Love visiting the RAFT. Never know what I'll find to use with my students Will say sometimes can be a bit pricing at times. A treasure hunt for good finds if you are willing to spend sometime in there. read more

Love the service! Kind employees! So many great things for teachers -- run, don't walk to RAFT. Today I bought posters, thank you notes, wooden sticks for a project, and owl pellets. But they have so much more.... And it's fun, come check it out. read more

Great resource for my Innovations maker-space classes. I first discovered it years ago when I was a cub scout leader. Great bulk random supplies at a fantastic price to inspire creativity. Also, super great resource to turn to for cheap office supplied to stock a classroom ($.25 tape dispensers, etc) read more

Always a treasure hunt. Love the surprise bargains along with friendly and helpful staff. The prepared kits are useful for class projects. Shelves are for the most part, tidy and generally organized. One never knows what you may find. Although it is a hit or miss when looking for specific project items. read more

Honestly, I should've given them my last review a two or three. I am really, really disappointed with this store in the last year and I am not going to renew my membership. The quality has gone down. The prices have gone up. This is not helpful for an educator who is just trying to buy things for their students incentive store. since this is a nonprofit I would like to see how the money is distributed with the donation if most of the money goes into overhead cost and administrative salaries. I'm better off going to flea market garage sales and dollar stores to purchase items of equal quality at a better price for my students read more

If you are an educator and need things to help your students learn then this is the good spot. Boosters and groups that work with youth are more than welcome to get membership here My problem is that I am not as creative as the people who walk in here. I always hear great ideas from people. It blows my mind the creative mind people have. They also have cheap furniture here. I got 3 adjustable tables. In the last I also got chairs. If you want inexpensive items to create things this is a cool place. When my daughter was in the 5th grade, we got items here for her science project. We created an environmental house. We even used recycled products from here. The die cuts are the coolest here too. I was able to buy products and then cut them here. I made crowns in the past. Now you need to make an appointment as it was really busy pre-CoVid. read more

RAFT-Resource Area For Teaching - Aisles of stuff used to teach people - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Jose, California

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Even though some people may say that raft is a good educational place, in my experience, raft charges extra money for no reason, and announces new unannounced rules and guidelines. :( quality is good though, but not really worth it. I request a guest service of being better store managers. :( And that's why its not very good. read more

It is very educational for teachers who like to advance their classes and do a lot of manual arts. nice place and cheap

As a teacher of more than 30 years, I'm very appreciative of the raft. Went in there a couple weeks ago and picked up lots of odds and ends for our maker, space robotics, building, project and fun stuff for our class auction. The raft never disappoints. read more

I came here for materials for my engineering project with my students and was impressed with their offerings. Bought a glue gun with glue sticks, cardboard, zippered sweatshirt, 3 nice storage bins, cool looking glass cup(with heat protection), fine tip sharpie like markers and a class set of science books for my 2nd grade class for just $25. Next time I will return for poster pads and materials to use for homemade gifts. read more

Best place for artsy people and teachers - I'm both and loooove coming here! It's like a Costco of art supplies... not all art supplies though. They have office furniture, random items like milk lids, paper, staplers, knick knacks, and more. Every time I come to RAFT I end up spending close to $100. Oh, and their prices are super affordable, so, you'll feel the value of your $100. read more

I'm like a kid in a candy store when at RAFT. I am super glad that my sister is a teacher and is willing to take me with her :) It's fun to see what they have in the bulk bins, which you pay for by the bag. I got some stickers and stamp sets at great prices. My random find of the day were large burlap bags that used to hold cocoa beans for less than $1! read more

I love RAFT! I can extend the measly money our district gives into a treasure trove of great supplies.

I am a teacher who has been a member of raft for more than 20 years. I used to love this place. I used to be able to go with 50 dollars and come home with materials to do multiple projects with my students, STEM kits and other great things. Raft has changed in the last couple of years, however. There is less and less donated stuff and more new stuff that RAFT sells for more than you would pay at Amazon or the Dollar Store. I used to buy several of their science kits a year. Now, a kit for one student is 3 dollars! How could I possible afford to use these kits with my 41 students? It just seems like RAFT has switched focus and mission. They used to be about getting recycled materials and ideas for how to use them into classrooms through selling things cheaply to teachers. Now, they seem to be about running education programs, outreach, camps, etc.., for those in the San Jose area and using the store to fund that by catering to the general public, homeschoolers, etc.., It's just not worth it for me to drive there from Tracy anymore. I'm really miss the RAFT that used to be focused on classroom teachers. So, it appears, do lots of other people. Raft had a "sale" today. RAFT sales used to be the stuff of legends where you would have to park across the street to get in with the crowds, and you could find lots of good stuff for classroom. Almost nobody was at today's "sale" and for good reason. There was very little for sale that a teacher would want. read more

