In 2025, I lost everything. Brother Benno's Food Bank is the…read morebest in San Diego -- not just because of the food, but because of the people. The breakfasts and sack lunches kept me going when I had nothing. Blankets and tents help people survive cold nights. That support carried me through the hardest days. Alex, Darryl, and Melyssa each played a meaningful role in helping me and my family. Alex treated me with dignity and patience when I was homeless after domestic violence and a fire, and helped me rebuild through housing navigation and rental assistance. Darryl was a huge part of the 2024 rental assistance that helped both me and my son's father both keep our homes, protecting our child during an unstable time. Melyssa at Alpha Project brought compassion and steady support when it mattered most. Homelessness has changed. I saw grandmas and grandpas out there --in fact the elderly are incredibly vulnerable and make up highest percentage of new homelessness -- and this organization meets people with real humanity. Every person there is a blessing. Forever grateful. Don't lose hope

the thrift store HAS OUTRAGEOUS PRICES. You would think at this time when people are struggling a…read morestore that gets EVERYTHING THEY SELL FOR FREE would MAYBE PRICE THEIR STUFF RESONABLY. They're so afraid someone might re-sell and make a little money. Not worth shopping there anymore.

Great thrift store with the best prices I've ever seen, and a really nice variety. Sweet ladies…read moreworking there who are helpful and friendly. This is also the best type of place to donate to, because it actually goes straight back to the community. Unlike Goodwill...which goes to their CEO. I bought several lovely items for just $2!

The sweetest elderly work here and profits go to local causes around town. Pricing is reasonable.read more

This is a non-profit organization promoting composting. They are open Tues and Thurs from 8:30-4…read moreand sell composters, both the standard kind for yard waste and vermi-composters for kitchen/food waste at subsidized rates for residents of Encinitas and neighboring towns (see their website). I bought both types today for a steal at only $40 each and met a super friendly and helpful guy named Mike. He told me they do free composting seminars and gave me a flyer with dates and locations (see my photo). All in all a great experience and I wanted to spread the word. Note: they are a bit hard to find, from El Camino Real turn east onto Via Molena (towards the Sheriff station) and continue past the recycling bins all the way to the end of the driveway

Great place to recycle electronics. Friendly helpful people making a difference for our community.read more

These guys were amazing. Had a large estate that needed to be cleared and Brandon and crew of five…read moredid it in a few hours. The owner, Tucker, stopped by to check on progress and Megan was great to communicate with in getting the job done. HIGHLY recommend. Also they were the most cost effective of everyone and have a mission to donate wherever possible to minimize waste in landfills. Great job. Please use!

Incredible organization! I can't say enough good things about the facility, the team, and the…read moremission. Everyone cares so deeply about those they help and serve. I get a real sense of peace every time I visit. The world needs more places like Casa de Amparo. Thank you for all that you do for children and families in need!

One of my favorite non-profits. I have been here to tour the facilities, and have volunteered my…read moretime to help with the kids, teens, and young adults for five years through their wish list program at the holiday season. Tania is the woman that I've been communicating with at Casa de Amparo, and she has done a tremendous job at coordinating and communicating effectively. Every staff member that I've met has been loving and friendly. This place deserves a lot more credit than it gets because they are involved in extremely difficult situations at times, and they are doing so much to help. I just learned that Amparo translates to protection, shelter, and help. Many of the kids at Casa de Amparo are being provided a safe shelter.

I was at an all-time low in my life. I had been homeless living outside in tents and sleeping bags…read morefor over thirteen years. On hard drugs because that's what you end up doing when you have nothing and no one, no family,etc. I remember sitting at a mcdonald's one day, I was sick and it was a cold winter. That was last year. A good person whom I had known for several years noticed how bad I was looking. He handed me a white page with all the shelters in San Diego. On that page I noticed a place in Escondido listed and I called the number. They didn't respond to me at first, but after being persistent in leaving messages they finally called me back. I was let Into interfaith and the haven house the next day. Surgio, my rep immediately started to help me understand what I needed to do to get my life back. It's a long story. I stade at the interfaith services haven house for six months. It didn't happen right away but, I kept looking for work and eventually found a good job with a promising future. I'm no longer homeless I have a nice car, and im clean. I had been trying very hard the last four years to get myself back up again, nothing was working. Then I found Interfaith Services. Francis Harkey

Interfaith is useless.... I only go there to do my taxes..... I wish the workers (regular) would…read moredo the job my taxes pay for....

