UCLA Volunteer Center for its December 2018 "One Bus, One Cause" event there. I was among about 800 volunteers from various groups who participated that day. Some things to remember before you go in to volunteer there: * Parking is limited, so you may want to carpool, be dropped off, or park down the street and walk up * Photo ID to show to security * Keep your possessions in your car; they don't have a place to store your items * Sign a release waiver (they have it on their website) * Lead volunteers in the blue shirts do provide handy tips to make your job easier, so do keep an open mind * Various jobs while there: Fill care packages (most popular), make paracord bracelets, stuff teddy bears for the kids of our troops, write letters to our troops, or perform a quality review of those letters I may try the paracord bracelets or stuffing bears on my next visit!

Returning volunteer here from located in Encino days. It's great place to volunteer except power…read moretripping middle age women. I wanted to grab a cup of coffee before starting to volunteer. However, this middle age woman stopped me that it's not good time right now. Making or grabbing a cup of coffee is not good time!!!! Not sure who put her in charge of break room. Huge turn off, I am not in her house or personal space!!!! I will be returning to volunteer , but will avoid her.

I volunteered for Habitat SFSCV through the UCLA campus chapter for three years and still go out…read morethere whenever I can. Habitat for Humanity is one of the best organizations to volunteer for. The work you do is tangible and immediately satisfying. At the end of a work day you can look back and say, "I painted that wall" or "I put up that fence." You know that you took part in building a home that will change a family forever. What I love most about this affiliate is how much they care about getting regular people involved. Some other affiliates I've had the chance to work with seem to value money and donations more, so they make it kind of hard for regular people to volunteer without making a big donation first. But Habitat SFSCV always tries to the people in the community to come out to builds. I don't mean to say that this affiliate doesn't care about raisin money. Habitat SFSCV is very active in involving the community to raise money - because without money, there'd be no homes. Every year they have the 5K American Dream Walk, Builder's Ball, and Women's Empowerment Build, just to name a few. If you're in the greater LA area and ever want to do something meaningful, do check out Habitat SFSCV. The people who work there are very open and helpful.

From the owner: Our mission is to build resiliency, economic growth, neighborhoods, and homes for veteran families…read more To date, Homes 4 Families has partnered with non-profits, government entities, and corporations to bring the outcome-proven Enriched Neighborhood® model to communities. We have built over 144 homes in 5 Enriched Neighborhoods® in Northern Los Angeles County, are under construction on 80 homes for low-income veteran families and are working with Habitat for Humanity Riverside to build 38 additional homes for low-income veterans.