I first found out about RAFT during the 2007 holiday drive; I had every Starbucks store in the district collect books for this non-profit organization. When I was employed for a networking company: Extreme Networks, I was part of the Community Involvement team that held events every quarter and that was when I knew more about RAFT and how they are registered as a 501(c)(3) organization. As many of you are aware, school programs are constantly being cut, teachers being laid off and/or being paid minimally (and they shout out the cost for their kids) so it's organizations like RAFT that assists in enriching the minds of children in classrooms, after school, boys and girls scouts by providing lower costs resources for our teachers. RAFT partners up w/: The Exploritorium, San Jose State University, Santa Clara County Office of Education, The Tech Museum, YMCA.. to name a few. There are many ways to contribute: volunteer your time, cash donations, and material donations. Link: http://www.raftbayarea.org/public/pdfs/MaterialWishList.pdf When I was laid off in 2008, I went back to school and started to volunteer in my daughter's classroom. It was then that I got to see first-hand what her teacher did for her students. When you have 20+ students, buying supplies such as arts and crafts and whatnot gets really expensive. We live in Silicon Valley where everything is costly. I buy a lot of books- both new and used for my daughter and for myself. There are a lot of them that I am not willing to let go but my daughter was able to donate her books last weekend so that's what I did on a stormy Sunday afternoon. Yes, the day before Christmas Eve. The storm was so horrible! I drove by and dropped off the goods and went on my merry way. Every little bit helps. If you are active in this area, participate in Yelp Helps 2013. I am. read more

Anyone who is a teacher in the Silicon Valley who doesn't have a RAFT card-- DOOD WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU? This is the mecca of all things wonderful if you are a teacher-- at any level or subject k-12. Imagine a Costco-- but surplus ________- (insert random stuff here) for teachers. Although I do not teach science I LOVE going into the green room and checking out neat projects-- our teachers have been "saved" numerous times here via the owl pellets they sell. I have purchased a whole set of Harry Potter books for only 3 bucks each There are stickers by the yard and random doo-dads you can use for art projects, science projects or assisting students in making models. You can fill a bags for around five bucks and get tons of random stuff There are cheapy toys for a treasure chest They have books at all types of reading levels-- for about twenty-five bucks you can get a whole mini library (I was able to have a decent differentiated SSR library by the end of the year spending about 70 bucks total) I have gotten chairs, bookshelves, filing cabinets and a decent table here numerous times I recently purchased a laser jet print for 40 bucks and it is in perfect condition... they also sell tons of referbished computers, desktops and accessories. Some pieces of advice 1) bring a friend with a truck or a big trunk 2) DO NOT GO HERE DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL HOLY #$%! If you think X-Mas, Swap Meet or Outlet shopping is nuts-- try here the first weekend after school starts 3) plan to be here a while-- since all of the companies donate random surplus, you have to take your time here to sort and look through stuff 4) have a set amount you are going to spend, and a list of things you need (or else you can easily blow money here) 5) check out the art projects/ science stuff-- they have excellent workshops and labs for teachers :-) 6) bring a friend :-). This is a fun place where you can bounce ideas off each other, or help each other out. read more

I visited RAFT yesterday to get my membership. The system was being a little glitchy and was not registering my information. The woman at the front desk was really kind, patient, and apologetic. She even issued me a temporary access card. I didn't get to explore the entirety of the store, but was able to laminate some posters with help from another kind woman. I'm going back today to laminate some more--hopefully she'll be there to help. As I was leaving, I went back to the front desk to see if the registration was working. As I talked with the woman behind the counter, her voice became more and more familiar to me. I looked down at her nametag and out of a hunch, asked her how she came to work at R.A.F.T. She told me she was a retired teacher. Lo and behold, she was my 5th grade teacher at Toyon Elementary! So cool! Anyway, the space is huge, really clean, air conditioned, and really great for teachers and educators of all kind. How cool is that? Our teachers need all the support they can get, as I know many who shop out of their own pocket to make sure their classrooms and students have the supplies they need to succeed. Definitely visit this place if you are an educator or even a non-profit. You'll find the selection amazing, and way better priced than conglomerates like staples or office max. read more

