We went to SF Made this weekend @ Fort Mason to get some stocking fillers and I wish this would've…read morebeen earlier so I would've got some actual gifts. I'm on this supporting community kick and I LOVEd LOVEd and LOVEd this event. It opened my eyes to so many places in the city. I don't know where to start but let me give some shout outs. SFMade staff - Don't change a thing you guys are awesome but think early holiday season next year. Weston Wear - So elegantly cute and sassy. Nosh This - Salty Lemon Caramel has just become my next BIG DEAL! Tcho - Loved your chocolates but get your credit card game going. Everyone accepts ccards. Still see you soon. Heliotrope - My shaving game will never be the same. Aveda who?! Earthbody - You just became the #1 gift spot for all the women in my life. You're a one shop spot for my mom, grandmother, aunt, gf and friends. Kika's Treats - Yeah I would change your name from Kika's Treats to Kika's Rewards that is some yummy stuff. Booty Boutique - Hellloooo is it me your making custom buckles for? Probably made the biggest splash on me with those absolutely sick (in a good way) belt buckle designs. I will be visiting your boutique very very soon with b-days right around the corner. Great job SFMade just makes me love San Francisco even more.

We were at the first SF Made holiday gift Fair, and were happy to be at the recent one…read more This is a great organization, and Im', happy to see the amazing growth they've had. The items sold at the gift fair are unique, high quality and (of course) made and manufactured in SF. There are some very small vendors selling , as well as neighborhood business that fit the bill. Once again, we were able to do a bit of our holiday shopping here. There's such a great variety of items, it's hard to narrow down what to buy. Loved it, and can't wait to come back next year!

Founded in 2021, the nonprofit Chinatown Volunteer Coalition promotes Asian American Pacific…read moreIslander cultural heritage, mostly through events, like Restaurant Week, Christmas on Waverly, and the BeChinatown Night Market every second Friday. Every May, they present the APHF. No, it's nothing your nephew needs Adderall for. It stands for the The Asian and Pacific Heritage Festival, a free, family-friendly, public, vibrant, community-driven, annual event that highlights unique cultures, languages, art, and traditions through vendors, artists, informational booths, live performances (dancing and music), exhibitions (like martial arts or acrobats) and interactive cultural activities. I failed horribly at the falling sticks booth. If they painted them to look like churros I wouldn't have let any drop. But, I did well at Clarion theater's riddle booth where I won a T-shirt and a picture with a panda.

Ruth Brinker started Project Open Hand in 1985 to provide meals to neighbors suffering from AIDS…read more Seven neighbors receiving food made with love became her mission where people with AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses as well as the elderly now receive meals and groceries. Seeing my son's ample free time one summer and the need for volunteers, I signed up my son for 10-15 hours a week. After school started, he continued volunteering 3 hours a week, filling in shifts as needed during breaks including holidays. It's not glamorous work, weighing and vacuum sealing beans, rice, chicken and other groceries, but it's important work: I emphasize that people rely on him to receive nutritious food they might not otherwise have. Giving back, caring about people, making time for others less fortunate, being selfless- these are qualities I've instilled in my son. He now enjoys the work, it feeds his soul. I'm proud he volunteers weekly for Project Open Hand for almost two years.

Here is a gem of a org that doesn't boast enough of its amazing work! they strive to provide some…read moreof the healthiest meals in the community. Big difference from the other non-profit food providers. The times that I have volunteered there, you get a sense that the employees really are passionate about their work.

I thought I was going to just another networking event. Boy…read morewas I wrong! Real Food, Real Stories was like going to the cafe of my dreams. Not the one filled with glowing faces wearing ear buds and staring at laptops but the one that has people interacting and exchanging eclectic opinions. The refreshments were great but I got so much more than a compostable plate of pasta and some business cards. I gained insight from real people about what we eat and how we grow it. When it was time for the "presentation" I took a seat and was mindlessly scrolling through emails when I heard a soft gong (it was a sounding bowl) and Pei Ru, the founder of RFRS, asked the group to simply listen, be present. The speaker, Nikiko Masumoto who told us the story of her life, farm and family, was eloquent and engaging. I was totally sucked in. I found out later that RFRS trains there presenters in the art of storytelling. No pitches, no powerpoint just real people and real stories. What a great atmosphere. Entertaining and enlightening! More in the South Bay Please!!!

