Ruth Brinker started Project Open Hand in 1985 to provide meals to neighbors suffering from AIDS…read more Seven neighbors receiving food made with love became her mission where people with AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses as well as the elderly now receive meals and groceries. Seeing my son's ample free time one summer and the need for volunteers, I signed up my son for 10-15 hours a week. After school started, he continued volunteering 3 hours a week, filling in shifts as needed during breaks including holidays. It's not glamorous work, weighing and vacuum sealing beans, rice, chicken and other groceries, but it's important work: I emphasize that people rely on him to receive nutritious food they might not otherwise have. Giving back, caring about people, making time for others less fortunate, being selfless- these are qualities I've instilled in my son. He now enjoys the work, it feeds his soul. I'm proud he volunteers weekly for Project Open Hand for almost two years.

Here is a gem of a org that doesn't boast enough of its amazing work! they strive to provide some…read moreof the healthiest meals in the community. Big difference from the other non-profit food providers. The times that I have volunteered there, you get a sense that the employees really are passionate about their work.

Every member, faculty and staff here is nice, except for one terrible staff, Jay. I used the…read moreprinter once, and he thought I was wasting ink (Although this rule is not written in the lease, agreement, contract, or posted notice) so kicked me out. my course certificate (which I spent $100 just to qualify for 3D printing) here became worthless. After I was kicked out, they refused to refund my membership fee and locker fee, but continued to charge me monthly rent and locker fees until I updated my credit card. And they refused to accept all of my emails, even though they were very important to me.

Tried to take a tour of this place with my husband and kids, only for the receptionist/front desk…read morelady tell us that there's no kids allowed inside. If that was the case, then why put this on your website in your FAQs?? My oldest is 13 so it should be ok for him to look around. Though with my youngest being 7 and will be supervised by me, she's still not able to get in as well? Either word your policy better or put it under the tours question that no kids aren't allowed. Wasted our time there.

Didn't realize such a cool place existed!…read more Tucked away on the 2nd floor of a building on mission street, this place is hard to notice even if you walk by--it took me a while to find it even though I already looked up the address online. Inside, the place is filled with crazy gadgets and electronics. Mitch, the instructor for the soldering class, is crazy helpful, and the soldering class was actually really fun--I almost forgot how therapeutic soldering can be. Kind of like meditation. There was also another web design/programming class going on on the other side of the building. The class was full, and folks there seem to be enjoying themselves also. Overall, a pretty cool place to chill out and visit.

I moved from Seattle to the bay just to have a community like this to enjoy. The place is just what…read moreI needed. Much thanks to all the volunteers and donators who keep places like this active.

Global Exchange is one of the organizations that got me into anti-corporate activism. This was way…read moreback in 1997, and although I'm still not as socially responsible or active as I can and should be, I've learned a lot, read a lot, and participated a fair amount. Global Exchange is the rare nonprofit whose judgments and campaigns I almost always agree with. That's very difficult to say generally, as I've been turned off by some bad decisions by some very prominent groups in the past. But when it's Global Exchange, I know its heart is in the right place--and that whatever it's advocating for or against is probably the best solution. I really thought when I moved to San Francisco that I would get more directly involved with Global Exchange, but things happen, as we all know. Still, I do think about GX's wonderful campaigns and information every time I pass by their headquarters near the corner of Mission and 16th Street. It's fitting and perfect that they're upstairs from a McDonald's, across the street from a Burger King, and right next to a high-crime intersection and BART station.

Global Exchange has been around for a long time and is based on finding realistic and workable…read moresolutions to our economic and social problems at home and abroad. Their targets have been to get Fair Trade to replace Free Trade as a basis for our commerce, giving people a chance to travel abroad and practice citizen diplomacy in the major trouble spots where it's needed the most, supporting peace- making in place of militarism, and much more. They also sponsor the Green Festival to give organizations involved in ecological and enviromental movements a chance to exhibit and promote their causes and well as vendors to exhibit their wares. I have volunteered for the green festival twice and really got a lot out of it. I highly recommend participating or attending. I have been on one of their reality tours to Cuba. It was more than a decade ago, but it stands out as a memorable experience. I got a chance to meet a lot of ordinary Cubans, see the countryside, and do what I could to help. It was magical. No other word will do to describe the experience. They are always in need of volunteers at whatever level of skills, technical ability or artistry and whatever your time and circumstances allow. They are serious about their work and getting things done, but they don't let that stop them from having fun doing whatever they do. They sponsor many occasions for getting together with other people who are working toward the same goals and exchanging ideas on how to accomplish them. Global Exhange is the parent of Code Pink: Women for Peace. It's not just for women though. Men are just as welcome to participate in their actions and efforts to reform our government and make it live up to the ideals of the Constitution and democracy. As with many other groups, how they are portrayed by the media is far from the reality. They are firmly rooted in non-violent activism and civil disobedience. They do it with a sense of humor and even siliness. That pink stuff is protective coloration. It's hard to beat up on someone who's making you laugh as you arrest them and hustle them off to jail.

