A relative of mine was unexpectedly released from Cook County Jail at one in the morning with no…read moreplace to go and no money. If you know the area, you know that's a major problem. I was out of state, and he was completely on his own. Thank God for PGM. He made it there, and they gave him clothes and meals. When I brought some personal belongings later, I was really impressed by the staff and the cleanliness of the facility. It's not a hotel, to be sure, but it's a safe harbor for those who desperately need it. Yes, they evangelize in exchange for meals, etc. They want to help people change. That's part of the deal. If that is unacceptable, folks can always head down to the Atheist Homeless Shelter instead... oh, wait.

I was recently at PGM for about a week. I wish I knew being on the top bunk means the 3rd bunk…read morewhich is pretty high. I love Jesus, however church 3 times a day is too much for me. That took time away from looking into getting a job and back into school. In addition I'm Catholic but have also had a born again experience years ago and I felt all the sermons were about that folks needed to be reborn again in Jesus. Been there, done that. I have never been a drug addict. So I don

Case Workers are ok, Operater is ok, just staff that are really really bad at their jobs. Just to…read morepreface, they threatened to put me out for drinking water and there's a rule that states you can't knock on black doors, so someone in need gets pushed aside and threatened. They threaten pretty much breathing so, if you want food and shelter and hate breathing, this is the shelter for you. Edit: they are pretty much run by incompletent staff, and they are about as useless as space matter on planet earth. Making threats and acting like no one else is allowed to make any decision. No bathroom, no water, no food after a certain time, it's run like prison.

I volunteer on Saturday at The Night Ministry stuffing stockings for the homeless. This Non-Profit…read moreOrganization is amazing. I look forward to coming out to volunteer again at this awesome organization. The team was very organize and prepared to make sure everything was running smoothly. The volunteers watched a mini video on what the organization is about and how they go out on the streets to make sure the homeless is well loved. I was impress on how much they express their dedication and compassion to the homeless. This is the type of organization I would come out and dedicate my time and support.

I've volunteered with Cradles to Crayons several times already by myself and with my kids. Their…read moremission and goals are clear and evident. They are extremely organized and can take large group of volunteers but also work with smaller ones. I highly recommend coming here as part of a group from work or even with your family especially if you have never volunteered before.

I've volunteered for countless field trips for my 3 kids over the years and Cradles to Crayons is…read moremy personal favorites. My son's class came here to help sort thru the many many bags of donations they receive. I thought the staff at Cradles to Crayons did an amazing job explaining to a group of 3rd graders how this was an opportunity to help those less fortunate and love that they also got to help with the process. We spent a few hours sorting thru piles of clothing and dividing them into different categories (winter coats, girls short sleeve shirts, skirts to name a few). The kids had a lot of fun and even got a few chuckles when they came across things like bras and thongs, which were thrown in the "recycle bin." After a few hours of work they took a tour of the amazing facility, ate lunch and the Cradles to Crayon staff wrapped it up by praising them on their hard work! My son mentioned it was a super fun day and I think he enjoyed it more than the other field trips we've taken this year (ex: Chicago History Museum). I've now been here 3 times for field trips with my kids and each time I make a note that I need to come separately of school. This time I'm determined to make the time to donate my time to this amazing organization and great excuse to clean out my closets ahead of time to make a donation!

I made my way to the Lakeview Pantry-Sheridan this afternoon to donate some baby formula and the…read moreplace is beautiful. It looks like the fanciest of grocery stores. Everyone was very helpful and made sure to answer any questions I had. They also took the formula and will now provide expectant mothers and babies with nutritious meals. I did not stay long but definitely felt that the grocery store was clean, open to anyone who might need some help with food, and everyone there was smiling, happy, and helpful. I want to go back and volunteer!

Love the staff members. Appreciate the service and quality of foods given!…read morePeace & B Great!!!!

New location on Lincoln Avenue is big and beautiful. We dropped off food donations and were warmly…read moregreeted by volunteers. The operation appeared well staffed and very busy, which made my heart happy. Donations were being sorted and I was so impressed by the organization of tasks, volunteers and efficiency of the facility.

Common Pantry is the best pantry that I have received food from the director Ms. Margaret is very…read morenice and the volunteers are nice and friendly. Quick service great atmosphere I thank God for them they help a lot of people, please check them out they are very professional and helpful. I have spread the word to friends and family.

A large non profit helping Chicago and Chicagoans with a number of projects and volunteer…read moreopportunities. Some of the op's are too far to get to without a car, but it's still a great organization that helps Chicagoans.

