If you are a long-time Hawai`i resident who enjoys reading and a sweet deal, you've probably…read moreperused the donation shelves at your local library branch, and possibly attended the famous annual summer Friends of the Library of Hawai`i (FLH) book sale at McKinley Cafeteria, where the volunteer organization sold donated and library-withdrawn books at bargain basement prices. Profits support the State of Hawai'i's 51 Public Libraries. In more recent years, FLH opened a year-round used bookstore: Village Books and Music, first at the old Pier One, then a terrific space in Ward Centre next to Sedona. Due to the imminent demolition of Ward Center, the establishment shuttered the Ward location on 5/31/26, and will be reopening in mid-July at 610 Ward Ave., a.k.a. "Obama Building." While not as extensive as more famous used bookstores, e.g. NYC's "The Strand" and Portland's "Powell's Books," I thought there was a lot to love about Village Books and Music, where you could find books, but also CDs, vinyl records, games, puzzles, nostalgic Hawai`i memorabilia, and even art. While admittedly not all genres are well-stocked, when I've visited, I was impressed with the poetry section, which is small, but nicely curated, featuring a number of renowned BIPOC poets and local poets: look carefully, and you can find some signed editions in great shape. If you're looking for local Hawai`i writers or Hawaiian/Pacific materials, this store is worth browsing. And what a win-win: you get literary goods on the cheap AND you support the amazing Hawai`i State Library System: a worthy community hub committed to egalitarian public education!

We love coming to this spot after a meal at the Ward. The kid loves perusing the comic book…read moresection. This is where he's bought comic books every year on vacation. I love book stores in general so I don't mind hanging out checking out all the new books and art they have. We love coming here every year we're in town :)

It's good to know your status! Knowing if you carry a disease is important for peace of mind and to…read morehelp to ensure that you stay healthy. Life Foundation gives free HIV testing until 4pm daily! The office is clean and well-kept. Every time that I've been here, there has been no line. Plus, the full testing procedure takes only 30 minutes. You get your results on the spot! It is so much more convenient than trying to get a test done at Diamond Health Center. Wait times can be really long there. Plus, you have to pay metered parking if you can't find street parking. Parking here is validated in the former Gold Bond building on Ala Moana Boulevard. The office staff have always been pleasant and professional. In addition, they sometimes give free condoms and lube after your test!

The people who work there are so nice, particularly considering the unruly unreliable rebellious…read moreand often combative population they serve. This place is a sanctuary of sanity in an insane world. They helped me with pretty much everything, helped me with transportation, clothing, food, housing, medical care. They helped me get into detox, stop using drugs and get into my own two bedroom apartment. I Love you folks at HHHRC

Just left their pop-up at Ward today with 4 books! They'll be at Ward today and next weekend (Jan…read more21-22) . There's lots of selection, it's well organized, and with a smooth check out process. Prices are much more practical than Book-off! Found a couple gems of local cookbook finds that I doubt Pinterest would even have. Check them out and support your libraries (:

Friends of the Library was a great find. We were helping a friends brother clean out his mother in…read morelaws old Japanese books on various topics which totaled around 50+ books. Called numerous establishments but no one would take it. Finally called Friends of the Library and scheduled an appointment to drop everything off to their warehouse near Iwalei Costco. The warehouse was easy to access and the drop off was quick and simple.

My family lived here in 2014-2015 and it gave us a second chance at life. They gave us 3 beds to…read moresleep on for my parents, me and my 5 younger siblings. They fed us 3 meals a day and helped my parents find employment and budget their money. Eventually they helped us get into Weinberg village transitional homeless shelter in Waimanalo. We left Weinberg after 2 years and started renting a home in Pearl city and eventually we had our finances set well enough that in 2017 we bought our first home together. I was so ashamed to say that I lived here when I was in high school but looking back on it today as a grown man I have to say that IHS was an absolute blessing for me and my family. Thank you so much to the many kind and loving people that worked here and to everyone that sacrificed their own time and resources to make IHS what it is. -The Lopes Family