Raft used to be great, with Mrs. Grossman's stickers for a very reasonable price, and good deals on classroom supplies and things for art projects. I used to come here at least one Saturday a month to stock up on things. However, now it is way too expensive - I can find things cheaper at Target and Walmart - and the selection isn't very good. I'm not going to bother renewing my membership. Very disappointed in what raft has become. read more

I love this place for the following: -STICKERS!!! What a great assortment of them all and at such great prices! My students love them! -Cheap stuff that looks like junk, but you transform it into a teaching resource!! RAFT gives you great ideas and/or samples of what you can do with the items! Thanks, RAFT! You all are so creative. -I love the folders and paper that they have on sale. I always buy so much for my classroom...we use them all the time. -HANDOUTS! I grab so many of them as they give you awesome ideas of what you can do to create a math or reading activity. It makes learning so much fun and less tedious in my class. I especially like the ones they offer during the holidays. -The die-cut station is huge and offers an array of designs to choose from. This is definitely my go to place for my classroom supplies, some teaching resources, learning materials and activities, and at times computer equipment. read more

Where else can you fulfill 2 socially conscious urges at one time, saving the environment and helping teachers? My son's preschool teachers loved this place. I looked it up to share with another member who wanted to get rid of used tape cassettes. They look like they pick up items and their website lists ways in which they use common items to support educational goals. I grew up in a place where music, art, technology were funded and continue to be funded in public schools. Sadly in California, that is generall not the case. If you can give to organizations like RAFT, you can help teachers on the frontline who are trying to educate kids with limited resources. I love the environmental implications too. Keep things out of the landfills. See the reviews below for more info. Last thought: This place is in San Jose. Does anyone know of a place further north? If not, maybe someone should start one. read more

RAFT-Resource Area For Teaching - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Jose, California

If you are looking for anything that related to your school needs, go to The Raft ! You will be wow

Great supplies for teachers and great educational resources! Mostly STEM focused but even a music teacher like me can find valuable things!

Such an awesome resource for teachers who are on tight budgets! They have tons and tons of a huge variety of materials for crafting, math, science, etc... There is also a massive teacher workroom and they offer classes as well! read more

I have never used RAFT's services because I'm not a teacher, but I have volunteered at their Sunnyvale warehouse location several times (both with HOBA and with One Brick) and it has been really fun experience every single time! I really like what this organization does and stands for. We all know how underpaid teachers are, and a lot of the time teachers have to pay for classroom materials out of their own pocket. RAFT not only provides low cost classroom items to teachers, but also resourcefully recycles donated business materials and turns it into hands-on classroom projects for students. Our role as volunteers is to put these project kits together. The reason volunteering here is fun is because it can be different every single time. There are a couple of stations that are always there (like the sticker station), but most of the time the kits we work on vary. Another plus is that you get to meet new people! Everyone I've met while volunteering here has been super friendly. read more

RAFT is a teacher's heaven. Given you HAVE to go in with an open mind, creativity, and a LOT of patience. However, I think in one year I have NEVER spent more than $100 at RAFT but have gotten countless things for my classroom AND my coworkers. GREAT for electronics, office supplies, materials for science activities. You name it. You do have to be a teacher or educational employee to join RAFT for obvious reasons and thankfully so. The only downside is the hours. It is located by the county office of Ed and really, it opens after 10:30??? read more

I've given volunteered work several times for RAFT through Hands On Bay Area (HOBA) and every event afterwards made me feel good. I particularly love the sorting of books event. I've never seen that many books in my entire life until then. Being able to finish several boxes gave me that certain "high" for accomplishing something. It's been a while since I've volunteered with HOBA and RAFT for my schedule is quite hectic nowadays. But this is something I'd never say no to when my schedule permits. They have a good cause and it is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life = being a part of their good cause. read more

RAFT-Resource Area For Teaching - Reckless Seekers Meetup Group - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Jose, California

RAFT is fantastic and exactly as it sounds - Resource Area for Teachers. Poster boards, plastic stuff, stickers, fabrics, etc. I wander through here once in a while, look at available inventory and try to come up with new labs to use it. It's a great place, always has been. I'll continue to return for the remainder of my career. read more

Great place to volunteer. The shop for teacher is huge! Staff is very friendly read more

RAFT-Resource Area For Teaching - results from volunteer shift - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - San Jose, California

An awesome resource for teachers full of odds and ends for your classroom. There's tons of books, gadgets, supplies, toys, knicknacks, games, etc. But best of all is their project area. You can come in and use their die cutters and buy paper by the yard, or see what kinds of crazy projects they've put together. It's awesome because they come with all the pieces and it's a set price per bag so you don't have to spend the time to sit and sort. I honestly love the warehouse feel and being able to take my time and sift through the bins and seeing what treasures I can find. Total awesomeness. read more