I've heard so much praise for Chicago Cares over the past few years and yesterday finally got the…read morechance to see what this wonderful organization is all about during the annual serve-a-thon. I, along with many other yelpers, helped paint the classrooms of a school on the south side. When I first arrived at the serve-a-thon with 7500 volunteers (yes, they got 7500 volunteers to help fix up schools around Chicago on a beautiful Saturday in June) my first thought is that I would never want to organize an event like this. There were so many organizational details involved in this day and I couldn't have been more impressed with the way Chicago Cares handled them...the check- in process was about 2 seconds (I was expecting about a 1/2 hour due to the size of the event), they had plenty of well trained volunteers on hand who actually knew what was going on, and everything ran right on schedule. Hats off to the Chicago Cares staff- they sure do know how to organize an event! It was absolutely heartbreaking to see the conditions of the school that we visited. I'm not exactly fond of painting and it was an exhausting day, but it made me feel good that we were able to help these kids by making the conditions of their school livable! This is the only Chicago Cares event I've experienced so far, but I'm interested in checking out other ways to help out!

You can still be a calamity in the kitchen and do some good at Inspiration Cafe…read more While not completely incompetent in the kitchen, I am not known for my culinary skills. Fortunately, you don't need to be the next Iron Chef to do some good here. What it is: * Inspiration Corporation assists more than 3,000 individuals and families affected by homelessness and poverty each year - serving as a catalyst for self-reliance.* * Inspiration Cafe serves meals in a restaurant-style setting and provides supportive services in a therapeutic community designed to help individuals on their journey toward self-sufficiency.* What you do: * Plan a menu for approximately 30 diners. * Shop, cook and serve the meal to the diners. I joined a group of my fellow Yelpers for a dinner shift at the cafe. Since my culinary skills aren't the greatest I was more than happy to work on the serving side of things. The kitchen part of our team was amazing - cooking and plating salads, rolls, a main course and dessert. Everything looked fresh and tasty. If you work on the serving side of things you will make sure everyone has silverware, condiments and drink refills. During meal time you'll also be responsible for taking orders for the main course (not everyone will necessarily want all portions of your menu) and bussing tables. All of the diners were great. Most were very outgoing, polite and jovial, telling jokes, making me laugh, and making me feel like I'm helping make a difference. Shifts are 2-3 hours depending on the complexity of your menu and seem to work best with a group of 10-12. If you're a first time group, play it safe and allow yourself extra prep time . Next time you're looking for a little pick me up consider signing up for a shift at the Cafe; I bet it will make you feel better, longer than any retail therapy. * From the Inspiration Corporation website

I almost hate these people??? I almost do hate you for reminding me I'm not just a cube dwelling…read moreanimal, but a biscuit buttering maniac they keep reminding me I have a heart, that people do care, that we are not different and are in it together for the long run in this small world. the food from the heart kitchen is always full of heart clogging love and the smiles that resonate at the end of the meals always leave my socks soggy from the ice that melts from around my heart. sometimes lacking in spices donated by others, the professionally equipped kitchen with built in human dishwashers is a wannabe top iron chef's wet dream come true....but do bring your own spices to add to the collection for future meals and growing dreams of a world where we all break biscuits and sop up home made gravy together. kudos to Colleen C for taking the time to light a candle that helps guide me away from my daily darkness

My good friend Katie and I met putting hundreds of condom goody bags together. Clearly, it was…read moredestiny. Somewhere between me wondering aloud if the same person really would want XL condoms and strawberry flavored ones and her compensating for a lube shortage by stuffing extra "tuxedo" condoms in her packages... I knew this girl was the friend for me. One Brick is a great organization for those who want to volunteer but don't want to (or can't) commit to the same project/organization every week. I've done all sorts of events with them, ranging from serving beer at a festival to hauling books out of storage for a library book sale. Everything has always been very well organized and all the leaders are volunteers too. What I like about One Brick is not only getting to be a part of doing "good", but also meeting some great people. There is always a social component to every volunteer event, meaning who ever wants to usually goes out all together afterward for food/drinks. The volunteers range in age, but I've found they're predominantly women in their 20/30's (yeah, holy-single-guy's-untapped-gold-mine, you're tellin' me). It's really a great way to expand your social network and make some new friends, especially since most people seem to do it on their own - it's not like there are cliques. Events fill up fast, so look ahead on the calendar (www.onebrick.org) and I'd advise you sign up the day an event becomes available for sign-up. BOTTOM LINE: A well-organized group & a great way to meet new friends and do some good... at your convenience!

I have to second and third the One Brick love here…read more I've had some major changes go on in the last year, and decided to get involved in more positive social activities. Volunteering is great because you get to help someone and feel good about what you're doing at the same time. What's great about One Brick is that it is so easy to sign up for events! A regular schedule or commitment is not required, awesome for someone like me with an irregular schedule. You can volunteer as much or little as you like. They also have a pretty wide array of types of opportunities, from stuffing envelopes to helping out with food banks, crafting, to ushering at the Goodman. Something for everyone. Moreover, at the few events I've gone to, everyone involved has been very friendly and there seems to often be an informal gathering afterward for food/drinks to socialize more for those interested. It's been fun to meet the diverse assortment of people that volunteer and work with One Brick. I've just started attending, but this is definitely something I can see continuing for a while.