I was looking for a place where I could donate some of my belongings that could be of better use…read morethan just sitting in my closet and drawers being unused, but I wanted to make sure the donation would go directly to the people in need right here in Hawaii. And specifically, to women and children in need. Surprisingly, I couldn't find many places that fit these specifications till I came across the the Women's & Family Shelter, an emergency shelter from the Institute for Human Services (IHS). IHS is an independent, local 501c3 nonprofit organization that makes sure 100% of all donations stays in Hawaii. Drop off was really simple. The donation drop off area is open Monday thru Friday from 0800-1600. You can park your vehicle temporarily right in front of the garage while you offload your items. On their website, there are 5 different ways you can help: 1. Monetary Donation. A link is provided on the website for your convenience. This can be a one time donation or you can set up a monthly donation. 2. An In-Kind Donation. The donation center is located around the corner of IHS at the garage entrance on Kaamahu Place. On the website " Wish List" you can find a list of what type of items are in need. Items needed are gently used clothing (all types) household toiletries (even makeup), school items, food, baby related items to name a few. Basically just think of what you use and need and eat on a daily basis to give yourself an idea of what you could donate to help another person/child. 3. Planned Giving, such as bequests from an estate plan or will, real estate, personal property, etc. 4. Cooperate and foundation giving, such as scholarships, grants, direct donations, etc. 5. Volunteer. There are many different types of volunteer opportunities, such as tutoring children, kitchen help, serving meals, working at the health clinic, sorting donations, etc. There's an opportunity for everyone to give in whatever form you choose. So instead of letting your drawers, closet, garage, shoe rack, etc get cluttered with unused or unwanted items, why not give it back to the community to help another person or child out? Or if you're not ready to part with your treasures a monetary gift is always appreciated. Donating my belongings not only made my house much tidier, but I was also happy knowing my items had a 2nd life while helping to meet the needs of a person/child right here in Hawaii.

I needed to renew my CPR certification for my massage therapy license, and this class was great! It…read morewas fast and efficient. The instructor had a sense of humor, and he really covered a lot of information in a short period of time. Before the class starts, you get an email link for the e-book, and there's an app you can download to read it. Also, they validate parking! I highly recommend this class if you need fast CPR certification!

Very respectful of everyone's time. The material was presented and practiced in a very efficient…read moreway.

Community service followed by meditation on the beach. Awesome!!…read more I learned about Travel2Change through my UH cohort. As a second year grad student, this was my first offsite team building event that I attended. Travel2Change is a non-profit organization that offers various activities focused on sustainability and giving back to the Hawaiian culture on the islands of Kauai, Maui, and O'ahu. From a beach clean-up followed by a sunset yoga class, to a trek into the native forest to protect indigenous wildlife, there's an activity to fit your passions! Just visit their website to explore. On Saturday's from 10:30am to 12:00pm, Jonathan from Yoga Loves Mana hosts the beach clean-up and yoga. He provided the bags and gloves for the clean-up. In 15 minutes, we collected four bags of litter from the grassy area and shoreline between the Aquarium to the lifeguard house just beyond the barefoot beach cafe. This was a great way to give back, keep paradise beautiful, and to show others the spirit of Aloha Āina! After the clean-up, we did an hour of Vinyasa style yoga in the shaded grassy area underneath the swaying palm trees and were sprinkled with a little bit of rain every now and then (it felt really good!). Jonathan has 15 years of experience and his teaching skills were kind and gentle for a few of us beginners. He made it very clear that the session was about the spiritual energy you feel from your core and put back into the universe, known as "Mana", and to not worry if you're inexperienced. We all felt very comfortable and he did a wonderful job guiding us on breathing techniques and stretching throughout the hour. Check out their website to see what they offer. Let friends from out-of-state know how they can see Hawai'i from a different perspective or share this with your friends and family from the Island. I felt really great after the clean-up and mediation through yoga. I highly recommend it!

Sunset Yoga & Food Drive at Magic Island…read more I became aware of travel2change in one of my classes at the UH.The yoga at sunset was so beautiful and relaxing! A great experience! These are great opportunities to give back to the Hawaii community while having a great time. I would recommend for anyone to do one of these activities!

I recently started volunteering here as a driver to deliver meals to the people in need. A lot of…read morethem are home bound without the ability to acquire food, or even if they're under the care of family, the meals provide some sort of time and monetary relief for everyone. Also, seniors can grab a meal at the cafeteria for free! The organization is amazing. The employees seem happy and they care a lot about the community and the volunteers too. It seems to be well-run with sufficient resources, although they always need more drivers so they can reach out to more people. Their meals on wheels program is for the whole island of O'ahu, and my route is focused on Waipahu. They have some baked goods and cookies for sale at supermarkets, at least at Don Quijote Waipahu. Their chocolate nut crispy cookies are really delicious! I can't say anything about the taste of the meals; but from what I saw, the meals seem balanced as they come with a frozen entree, milk, banana, orange, fruit cups, bread, etc. Some meals can accommodate special dietary needs like chopped, no pasta, etc. I wish everyone can afford food and have the capability to get food themselves, but unfortunately this is not the reality and am glad there's an organization who helps people become more independent and also provides some relief to the caregivers. Besides serving meals, they also hire people with disabilities. Sometimes we just need a helping hand to get things started. Blessings to everyone!

