Community Happens Here is one of Pleasant Ridge's gems. It is an intentional space open for…read morecommunity engagement, co-working spaces, sidewalk hospitality and more. We live in the area and have watched it grow to what it is today and it is a place my family looks to for activities weekly. The founder Ruth Ann, is the most engaging, caring neighbor I have ever met. I'm so glad that we have someone who was thoughtful and intentional on creating a space to nurture the kids in the community from the start of school and after, pour into the parents and neighbors all while creating opportunities for connection.

Blue Manatee Literacy Project is one of my favorite places in Cincinnati. They have such a great…read moreassortment of gifts and books for every age, and are constantly getting new things! Their mission is what really makes them stand out in the community though! Every book you purchase, whether child, adult, in person or online, they donate a book to a school in need! I love knowing that by expanding my daughter's library we are also helping out kids right here in Cincinnati who may not have access to new books without programs like BMLP.

Unfortunately I have not been able to take my kids in-person to visit yet. Looking forward to…read morethings going back to normal and getting to experience the store in-person. I ordered some Christmas gifts online and they were a great price and shipped quickly. I had accidentally checked local delivery instead of shipping. An employee called me and changed to shipping and didn't charge me shipping prices even after I offered to pay. Very lovely employees.

This is a great place. Individuals living with disabilities attend this program as a 4 year school…read more They learn how to be more independent by taking many classes. I have volunteered in their awesome kitchen and taught some crock pot cooking classes. There are many opportunities as a volunteer here. I have found it very rewarding. We have had just as much fun as the students!

"You don't know what you've gotten yourself into," smirked Nikki. "Once you walk through these…read moredoors, you can't stay away!" Four years ago, Nikki started StarfireU as a shy, silent 21-year-old. Today she enthusiastically led me on a tour of her school. StarfireU is a four-year college geared towards individuals with developmental disabilities. Their goal is to enrich lives through unlimited opportunities that build independence and community inclusion. Students have the opportunity to improve social skills, create art, photography, learn yoga, cook, and everything in between. Many go on to lead independent lives and become involved in the community. I sat in on a seminar where the Senior class discussed their capstone projects. Ideas ranged from documenting Cincinnati murals through photography, to fundraising for homeless advocates, to adapting a play from a favorite book. I was beyond impressed with the initiative and support within these classroom walls. StarfireU has been educating adults with disabilities since 1993. Over the years, it has grown from a single classroom to a state-of-the-art facility with computers, roundtable classrooms, and dry erase walls. They're always open to working with volunteers around the community, so if you're in need of a smile and a life-changing opportunity, get involved here!

Only good things to say about STAF having adopted several cats there over many years. Recent…read moreadoption was a previously adopted cat returned after a rather traumatic home situation. Volunteers (Jean, Amanda, Julie, Amy) were so helpful, supportive, friendly. I can't praise them enough. In just 5 days my "scaredy" cat has left his hiding place, explored the house and is happily settling in. I think this reflects the good care he received at STAF while awaiting a new home.

We recently adopted 2 cats from STAF, Buddy and Asher. We are so pleased with the entire process…read moreand the results. Everyone at STAF is so dedicated. They do absolutely everything they can to make sure that all of the animals' best interests are considered and taken care of. What I appreciated so much is how much detail I received from them. I knew what each cat was eating, their history, medical information and more. We received a huge goodie bag filled with food for each cat, litter, toys, treats and more. Having this makes the transition from the shelter to home go so much better. We worked with Jean who is amazing! Thank you so much for your concern, the details you provided and your honesty. (You alerted us to a potential minor issue with one of the cats which never happened.) We absolutely love our cats and owe so much to the dedication of the volunteers at STAF who made this happen. Susan & Mark

This is an organization that has been around for 30 years helping women express themselves through…read morewriting. They offer a variety of classes in all types and genres. Women of all ages and backgrounds attend their classes. The focus is more on expressing yourself and putting your thoughts and memories on paper than on grammar and word choice. I recently attended a mother/daughter workshop with my mother and grandmother. The two hour workshop focused on these relationships and what we have learned from the other in the relationship. The instructor that led us was kind and even shared some of her own writing. We would write for a bit and then share our ideas and writing and then write and share etc... The stretches of writing were about 15-20 minutes, not to long for a novice like me. The other women in the workshop were incredibly nice and there was a lot of laughter and a few tears. Their facility is huge and is on 2 floors. They have a variety of areas with different types of furniture to best meet your writing preference. At the workshop, they had drinks, fruit, and some pastry available if you wanted it. There are several bathrooms. Parking is in a public lot about 100 feet down the street. I am unsure of the prices of their regular classes, but looking at the price of this workshop, I thought they seemed a little high. On the other hand, if you are looking for a place to express yourself and bond with other women, it would be worth the cost. I am not a writer and will probably never attend another class here. But, if I had a passion for writing, I would spend multiple nights a week in their classes.

