There isn't another organization out there like it. One Brick lives up to their motto "Get involved, Make an Impact, and Have fun". There are always a variety of events on the calendar and the volunteer management staff make the events fun. Its a great organization and I love being a part of it. Come out and join us! www.OneBrick.org read more

Great organization. Spent a Sat morning and afternoon planting native grass in Milpitas (next to a landfill) in a marshland (federal refuge). Great people, all walks of life just spending time for the greater good. I would love to give this org 5 stars, but I really wanted to volunteer for a homeless shelter or other "people-oriented" program, but they're booked for months! My complaint is that they should host larger or more programs so I don't have to sign up 6 mos in advance. read more

You'll NEVER hear me utter the idiotic phrase "pay it forward" -- unless, of course, my bad 401(k) planning lands me working a McDrive-thru window someday. But in all honesty, I firmly believe in giving back. One Brick is the most amazing resource for commitment-phobic, wannabe do-gooders like myself. You simply scan their calendar (which is filled with diverse opportunities to assist not-for-profit organizations with specific tasks or events), sign up, show up, and spend a few unselfish hours with some really cool people ... working together! So, even if the stock market is crumbling, 'now' is always the perfect climate for being bullish about your personal karma. read more

I volunteered with One Brick on their most recent trip to New Orleans. While the trip was relatively well organized (they only recently hired a paid staff member, before that it was all volunteer) and a good time overall, my problem with One Brick came near the end of the five days of volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. While at a job site I became very ill and found a ride back to Camp Hope, first notifying the "people in charge" for both One Brick and Habitat, as well as my rideshare companions. I was dropped off at camp where my symptoms escalated very quickly and eventually i asked somebody for a ride to the medical center. From the medical center I had an ambulance ride to a hospital, then another...the story is long but the end of it is that I had a very serious emergency surgery (not caused by the work or anything on the job site, this was internal) and spent three days in the hospital. When released I was unable to walk more than a few steps at a time and thankfully my boyfriend flew out to New Orleans and stayed with me in a hotel for 8 days until I was prepared to fly back to San Francisco. Through all of this, I did not receive a phone call from anyone at One Brick, they didn't notify my emergency contacts or even the person that I was sharing a car with, they apparently did not even follow up to find out what happened after I left the work site that day. I somehow managed to bring my cell phone with me (they didn't have any phones for me to use in the hospital until after surgery) and called home before the battery died (my charger, along with everything else that I had traveled with, was back at camp) or else I would not have been able to get my boyfriend out as quickly and my family would have had no idea where I was. The only person who called me was another volunteer who I should have been sharing a ride into the city with that night. I understand that One Brick is for adults and I signed a few waivers going in. Even so, I would assume that a group of people who likely identify themselves as "compassionate" would be kind enough to check and see if a fellow volunteer is okay. One Brick gets two stars because they want to do the right thing. unfortunately that didn't happen in this case. read more

I have been to three One Brick events, four volunteer events and one Happy Hour. All three were a blast. One Brick makes it so easy to fit volunteering into any schedule and you can work on something different everytime. There are a variety of events envelope stuffing, gardening, fashion shows. etc. I volunteered as a bartender at Oktoberfest. So much fun and free beer. I poured a perfect glass every time. read more

I've always felt very fulfilled doing volunteer work. It's fun, challenging, and life changing. Of course it's also fun to hang out with friends, go out to clubs, try new restaurants, dress up funky at all the crazy SF events, etc. But this is a different kind of fun. Awesomely fun even! I decided that 2011 was my year to start helping out the community in a more substantial way than just unloading my wallet. The reason I hadn't started sooner in SF was because I thought I didn't have any time. Well One Brick solves that problem. They do this by putting up a calendar on their website that gives you dates and project times, and all you have to do is sign up for the org and then sign up for the projects when you have time (http://sfbay.onebrick.org/calendar/). How cool is that? There is absolutely NO excuse with a program like this! Not only does it make it easy to volunteer, it was provides a good time as well. Today was my first time coming out to help with One Brick at the food bank, and I loved it! Everyone involved in the organization were super friendly and were beaming with motivation to make a difference. They also have many other kinds of events like helping w/ children, volunteering at beer festivals, environmental projects, etc. etc. It's so rewarding, so much fun, inspiring, and I can't wait to do it again! Check it out for yourself: http://sfbay.onebrick.org/ read more