Raft is incredible! The workshops are relevant and fun. The supplies are inexpensive. I love it! It's a must stop for any elementary teacher or science or math specialist. They have prepackaged activities that are good for an entire classroom, and it's so cheap the kids can take the activist home with them! read more

I went to RAFT (www.raft.net) with another teacher not knowing what to expect, vowing not to go into teacher supply overload and blow a bunch of moola on stuff I'd never use. First, I was allowed to become a temporary member (for about $15) which could count towards a year membership if I decided to join (around $45). I was slightly disappointed in myself that I had already blown $15 bucks before getting into the overload area. But, the teacher I was with suggested splitting the membership, and then having me buy everything, and then paying me back in the back alley behind the building, etc. This kind of penny pinching trickery is what teachers resort to! As a side-note, and in defense of my convoluted penny pinching, being a teacher is like this: Imagine you got a job as an admin assistant. Your first day your boss tells you to type a letter, so you ask where the paper is. She says, "we don't have money in our budget for paper, a computer, a printer cartridge, or even a ballpoint pen, so go buy them yourself, and don't EVER expect to be reimbursed." Anyways...so I ended up getting a lot of cool stuff at this place and I only spent around $30. They have a lot of random things like millions of bottle caps and foam chunks, stuff you need your "imagination" to use. Then there are pre-made kits. I bought two pre-made kits for building a DNA helix (for $2.50 each) and a board game ($2.50) that can me modified for any subject (comes with blank playing cards and blank dice) I also got 20 pieces of poster board for $5.00. And they have a sticker section. Please note that the shiny sticker section only accepts CASH, while the main area accepts credit. I don't know why. They offer classes on how to use all the random stuff (like the bottle caps.) I really thought I had hit the jackpot when I found a section that sells slightly used dry erase board markers. The teacher I was with and I went nuts and bought about 20 each for around $5.00. However, when we used them in our classrooms we quickly realized they were the old hallucinogenic markers that release toxic fumes and make you spell wrong and look stupid in front of your students...so I wouldn't buy these again. RAFT is way cool. I can't wait until I can go back and get some more shiny stickers! read more

I LOVE RAFT! I got the spectroscope kit for $1.00...seriously, $1 friggin' dollar! There was more than enough for my entire class. The glove-o-phones are pretty bitchin' too. There should be more places like this for teachers. I think I speak for all SF educators when I say we spend entirely too much of our own money to stock our classroom with resources and supplies. Frankly, I'm sick of it...and there is NO tax write-off to really make a difference. For the amount of money I spend on my classroom, I should feel some sort of appreciation from the district or admin. But nooooo. So when a place like RAFT exists, it's like a little slice of teacher heaven. The membership cost is totally worth it. I heart RAFT! read more

HUGE selection of supplies and super friendly staff and volunteers! Also, there's ways around the membership fee, or you can get it fairly cheap.*** I was just introduced to this place by some friends, so I was able to check it out by being one of their guests. They have little packs of 5 dry erase markers for just $1! That's such a steal and perfect for my tutoring center that goes through these markers like popcorn. I also bought some cleaner for just $1.50. I paid a grand total of $5 for supplies that should last me a year! Outside, they have a ton of great furniture. I was extremely tempted to buy one of their huge whiteboards (ONLY $20!), but I didn't really have space to take it home. :/ ***With regard to their membership fees, it seems like they have sales every once in a while. For example, if you come with a friend in August, you can each get a membership for $20. If you're a student or intern teacher, I heard that you can get a membership for $15-20 if you can show proof of your status. Or like I did on my first visit, you can find a friend to bring you in as a guest. (I don't know the official policy, but I just gave my friend cash for my items.) This place is totally worth the membership fee. I just wished it was closer, but now I guess I have an excuse to come out and visit my south bay friends every once in a while! read more

I've volunteered at RAFT since August 2014. I am continually amazed at the dedication, compassion, and creativity of the staff and volunteers here. RAFT has traditional and unique teaching supplies available for a fraction of the cost these items would be elsewhere. RAFT also has hundreds of idea sheets accessible online to educators and offers workshops throughout the year. This is a great resource not just for teachers, but for individuals involved with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, summer camps, after school programs, adult education programs, and more. I highly encourage educators to explore the website and/or become a member! I also would encourage those who are not currently educators to seek out a volunteer opportunity at RAFT. My experience has been incredibly rewarding and has enriched my own education significantly. read more