Have you ever thought of giving yourself the gift of "Humility?"…read more In a society overrun by materialism, we often forget about those who lack the basic necessities just to survive on a daily basis. I will admit that I use to be one of those offenders, you know the ones who see a homeless/less fortunate person and say, "Awwww, I feel sorry for him/her..." then turn a blind eye. As obvious as it may seem (yet we tend to ignore), feeling sorry for someone isn't going to help them unless you proactively help to change the situation. One day, I had an epiphany and felt like something was missing in my life. This is where One Brick came into my life to help fill in the gap. I've wanted to volunteer for a while now but with a busy work and social schedule, I couldn't commit for 6 months and 3-4 hours a week like many organizations require. After searching on Yelp, I came across One Brick, a non-profit organization that makes volunteering easy with NO long-term commitment. (Thanks, Sam T. for giving me more insight about One Brick and making my decision much easier!) SIGNING UP FOR A VOLUNTEERING EVENT 1) Create a One Brick account, which takes less than 2 minutes. 2) Go to the Calendar and choose from a number of volunteering opportunities: prepping supplies, food repackaging, food distribution, park clean-ups and gardening are among some of the examples. Each event has a description of what you will be doing and what to wear (*ahem* Ladies, NO stilettos! Lol!). 3) Once you find an event that tickles your fancy, you RSVP on the website. You can set a reminder to be emailed to you up to 7 days before the event. If you can't attend, you can always cancel. 4) Most events last for 2-3 hours with an option to go to lunch or dinner with other volunteers afterwards. MY VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE It's been a month since joining One Brick and so far I've volunteered at two events (with more to come): *Food Distribution to Families at the Mission Bay Community Church: http://ecfoodpantry.missionbaycc.org/. *Supply Prep for the Homeless At The Crossroads: http://atthecrossroads.org/. Before starting each event, you check-in with a volunteer manager(s), get a name tag and there is a short intro of the organization, as well as, the other volunteers. I love that the managers explains HOW your individual efforts contributes to the overall efforts of the organization and HOW it will help those individuals/families in need. They even provide drinks and snacks for the volunteers! Thus far, none of the work was strenuous by any means. For the food distribution, we had to open boxes, organize, and hand out food items (e.g. rice, soup, veggies, etc.) to Excelsior families in need. And, for the supply prep, there were 5 stations: candy packing, toiletry packing, folding scarves, hanging up coats and sweaters and cleaning supplies. On a first come basis, you get to choose what station you want to work at (I choose to pack candy). The managers and all the other volunteers are very friendly and take the initiative to get to know you. Being able to socialize while performing our tasks made the time fly by quickly. In addition, it was refreshing to socialize with people out of work and the nightlife scene. With only two volunteer events under my belt, it has been a very humbling experience to say the least. To see those who are less fortunate and the smile you put on their faces has truly been life changing. Although physical gifts are nice, nothing exceeds the intrinsic reward you get when you know YOU are making a difference in HUMAN LIVES! I can't say enough, how I HIGHLY recommend One Brick as an avenue to begin volunteer work. In just 2-3 hours of your time, you can improve the quality of life for others, extend your social network and give yourself the gift of a humble heart. Without the help of volunteers, One Brick and other organizations would NOT be able to do what they do. So, as we are approaching a new year, why not start it off right by GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY ONE DAY AT A TIME...all that's required is a SMILE and a HELPING HAND! :)

My Fellow Chicagoans may not know too much about One Brick. I met some One Brickers while…read morevolunteering to clean up Humboldt Park on Earth Day and they seemed like a nice friendly lot. Plus, they went for food and drinks afterward and invited me along, it's like Yelp +Volunteering! So it seems a perfect match to push their cause here. It took me a while to volunteer after that initial meet, but it was so easy! You can sign up on their email list and register directly from there or go to their website and do it. My event last week was cooking for the Lincoln Park Community Shelter. One Brick brought about 12 people together that chipped in for the food, the organizer made up the menu and brought the groceries and put us to work! I had no idea I could fry up 30 breasts of chicken in an hour but call me Mel I guess! "Order up Dingbat!" The volunteers did range from the experienced (100+ events done) to the novice (me and another), but we were made to feel welcomed and there was no snobbery or lack of getting to know people. There's such a variety of volunteer opportunities and you can sign up whenever you want and not feel pressured.There are also Social Events (hello Yelpers) where One Brickers meet to drink and socialize and perhaps rally around a cause like bringing school supplies for needy kids. I'll definitely volunteer with them again. (Getting down from my Soap Box now so you may climb up!)