I had the great privilege and opportunity to learn what this great facility was all about. The…read moreshort story is they are a facility that offers a place for seniors to congregate for social interaction. In addition, they prepare meals for the many seniors who are incapable of preparing meals for themselves. The meals are packed, seemed to provide food for a few days and has everything, including the daily diet of milk. They have the delivery bags iced to keep the meals heathly while enroute. Each bag holds meals for 3 individuals and the bags are sorted and marked by area, ready for the volunteer deliver folks. The highlight was I had the opportunity to be a volunteer delivery person. While providing meals is the main thrust of the project, I've learned many of the seniors do not have people, family or friends to interact with on a daily basis. They look forward to the person bringing the meals, providing opportunity for human interaction. The coordinator of Lanakila was absolutely correct in her statement referring to the importance of our volunteer efforts. I walk away from my volunteer efforts a better person knowing I've help to pride food for the soul and companionship however brief for the mind! If you are reading this review and have the the time to volunteer, this is your cause. My last thought ends with thanking the Honolulu Yelp folks who are this effort possible

The missing is great but their workplace giving us not fair to other non- profits. The 211 dept has…read morea high turnover for call agents...bad management practices. Datanase resources are outdated compared to Google and AI.

Poverty and homelessness are an unfortunate reality that Honolulu has to contend with due to our…read morehigh cost of living. There are many of us full-time working professionals who feel the pinch of living in the 808. Imagine trying to survive here solely dependent on minimum wage or social security, and with children to take care of, on top of trying to pay the monthly rent or mortgage. Statistics have shown that half of Hawaii is unable to make ends meet, and it is commonplace for Hawaiians to work two or three jobs to survive. When I moved to Hawaii I was deeply disturbed by the sight of so many homeless on the streets. Homeless encampments a block from multi-million dollar luxury condos are a common sight in Honolulu. Now that Hawaii is my home for the time being, I searched for ways I could help give back to the community in some way. Two years ago I decided to become a member of AUW's Society of Young Leaders. This group is for young people between the ages of 21 and 39 who give an annual donation of at least $120. Donations to AUW help continue services that support early childhood development, after-school programs, developmental screenings for children, and distributing meals to needy families, the elderly, and the homeless. I chose for some of my donation to be designated to the ALICE Fund that helps individuals and families living paycheck to paycheck. ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. According to an ALICE study commissioned by AUW, in Hawaii, there are 165,013 ALICE households (37 percent), while another 47,066 households (11 percent) live below the poverty level. In total, 48 percent of Hawaii households are ALICE and below. I have always considered income inequality to be one of the most important issues of our time that has not been addressed enough by politicians. AUW is at the forefront of addressing income inequality in Hawaii. The AUW office is on N. Vineyard Blvd. near Chinatown. I have been to the AUW office for meetings as well as volunteer events such as the annual school supply drive for homeless children. It's a nice office and hopefully more people will get to see it after making a donation or choosing to help out with future AUW volunteer events.

I always find it to be an easy process to drop off donations at this Goodwill. It's centrally…read morelocated and near the Safeway on Beretania. It's not too hard to get to, and once you get there, you drive in to their garage and there's a pull-through spot where you can stop and drop off your donations. Every time I've gone, there's been a worker there who responds quickly and comes over to my car with a rolling cart to help collect donations. They always ask me if I need a receipt for donation purposes. It's quick and simple and I don't have to do much more than unload my trunk. I've never been behind more than one car, and usually there's no line at all. Easy, helpful spot to donate your goods or to buy new-to-you items.

I am so grateful that Goodwill offers free tax preparation for low income kupuna. It's best you…read moremake your reservations when they post their dates and times (usually the end of February) because they fill up fast. My tax preparer was Fia. She was a gem and she worked quickly. Mahalo Fia.

A wonderful volunteer organization!…read more Check the website because each day of the week they typically are routine with the location and time frames for cleanups. It isn't only cleanups, they handle restoration and land management by preservation, teaching, and so much more. Kimeona and his team are well versed and well organized in what they are doing. They have equipment so when you arrive, after you fill out the documents online, you are ready to go. Of course prepare by getting a good meal in you, staying hydrated, bring water (they also supply water but bring your reusable water bottle), comfortable clothes and shoes, and be prepared to "give back"! I love learning history and culture and the oli and taking care of the Aina. I don't want to give away too much, but at the same time I want to share everything. I have been volunteering with this team, mostly at the same place, although I met up at Magic Island and it needed, for a couple of years. My takeaways, it's personal for me.

I was reminded that "people" were the last thing that came to the islands. That means everything…read moreneeds to be respected. When people come visit Hawaii, they think about the beaches, food, partying, etc... People don't think about the impact it has on the ecology. We decided to pay our respect to the land that we enjoyed by helping clean it. This organization was more about teaching what is around us versus just picking up garbage. We first removed evasive trees along the river. The cool thing was that we moved the branches to a different area that feeds certain Beatles. Then months after the tress/branches were stepped on and crushed to be part of the earth. After about an hour and half of work we took a little environmental tour to learn of the necessary ecological balance needed for the islands. We saw the last type of a certain succulent, we saw endangered shrubs, and Hawaiian bees that are also endangered. We go to Hawaii and take, this time we gave back