As a transplant to the Bay Area I was looking for ways to better connect to the community and make…read moresome positive friendship along the way. Little did I know that I would be in for a transformative ride. I've gained invaluable training and have had opportunities to step into leadership roles to refine my leadership skills. I'm a better version of myself as a Junior Leaguer and I can proudly share that this is an incredible community of women who believe in each other and collaborate to build up a better community! Don't hesitate to reach out for info. Explore the Membership opportunity. It's a treasure!

The Junior League is a wonderful charity to support. I have been a member for many years, When I…read moremoved to London, I transferred my membership to the Junior League of London. When I moved to Portland, Oregon, I joined the league in Portland. When I moved back to the SF Bay Area, I transferred my membership back to the Jr. League of Palo Alto. I am currently a Sustainer Emeritus of the Jr. League of Palo Alto! Judy Palm

I love being a BUILD mentor. Once a week, you and two other mentors meet with a group of 4-5 high…read moreschool students and help them develop a business idea. They create a PowerPoint presentation, participate in 3 showcases and submit a written business plan based on their product. This culminates into a business plan competition where they compete against other BUILD teams from nearby high schools. It's held at Stanford's GSB and is a huge accomplishment for the kiddos. My team Star Mentality came in 2nd place and it was amazing to see them present their product with poise, maturity, and humor. The memorable moments include taking them out on a Saturday looking for outfits to wear at the competition or eating dinner with them at Chili's prepping for the showcases. The kids made this an amazing experience. I've volunteered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters since high school and this is an equally awesome program. So awesome, I'm returning as an E2 mentor. I'm getting my team ready to meet a real venture capitalist in order to secure funding to start their business. If you can't commit to mentoring, volunteer to be a tutor. You'll love it!

BUILD is one of the most well funded, connected and professionally run non-profits I've…read moreencountered. I found them through the Cisco Volunteer Fair and what stood out compared to the other after-school program is their huge college acceptance rate and their approach using entrepreneurship to incentivize students that are just bouncing at school. They have branches in the East Bay and Peninsula and I know people who are very dedicated to the cause. Their Peninsula office looks like a tech startup. I signed up to be a mentor. To be a mentor is like applying to school and job all over again. You have a phone interview, need to provide references, and write essays on why you want to be a part of BUILD. They do a background check on you because you're working with children. I volunteered on the Peninsula E1 with Woodside High School paired with a co-mentor with 5 students. Jacyln, the BUILD rep, was there every day and a great resource for us and Mr Moses, the teacher was a great person to reign in the kids. Being a mentor is an exercise time, patience, frustration and exuberance while you're crafting a product, business plan and presentation with them. At the end their hard work is presented at the BPC at Stanford School of Education in a huge hurrah! For Peninsula, if you want a more established system, go to the Sequoia High. But if you want to work with underdogs and be more unscripted then go to Woodside or Carlmont High. The other mentors are very talented and dedicated to the cause. We drive an hour and a half across the bridge from work each Thursday in order to be here. We spend more time on the road we do with our mentees but it's definitely worth it. If we could do this next year we will definitely do the E2-E4 class at their main office which is closer to the 101 Freeway.

hubby surprised me with a cheese making 101 class at collective roots this weekend. didn't know…read morethat this place existed in east palo alto and must admit was a little wary of the location, but once we got there it felt like we were at someone's private residence. there is a beautiful garden with herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, chicken coop with hens and roosters, and beehives! we made 5 different yogurts and cheeses in our short 3 hour class: -yogurt - went through the steps of yogurt making using culture from store bought yogurt -greek yogurt/yogurt cheese - let the yogurt drain and have a richer yogurt -cultured butter - yogurt culture in fresh butter -ricotta - super easy to make and enjoy -mozzarella - fresh mozzarella in 1 hour the class was enjoyable, we got to meet lots of new people and learned a lot about local produce and cheese making. the best part was using the fruits, herbs, and honey right from the grounds of collective roots! nothing like fresh, local produce. great experience...can't wait for cheese making 102!

From the owner: The Collective Roots Community Garden provides an opportunity for gardening skill-building,…read moreresource sharing, and community empowerment in East Palo Alto, CA. Operated by 501(c)3 non-profit Fresh Approach, the garden offers a place for community members to gain hands-on experience with organic gardening. Through our workshops, volunteer workdays, and community resources, we equip families with the skills and means to grow their own fresh fruits and vegetables. Residents of East Palo Alto can enjoy additional free resources, such as a tool lending library and free seeds, while qualifying residents can apply for free home garden installation and use of garden plots at the Collective Roots garden. By building a strong, sustainable network of local growers, we're improving access to healthy food while helping preserve the food sovereignty of the many cultures that call East Palo Alto their home.

Historically significant bookstore that touches upon the beatniks, musicians and bohemians…read more I love this long-lived bookstore. It opened originally across the street in 1955 by conscientious objector Roy Kepler. He had ties to and thought along the same lines as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the founder of City Lights Books in San Francisco. Ken Kesey, Jerry Garcia and loads of other literary and musical bohemians have mentioned the impact this bookstore had on their lives. Support your local bookstore and come here.