I consider myself an avid foodie and have always loved keeping up with the latest food trends and…read morerestaurant openings. I discovered RFRS through a friend and attended an event shortly after- one of their signature "Picnic" storytelling events featuring a successful Bay Area restaurateur. The event far surpassed my expectations. The venue, vibe, food and community was amazing. I met friendly, open-minded people and learned a ton about the restaurant business and food sustainability. As someone who loves food, but hadn't previously given as much though to food sustainability, the event helped open my eyes to the food system, motivated me to learn more and be proactive about my food choices. RFRS does incredible work helping local and sustainable food producers tell their stories and has created a community of both food industry members and eaters that are excited to learn and bring about change. If you aren't familiar with the food system or food sustainability, don't worry! RFRS is the perfect, welcoming and low-key place to learn more and maybe even start making small, positive changes in your daily food choices. I highly recommend attending one of their events. I've attended several more since my first and always walk away with new friends, a full stomach, new knowledge and more ways I want to get involved.

A small-but-mighty organization that has stayed true to its mission for over 25 years!…read more In a nutshell, great people who do great things for the community and city :)

Help the homeless WHILE devouring delectable Truffles?!?!? Yep, you read right!…read more Last night, February 9th was the second time that I've volunteered At The Crossroads (ATC) through One Brick, a non-profit organization that makes volunteering easy with NO long-term commitment. Here's the link to my One Brick review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/one-brick-san-francisco#hrid:CnCnP7lsYhtMlxBnI6mPJw WHAT'S ATC? ATC is a wonderful organization that reaches out to homeless youths in the Mission and Tenderloin area through night time street outreach, one-on-one counseling services and collaboration with other social service agencies. The caring and compassionate staff at ATC refers to homeless youths as their "clients" which not only takes away the stigma some people may associate with the homeless but shows how much respect they have for them as a human being. During the street outreach, the counselors distribute food, healthcare products, and clothes which slowly helps to build a relationship with their clients. Through counseling, the counselors help their clients determine their short-term and long-term goals (i.e. finding housing, gaining employment, pursuing their passion, etc) and work with various social service agencies to help them achieve their goals. HOW DOES VOLUNTEERING HELP ATC? By helping to sort, organize, clean, and/or pack supplies to be distributed, it allows the counselors more face time with their clients. For example, if 25 volunteers help for 2 hours, counselors will have 50 ADDITIONAL HOURS to spend with their clients (instead of being bogged down with sorting/organizing/cleaning/packing the supplies themselves). HOW DO YOU VOLUNTEER FOR ATC? I signed-up through One Brick which takes less than 2 minutes. You register for an account, go on the calendar and RSVP for an event. The ATC event is called, "Supply Prep for the Homeless" and normally occurs one Wednesday a month from 6-8 PM. The event is limited to about 25 people and spaces get filled quickly, so make sure to sign-up at least one week prior. WHAT'S INVOLVED WHEN VOLUNTEERING FOR ATC? It's very simple, show up with a smile and a helping hand! :) When you enter ATC, you're greeted by a One Brick Event Manager who signs you in and gives you a nametag. Rob Gitin, Director & Co-Founder of ATC will then explain the various workstations and what's involved. Then, you can decide which activity you would like to partake in for the evening. ALL of the work is easy and not labor intensive. There are normally 4-5 stations: 1. CANDY PACKING (My Fav): Pack chocolates and other sweets donated from the SF Food Bank into small individual zip lock bags. 2. TOILETRIES PACKING: Pack soap, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary pads etc. 3. TIMBUK2 BAG CLEANING: ATC wants to ensure that all of their clients receive clean like-new items, so volunteers wash minor stains and grime off, trim extra thread/fabric and remove any debris stuck in the velcro. 4. SORT/FOLD/ORGANIZE CLOTHING: Sort through and fold t-shirts, outerwear and jeans, and organize by gender and sizes. All of the clothing is new and donated by Old Navy and Levis. 5. GREETING CARD MAKING: Utilize your artistic and decorative skills by making Birthday Cards and ones for special occassions. WHY YOU SHOULD VOLUNTEER FOR ATC? The two-hour volunteering events passes by very quickly especially when there's music playing in the background, other volunteers to chitchat with and yummy snacks (fresh cut Asian pears and TRUFFLES) being passed out by Rob. After every event, One Brick organizes a dinner nearby (e.g. Pancho Villa) where all volunteers are welcome and encouraged to join. This gives you a wonderful opportunity to make new friends and network outside of your social inner circle. You never know who you may meet right? Most importantly, just taking two hours out of your busy schedule will help to improve the quality of life for these youths and empower them to transform their lives! One of my 2011 resolutions was to volunteer at least 2 times a month and so far I've been successful thanks to ATC and One Brick... Thank you both, for not only make volunteering easy and fun but also giving me a NEW APPRECIATION FOR LIFE and THE GIFT OF HUMILITY!