RAFT is Awesome! I volunteered here with Hands On Bay Area this past weekend and had so much fun. Yes, Fun at a Volunteer event. Brian (RAFT volunteer coordinator) gave us a background about RAFT before starting out on our individual projects. It is amazing how much a teacher spends out of their pocket for additional school supplies. The folks here at RAFT are very creative in finding projects and uses for basic office supplies. The projects are very organized and the stations are set up very well. It made me want to go back to my office empty out our supply room and donate stuff to RAFT. I will be a regular from now on at these volunteer events. I think it great that Teachers can find a place like RAFT for help with inexpensive supplies. read more

I LOVE this place, it is a teacher's dream (at least for me). For $30 a year you can have access to recycled materials to use in fun and creative ways in your classroom. RAFT gets materials donated from companies and then thinks creatively how to use those materials as manipulative for math, science, etc. They also have furniture and supplies for very cheap. I have been a RAFT member for over four years and it is my go-place to shop. Most times I do not know what I am looking for, but just by browsing I can come up with different uses for lots of different items. RAFT also has workshops for teachers - I have never been to a workshop BUT I have had several friends tell me that they enjoyed them. My class was kind enough to get me a gift card to RAFT as a present and it has lasted me all year. I was able to build my entire classroom library with RAFT. I know that teachers are always spending their own money on classroom supplies, RAFT is an alternative to spending so much. Inventory changes all the time so you want to but something if you see something you like. They also have a green room which lets you laminate, use die cuts, etc. Most of it for free. The staff is very courteous and friendly. They have high school and adult volunteers to help you find items. I would recommend any teacher who had not heard of RAFT (or has not been) to come check it out. read more

Excellent service especially for how busy it was the day I went in! Courteous and pleasant cashiers!

RAFT rudely refused to honor an advertized price I usually love RAFT and they do a lot of good for educators. But recently I had a very bad experience. I waited several hours in the cold outside of the store for a big sale. A product was advertised at $15 but I was told upon finally getting to the counter two hours later that this price was typo and they would not honor it. Not only that, but this refusal was done in a way that was beyond rude. To RAFT's credit, when I emailed the store manager he agreed the employee's actions were inappropriate and said he dealt with it. However they still refused to honor the price. Whether or not it was a typo, I thought it was was the price and waited 2 hours for it. I'm really disappointed in RAFT's handling of this situation. read more

Glad I found this little gem for all my teaching and crafting supplies! Everything here is reasonably priced if not cheaper and you can get so many great ideas here. They have pre-packaged learning/crafting kits that are generally geared towards some type of learning (math, science, etc). My favorite has to be the Green Room though. You can go in there and make use of the die cuts which is amazing because that just allows for endless crafting possibilities! I went here to get some ideas for valentines day and they had put out a bunch of little sample valentines projects out. I saw one that was like a fold-up valentine heart book and it was simply precious! Best part about it? They have instructions printed out for you to take AND I don't even have to cut all the little hearts out by hand because they have a die I can use to just cut them all out at once! AMAZING! Where has this room been all my life because I've been cutting out little projects for my kids since forever and this would have saved me so much time, sleep, and scissor-cramps! ----------------------------- Shopping experience aside, because the staff is usually very nice and helpful - my volunteering experience here wasn't as amazing. They seem to be somewhat cranky towards volunteers and it actually feels like you're more of a hassle than a help. My first time volunteering here was actually due to a mistake in scheduling at the Sunnyvale location. They directed us here instead and the lady who was in charge seemed pretty annoyed that we were there. I thought, "oh maybe it's because she wasn't ready for us, that's why." But even then, my following visits to volunteer were the same. Our presence seems to be somewhat of a nuisance because whenever I asked what i can help with, their response is usually something like, "umm... well... can you just straighten up those boxes over there?" or "I guess you can just rip out these sheets of stickers...?" I was more looking forward to putting together learning kits like I did at the Sunnyvale location or help with stocking, but they pretty much take care of that themselves. Oh well. If I volunteer again for RAFT, it'll probably be at the Sunnyvale one since Chris is really nice and the work seems to be a bit more interesting there. read more

My Ratings: Quantity: 5 - Great materials Quality: 5 - Good Location: 5 - Cool Service: 5 - Friendly staff Speed: 5 - Great cooperation Overall: I suggest everyone to volunteer here. My Opinion/Story: Atleast once a year, my co-workers and I volunteer here and we always have fun. It's really interesting how some things we just throw away is actually useful and can be made into materials for projects for the kids. I love what they're doing here and I can't wait to go back and help out again. read more