Kepler's is a cozy book store in Menlo Park. I was able to find underground parking for free on a…read moreSaturday afternoon. The staff were really friendly and accommodating when I came to see some author friends speaking on their Speculative Saturday sci-fi/fantasy panel and book signing. Lots of restaurant options in the area. After the event, some of us headed out to dinner together.

Such a lovely store. Not jammed pack and some of the nicest lady volunteers I've had.read more

This is an update to my original five star rating from almost 20 years ago. The Shop was a…read morewonderful local gem back then, but now, not so much. In the past year - since the new manager took over - The Shop has totally changed. Prices have gone way up, and the new manager is touting stuff like a whole "St. John's Knits" section which I really don't care about. I also notice that if I come in wearing my sweats & no makeup the manager doesn't say boo to me, but if I come in dressed to the nines then the manager is is super friendly, which I find shallow. She also has a weird policy on "Sales"; in the past, annual end-of-season sales were always promoted ahead of time. But the new manager insists on "flash sales" that aren't advertised, so you just have to stumble upon them by chance. All of this adds up to a poor shopping experience, so I rarely shop there now and I never donate anymore. Bring back the old manager, Robbie; she was wonderful, as are the employees who work there. In fact, the employees (outside of the current mgr) are the only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1.

St Francis Center is a great place to donate whatever clothing or small kitchen appliances. You are…read morelooking to donate. They allow people in need to fill three bags and it's free of charge to them. This truly helps people who are in need and especially the ones who are starting a new life here in California from other countries. B. Larocque

Wonderful place that helps people in need.. their donation center is lovely and the store they have…read moreis awesome!! Great place

Awesome nonprofit that proactively advocates, educates & protects nature & open spaces in the Bay…read moreArea

From the owner: POST protects open space on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of…read moreall. POST is creating a network of protected lands where people and nature connect and thrive. These lands are preserved forever so present and future generations benefit from the careful balance of rural and urban landscapes that makes our region extraordinary! POST cares about helping people discover and enjoy these special landscapes. Check out our events (guided hikes, bike rides, family outings and more!) and trail guides to help connect with nature. Learn more on our website!

It's always nice here , the service is great by John , the quality of the place is new, the…read morebathrooms are clean and it's great having ADa's cafe next to center to get all your snacks!! Very good value with free library on site , amazing staff. And there's tennis courts!!

We came here for the AAPI History Month Event over the weekend. Great space with lots of room for…read morevarious types of events. Parking can be a little challenging depending on the event you attend. This community center has free wifi provided by Palo Alto libraries. In the central outdoor area there is a large tree that provides a lot of shade, if perchance you need to escape the heat a bit.

The Riekes Center is the place I look forward to the most every week. The people there are…read moresupportive and fun. The Riekes Center is overall a great place to be.

This place is so gold. I have heard of it for many years but never came by until a few months ago,…read moreand am so glad I did. The neighborhood is definitely very fortunate to have such a valuable asset, and I just wished I had stopped by many years ago. So one thing to keep in mind, and I'm just mentioning this due to some of the negative reviews I looked through: this is a nonprofit. In other words, it's not your like equinox or rumble or some other trendy elitist organization feeding into your personal desire for feeling of entitlement (2020 amiright). Rather it's a small cohesive community of awesome and kind people winning at life and helping each other be winners as well. Nobody is going to run up and shine your shoe as you walk in, but if you need tips on a workout or support picking up a new hobby of some artistic endeavor, or just want to be a winner and be around happy healthy positive people, then it doesn't get better than this place imho!

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is truly one of the most impactful and well‑run organizations in…read moreour community. Every interaction I've had with them whether donating, volunteering, or simply learning more about their programs has left me inspired and grateful that such a dedicated team is working to fight hunger right here at home. What stands out most is their professionalism and compassion. The staff and volunteers treat every client with dignity, and you can feel how deeply they care about making sure families have access to healthy, nutritious food. Their operations are incredibly organized, and the scale at which they serve the community is nothing short of impressive. I also appreciate how transparent they are about where donations go and how efficiently they use their resources. It's rare to see an organization combine heart, innovation, and operational excellence so seamlessly. If you're considering supporting a local nonprofit, volunteering your time, or looking for a meaningful way to give back, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is an outstanding choice. They are making a real difference every single day.

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is one of our preferred charities. Lets face it, there were people…read morealready hurting before COVID hit and now that's all the more exacerbated. When it comes to food security or a lack thereof, you need a charity that literally helps put food on peoples table. They provide food for those that would otherwise have to do without. They also take fruits and vegetables (You must call ahead and set it up) along with the more typical donations. In addition you can also volunteer to help sort and setup. They have a website to help direct you. However, it is very popular and sometimes days are already filled up. As with all charities they need our help. How can you help? 1) Food donations. Every bit helps 2) Volunteer to help out 3) Cash is king. Consider a cash donation so they can pay for operations and buy essential items that they don't get donated. I mean how many cans of pumpkin filling can you make someone eat right?