One Brick is another organization offering volunteering without a commitment, unlike Hands On, where lots of activities require a minimum of three months. They are funded almost exclusively through fundraising events, such as happy hours, and the kayaking event that I did with them in October during Fleet Week. I also organized curriculum for Girls on the Run (www.gotrsf.org) through One Brick. You see the same people volunteering at every event. Certain activities fill up VERY quickly (beer festivals, SF Magazine's Best of the Bay) so it requires a careful watch of the weekly newsletter if you want to be involved. Unfortunatly, those tend to be the events that I am interested in, but the activities managers understand that and are trying to address the issue. read more

I was driving through GG Park yesterday (as I do everyday) and was amazed to see this swarm of people (with name tags on) tending to the Rhododendron garden/island. I stopped and asked a lady who they were. She explained the whole 'one brick' concept... pretty cool... volunteer first, party later. Nothing is better than helping others and then enjoying a BBQ :) Check out their website: www.onebrick.org Maybe you'll see a volunteer event that fits your schedule. read more

I volunteer and register today. I made packages for the homeless youth like 15 pack of candies and snacks and 15 pack hygiene supply. In two hour working in a group we had to made 100 each. It was food talking and meeting new people. I though I missed the event. read more

Only complaint - One Brick gives you so many choices, locations, avenues and ways of volunteering, that it is very difficult to stay away - this is just adding up to my guilt complex when I do not participate! Sign up process couldn't be any easier. Pick a date, event and submit info, all via their website. read more

I can't think of a better way to get to know San Francisco than volunteering through One Brick. I was easily the youngest volunteer that day about three years ago yet everyone was so welcoming. We were helping clear out an area in the park and even though I think I pulled up five weeds and got in the way of at least three volunteers, I had a blast. Definitely check out One Brick if you have a free weekend. You won't regret it! read more

These guys are experts at making volunteering easy. Sign up for events like you would for an e-vite and just show up. Went today and 25 of us cleaned Three and a Half TONS of lettuce for the SF Food Bank! Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday evening. read more

I made 4 lifetime friends in one day working at a One Brick event (at Coit Tower), AND I helped beautify my City. I love One Brick - THANKS, Dave! read more

I've been involved with One Brick off and on since its first year in SF. It's been amazing to see how this grassroots org has grown across the country. I agree that One Brick can be kinda cliquey (the dedicated souls tend to repeat at the events and thus, everyone seems to know everyone else already), but it is easy to become one with One Brick. They provide great opportunities to get involved in the evenings and on weekends. read more

A great way to lend a hand to your community. The events are usually pretty fun and are a great way to meet people. There's no obligation too! All you have to do is sign up for a scheduled event and that's it, because, you know, like, making a committment might get in the way of my busy social life. So put down the bong for a few hours on a Saturday morning and help your fellow man. read more

Ever feel like volunteering to help feed the homeless, help out at the Food Bank, or help to clean up our shoreline? These are just a few of the worthy activities that this organization is a part of. And you should be too. Want this world to be a better place? Want to feel better about yourself? Then you need to get involved and volunteering at this organizations activities is the way to go. This is a great way for you to get some exercise and meet people who care about the world. It doesn't cost anything but your time and energy. And I guarantee that after you have volunteered to do something worthwhile that you will feel good about yourself. One Brick helps out a lot of non-profit organizations that deserve your help. Don't put it off, volunteer as soon as you can. read more

One Brick is a great way to get involved with orgs in a limited way when you just have a little while to volunteer and you want to socialize while you do it. It's a great place to make friends when you're new to the city, and it can really expose you to some fun events. That said, One Brick can be rather cliquey, but it's cliquey with open arms. Personally, I like to have a different kind of impact, but I think One Brick does what it aims to do and offers a great venue for young professionals. read more

I will always remember my first volunteer event at Glide Memorial for One Brick. I felt very fortunate to have a place to live and have food on the table every day after seeing homeless people come in from the street to get a hot meal. I highly recommend volunteering at One Brick because they have many different volunteer events every month from helping the elderly and children, cleaning parks to volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank. It's a great way to meet fun and caring people who wants to give back to the community and feel a sense of fulfillment at the same time! Sign up for the events early because they get full as soon as they're posted. read more