What a gorgeous space! Great views from the windows, high tech environment and the art on the walls…read moreis gallery worthy. What I like about this place is that I absolutely have no idea what they actually do here. I've been here dozens of times and they have played host to the continuum of care for homeless service providers in Cincinnati as well as offered community trainings for resources to help veterans, student loan forgiveness for folks working in non-profits along with other things that promote positive change in the community. I've really enjoyed the space they provide here to affect so much change in our area and want to give them the kudos they deserve. Not so humbly submitted, Michael C.

The Brewhaus Bakery is an adorable storefront in the heart of downtown Madeira. They supply not…read moreonly dogs, but also humans, with very tasty treats and even some gifts! Upon walking in you get the feel of a cozy gift shop and bakery combined. There is some pretty awesome dog decor all around. So much to see... there are all kinds of gifts and goodies from local vendors around the perimeter walls. How about some local honey or chocolate for you, and an adorable bowtie for your pet?! Then there is the real star, the dog biscuits. They are handmade from spent grains (at the end process of beer brewing) from many local breweries. Each bag lists what brewery the spent grains are from, and the tag names the staff member that made them! Who could forget to mention that the whole purpose of this business is non for profit. They employ special needs adults, and do programs with special needs teens! Everyone here was very kind and helpful. The final high point for me personally, of course, is the human treats! They have a baker who is very talented. I took home a maple oat scone, which was delicious! This is a great place to indulge for yourself, your pet, and find some great gifts for any occasion while supporting a good cause and shopping local!!!

Great service & super responsive. The person I worked with sent me lots of different options to…read morechoose from for my puppy's cake. He ended up loving it so much! The price is so reasonable & fair. I also always get the treats whenever I see them sold. I love that this business gives back to the community. Can't wait to support them in the future!

Absolutely horrible unknowledgeable customer service from the business office. If this is the way…read morethat the clerical dept conducts business I can't imagine the rest is much better

Talbert House Review First off, let me say I did appreciate…read morethe thought of continuing my career with Talbert House. However, I stepped away from my position with Talbert House the same week I began training due to unsafe/hazardous work conditions. The people I met, who were supposed to be my coworkers were amazing people and very helpful for the few days that I was there. Unfortunately, I discovered during my second day on site that the building I was in had a bedbug infestation that I had to learn about through clients and staff members. I was informed while trying to reach my office, not to lean on the walls and that I could not utilize my office (that my boss just asked me to work in 5 mins prior) because they would be bombing for a bedbug infestation. I was not made aware of this during my interview, trainings, or the previous day that I was on site. At the same time, I found out that the building did not have proper ventilation as well. I reached out to my boss to let her know I was uncomfortable continuing my training in this building and she let me know to go across the hall because they have not had bedbug problems. I informed her that I would not be returning and she did not reply at all. I reached out to HR two separate times via email to let them know my concerns and about my resignation there's been no response. I received a text message a few days later that my direct deposit information had been changed without my authorization. I did not receive my check on time. Instead, I had to reach out to payroll who informed me they never received my direct deposit information (even though I had a message that it was changed from my bank account information to someone else's/ I set up my direct deposit a week prior to starting training). I asked to speak with HR and left a voicemail about my recent discrepancies and was still ignored. This is my experience with Talbert House. Fortunately, I was able to return home, shower and wash my clothes. That is not the same luxury that the people in the short term facility on Burnet have. I am disappointed to learn that they were not able to attend to the bedbug situation before it became an infestation. I am also saddened about the ventilation in the building and look forward to their move so that the people they serve can have somewhere comfortable to sleep at night and safe enough to be during the day. This short term facility is for people who have recently been incarcerated and are working on being re-introduced to the community, they also struggle with either addiction or mental health issues. I was hoping working for Talbert house would be a part of the solution not a part of the problem. Due to their situation and most of them needing to rebuild as they return to the community. Most will be taking the bugs with them when they leave and more than likely will not have the extra money for treatment once they are settled in their new place. I am also extremely disappointed at the lack of communication. I expected better.

There are a couple of therapists at this location. June is a supervisory LISW, and she's real funny…read moreand down to earth. Check out her website and see if she might be a fit. I'm hoping she gets me mentally well while encouraging the growth of my T-shirt collection.