Everything has gone very well. Of course being homeless and getting housing is first and foremost…read morein my mind, the process is slow, but I love these people for their support! From the guard at the entrance, to Stacey at the intake , them and the ladies at the corner store all are super nice and helpful. I tell everyone about them.

This is such a wonderful organization! They have so many programs, for seniors, for food…read moreinsecurity, for immigration and other things. Folks contacting them should keep in mind that things are sometimes *slow* now because of staff layoffs forced by federal budget cuts! And meanwhile, so many more people need help, whether with groceries, legal services, mental health or other things! But once clients are processed in the system, the staff is really wonderful and treats clients like family. The Corner Market provides a "shopping experience" for folks who are having trouble with grocery bills where people get to choose their own items, rather than getting stuck with a standard basket of flour, cheese, etc. They have fresh produce, sometimes brought from volunteers' trees, or rescued from grocery stores. They also provide free legal services with regard to immigration (though keep in mind again that there are only so many of them, and right now they don't have as much staff as they used to when they had grants). Overall, a wonderful organization, with really loving and caring staff. (if you're thinking of volunteering, it's a great place to do it! You need to be cleared with a background check, training and fingerprinting, to protect clients!)

Volunteering with Solutions for Change has been one of the most inspiring and purpose-driven…read moreexperiences of my life. From my very first day, it was clear that this organization is guided by a deep commitment to transforming lives, not just meeting temporary needs. Their mission--to permanently solve family homelessness through accountability, empowerment, and opportunity--is not just a statement on paper. It is lived out in every conversation, every program, and every interaction I witnessed. What sets Solutions for Change apart is their unwavering belief in the potential of every individual. Their values of leadership, responsibility, community, and long-term transformation shine through in the way they support families. Instead of offering quick fixes, they focus on equipping people with the tools, skills, and confidence to rebuild their lives in a sustainable way. This approach doesn't just change circumstances--it changes futures. As a volunteer, I felt valued and included in a mission much bigger than myself. The staff leads with compassion and clarity, always emphasizing dignity and empowerment. Watching parents take bold steps toward stability and seeing children thrive in a safe, supportive environment reminded me that real change happens when people are given both hope and responsibility. My time at Solutions for Change strengthened my belief that lasting transformation is possible when an organization listens deeply, leads boldly, and works alongside the people they serve. I'm grateful to have played even a small part in their mission and would encourage anyone seeking a meaningful volunteer experience to get involved. This is truly a place where change is not only possible--it's happening every day

If you're donating to this organization because you believe you're supporting trained professionals…read morehelping families rebuild their lives, you should take a very close look at how things actually operate here. The public messaging is polished: structured routines, trauma-informed care, professional oversight, and a stable environment for parents and their children. But the internal reality is the opposite -- and it raises serious ethical and safety concerns that donors would never sign off on if they saw them firsthand. A huge portion of the "leadership" enforcing rules and issuing consequences aren't professionals at all. They are individuals fresh out of treatment, moved into authority positions with no credentials, no training, no background in family services, and no experience managing vulnerable populations. Yet they're the ones threatening residents with termination and making decisions that determine whether a parent keeps or loses stability for their child. This isn't trauma-informed care. It's a revolving hierarchy built on fear, inconsistency, and unchecked power. When people who finished their own recovery programming only weeks prior are suddenly responsible for supervising parents, enforcing consequences, and deciding who stays or goes, it stops being a support program and starts looking like an unstable, unregulated experiment. And families -- especially children -- are the ones paying the price for that instability. Add to that: * rules that change depending on who's on shift * decisions made with no transparency or documentation * residents routinely threatened with housing loss over minor or unclear issues * supervisors who contradict one another because no one receives standardized training * and a culture where the program's image matters more than its outcomes ...and the whole "transformational" narrative starts to unravel quickly. The level of hypocrisy is impossible to miss. The organization demands stability, consistency, and accountability from families while providing none of those things in return. Donors are told they're funding professional support. What they're actually funding is a system where unqualified individuals -- still working through their own recovery -- are given authority over families who need real expertise, real guidance, and real safety. If you're a donor, you should ask: * Who is actually trained here? * Who is supervising families? * What qualifications do these "leaders" have? * How are families being treated? * And where is the accountability for the power being handed out? The image being sold to the public is not the experience families are living inside the program. And if donors genuinely care about ethical, effective, family-centered support, this is not something that should be ignored.