What an amazingly creative atmosphere! It's a tiny shop filled with magical little things to…read moreinspire creativity of kids and adults alike. All proceeds go to their tutoring program. Definitely stop by and make a purchase or donation and enjoy the woodland vibe. They have a seed bank too!

After our mini golf, delicious food and drinks adventure, we ventured out into the nearby…read moreneighborhood. Our second stop was supposed to be SomiSomi located just steps away from Spark Social, but it isn't open yet. Bummer. But then we saw 826 Valencia - Mission Bay Center Woodland Creature Outfitters, and we both were excited to check it out. We felt the magic as soon as we entered. This place looks like it was built for forest nymphs, magic creatures, and those who believes. Lots of interesting cool products, mix with things you may find from magic potion shops, and artsy workshops. We also learned that this organization is a writing center that serves under-resourced students. And this center is also part of a long-term redevelopment plan for this neighborhood to integrate low-income housing into market-rate housing to become one of San Francisco's most thoughtfully integrated neighborhoods/communities.

Home Repair in the Bayview area of San Francisco. No construction experience necessary, repair is…read morean all day shift, and you can't choose what kind of work you are doing. We had a fun and exhausting day and had a great crew leader and coordinator that worked with the vibe of our group to make it the most optimal. Our group's task was primering the outside of a home and helping clean the inside. Painting the outside was definitely the craziest part, leaning huge 2 story ladders with the bottom being on an angled sidewalk and made true by jamming scrapwood underneath one leg and the top part leaning on a house that was falling apart. Our crew leader did it with such comfort and confidence it made us feel more confidant about the safety. It was cool to see how a primer layer improved the look of the home and made it feel refreshed. I also enjoyed helping clean the inside, not sharing pictures of those for privacy but it was one of the most interesting houses with amazing history I've ever been inside of. Thanks for the fun experience, it made the end of day beers that much better!

I've been on 3 different projects, 2 in Menlo Park (read East Palo Alto) and 1 in Daly City, the…read morecondo development. It's been a lot of fun. I like that they do the safety talk at the start of each day. Also they have safety equipment such as helmets, ear plugs, knee pads. The knee pads are "well used" but are good enough to do the trick. Really nice folks at every site. I'm one to ask a lot of questions, and everyone has been really patient in answering. It's a good volunteer environment. The work itself can be hard work! But it's satisfying, and I was able to take the breaks I needed. It's also fascinating to learn about home construction. I've put down a subfloor, removed old laminate and hardwood flooring, and put down pergo. Plus done some random demolition. I've also seen inside of lots of walls, and have a better sense of how homes were constructed in the 50's. yikes. BTW I learned something important about Habitat. They don't give away houses--they sell them to families at a % of family income over time (30 years?). Then if the family wants to sell, they sell BACK to Habitat, and then they can use their built-up equity to buy something else. The neat thing is that the Habitat system is focused on affordability and smooths out bubbles by basing on salary. (US gov't, are you listening?) Also families that buy from Habitat have to do 500 hours of volunteer work. It's good stuff.

I attended the Hot glass, cold beer event in April. Highlights…read more- If you buy a VIP ticket, you get an assigned seat. If you buy the regular ticket, it's standing room only, and can become fatiguing after 3 hours. - Free beer; they had a Kolsch and an IPA on top. Plus wine. - Food is available; catered by Tato restaurant. - The action is great. Very fun to see the process of making a deluxe glass vase

I did a private lesson here in November with Momo. She was…read moreeasy to understand made the directions really clear, was there to help but not not looking over your shoulder you way. I really appreciate that because sometimes you take art classes and the instructor covers in a way that makes me feel uncomfortable. This was not the case at all, she was there to help with any questions I had, and support me and whatever I wanted to make. It was so much fun and I think I may be addicted to making glass now. I start a group class in a week and I'm looking really really forward to.