I have done some volunteer work off and on for over twenty years, but the biggest problem for me in the past has always been trying to fit volunteering into my work schedule. Having a full time job can be a problem for potential volunteers in general, since many volunteer gigs require a long term commitments and many as well need volunteers only during weekday work hours. One Brick offers a solution to this problem. With One Brick, you can find one-time activities that suit your interests without needing to make any long term commitments, and in addition many of the activities take place on weekends or week nights. One Brick also focuses on the idea that volunteering should be fun, and the idea of combining social outings with volunteering is a nice touch. In addition, the web site makes it easy to sign up, just by clicking a button. This is a great way to get involved in volunteer work, and I heartily recommend it. read more

I work for staff at One Brick now and its really great! The folks here are truly dedicated to making the volunteering experience the best for everyone. They even provide opportunities for leadership training and people management if you want to join the ranks of staff and help keep the dream alive! read more

I first volunteered with One Brick in New York City, back in 2002. That chapter was high spirited and had many good events. I have lived in the Bay area for over a year now, and was happy to join OB here, which gave me a sense of the familiar, on the West Coast. I have done a few projects in SF, which varied in my feelings of the level of work asked of us - one was about 5 hours of selling and slinging hot lunches at a pro golf tourney, another was a laid back recent street fair in Japantown, where I barely got to work at all, but enjoyed meeting the volunteers. My hubby and I just went to our first Happy hour together, for East Bay OB'ers, and we met some very friendly women (there's a LOT of women). I disliked the setting though, it was extremely loud in the side room where we were, and it was hard to carry on normal conversations. I think we should find a quieter place for future happy hours, and then maybe we all will be happier. It was real nice to collect donated school supplies, and the teacher was there with us, who was grateful for them. SF One Brick does seem to be very popular, and everyone I have met has been quite friendly and seemed to sincerely like being there at the events. I tried to become a manager in NY, so maybe one day I will go for it here in SF, since I'm going on 7 years with OB - nationwide! read more

I'm currently working as a "person of leisure". That's not to say I sit on my ass. I do plenty, but sometimes I still feel like a useless turd. One brick is the medicine for that. I've done beach cleanups, trail restoration, and elderly assistance with them. My friends work ... a lot! I try not to bug them since having an unemployed hanger-on in your face,.. even a friend, can be annoying. So I fill my individual alone time with projects and things to keep me busy. A person needs a purpose in this life, and until the economy fixes itself to the point were I can find a well paying purpose, One Brick is there to provide me meaning for a day. Like their website says, "Volunteering with us is easy. There's no paperwork. No orientations. No hassles" Just check the calendar and click "RSVP". Wow. Good people, doing good things .... you help by donating a little muscle power and time .... an action sorely lacking in this world. Feel good, do good, and life becomes that much better. The smile on your face afterwards will confirm it. read more

One Brick is the solution if you're busy, you want to volunteer and give something back, but can't decide on your cause and aren't ready to make a big time commitment. One Brick has a variety of volunteer ops--mostly weekend and evenings, mostly 2-3 hours long. It's a great way to meet a generally fun group of people and give a little something back. There is nothing worse than volunteering and then standing around because there's too many people, so I appreciate that One Brick is very well organized and always seems to size their volunteering pool just right for the task at hand. I like helping at the SF Food Bank and preparing supplies for homeless youth for At the Crossroads. Someday I will time it right to help out at one of the many cool events they volunteer for (Stern Grove Festival, fundraising walks, etc.) Their events often fill up quickly, but you can sign up to get alerts for sign-ups when the popular ones are available to sign up. read more

they do a great job making volunteering very easy and fun. i'm a huge fan. great way to meet people, do something good, and get off the couch! read more

One Brick is the "creamy center" of volunteering. You get to help an organization when they really need the extra hands, all the scouting and organizing is taken care of, and you get to go for a celebratory taco (or other such thing) afterward. read more

If you want to meet people while doing something great for society, One brick is the place. Its a place where volunteering and fun meet!!

I like fixing stuff, helping people and the adrenaline rush I get from it. One brick helps me do all of that. It has a good mix of traditional and non traditional volunteering events. Just wish it had more non traditional ones :) read more