This place has saved my bacon again and again for five years. The new location is much more…read morepleasant to visit.

AIDS EMERGENCY FUND helped me at a time when I really needed it over the years. Lee Harrison is…read moreamazung and so kind. He runs the place, and I have come to call him a friend. I went through many stages from Hospice, to my apartment, now I am in Laguna Hond. I hope AEF is around for however long it is needed. They even helped me with the cremation of my domestic partner of 20 years! That place is a class act all the way!

The gold standard in historic preservation nonprofits. SFAH (or "Heritage" as we affectionately…read morerefer to it) is one of the big reasons we have a local appreciation for our historic and cultural resources. (Minimal though it may be.) I delight in being involved with them. If you have the time, a tour of their property at 2007 Franklin, the Pacific Heights walking tour, or one of their ballroom lectures are a very enriching way to spend an afternoon.

Home Repair in the Bayview area of San Francisco. No construction experience necessary, repair is…read morean all day shift, and you can't choose what kind of work you are doing. We had a fun and exhausting day and had a great crew leader and coordinator that worked with the vibe of our group to make it the most optimal. Our group's task was primering the outside of a home and helping clean the inside. Painting the outside was definitely the craziest part, leaning huge 2 story ladders with the bottom being on an angled sidewalk and made true by jamming scrapwood underneath one leg and the top part leaning on a house that was falling apart. Our crew leader did it with such comfort and confidence it made us feel more confidant about the safety. It was cool to see how a primer layer improved the look of the home and made it feel refreshed. I also enjoyed helping clean the inside, not sharing pictures of those for privacy but it was one of the most interesting houses with amazing history I've ever been inside of. Thanks for the fun experience, it made the end of day beers that much better!

I've been on 3 different projects, 2 in Menlo Park (read East Palo Alto) and 1 in Daly City, the…read morecondo development. It's been a lot of fun. I like that they do the safety talk at the start of each day. Also they have safety equipment such as helmets, ear plugs, knee pads. The knee pads are "well used" but are good enough to do the trick. Really nice folks at every site. I'm one to ask a lot of questions, and everyone has been really patient in answering. It's a good volunteer environment. The work itself can be hard work! But it's satisfying, and I was able to take the breaks I needed. It's also fascinating to learn about home construction. I've put down a subfloor, removed old laminate and hardwood flooring, and put down pergo. Plus done some random demolition. I've also seen inside of lots of walls, and have a better sense of how homes were constructed in the 50's. yikes. BTW I learned something important about Habitat. They don't give away houses--they sell them to families at a % of family income over time (30 years?). Then if the family wants to sell, they sell BACK to Habitat, and then they can use their built-up equity to buy something else. The neat thing is that the Habitat system is focused on affordability and smooths out bubbles by basing on salary. (US gov't, are you listening?) Also families that buy from Habitat have to do 500 hours of volunteer work. It's good stuff.