One of three city-run senior centers, the West Berkeley Senior Center offers workshops, classes and group activities for seniors. Hot lunches are served daily at the center, where seniors can also gather for conversation or to take classes in a wide array of subjects, from yoga to ceramics to Russian. Other activities include movie nights, grocery shopping trips, health screenings and financial “checkups.” The senior centers also organize excursions to museums, concerts, casinos and other destinations. For up-to-date information, visit a senior center to pick up a copy of the Tri-Center Nugget or visit this link.
The Persian Center offers social and recreational activities for individuals who are part of the Iranian community. It has an art exhibit room, a reading room and library, three formal reception rooms and a kitchen. It also has regular Farsi classes, as well as Persian music lessons and classes in Sahaja Yoga meditation. In addition, it has begun to create the “Hall of Reflections”, a visual history of Iranian immigrants in Northern California. The Persian Center is a California preserved historical landmark.
One of three city-run senior centers, the South Berkeley Senior Center offers workshops, classes and group activities for seniors aged 60 and up. Hot lunches are served daily at the center, where seniors can also gather for conversation or to take classes in a wide array of subjects, from yoga to ceramics to Russian. Other center activities include movie nights, grocery shopping trips, health screenings and financial “check-ups.” The senior centers also organize excursions to museums, concerts, casinos and other destinations. For up-to-date information, visit a senior center to pick up a copy of the Tri-Center Nugget or visit this link.
Rudramandir Center for Spirituality and Healing is a meditation and recreation center dedicated to the spiritual and physical well-being of its members. Rudramandir offers healing arts, performing arts, holistic healers and meditation, Qi Gong and yoga classes.
Rudramandir offers banquet rooms available to rent for weddings and other events, as well as permanent leasing options for rooms and space.
Visit the Rudramandir website for class schedules and descriptions, a calendar of upcoming concerts and links to the donation page. Rudramandir is managed by Sacred Space Yoga Sanctuary, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and relies on its donor's charity.
MLK Jr. Youth Services Center is a community center and home to the Young Adult Project, a city-operated youth program. It provides a variety of services, including tutoring, counseling, leadership development and violence prevention with the intention of reducing juvenile delinquency. Young people interested in joining the program must be referred by a counselor or teacher. In addition, the center is also available for rental by the general community for special events and recreational activities. The center's facilities include 3 meeting rooms, a gym with a seating capacity of 370, a kitchen, computer lab and an outdoor area for picnics. Rental information is available on the website.
The Friendship Center was founded in 1998 by the Inter Friendship House Association. Its mission is to provide support to Chinese students and scholars that immigrate to the United States to further this studies, and to encourage these students to support their fellow Chinese students upon their return to China. The Friendship Center provides housing for students, meeting space, seminars, workshops and traditional Chinese celebrations.
Part of Project Open Hand, Meals on Wheels delivers hot meals to homebound seniors aged 60 years and over. Meals range from classic American favorites to diverse specialties from around the world. All meals are prepared with no added salt and are low in fat. There is a recommended contribution of $3.50 per meal, or whatever is feasible. Meals on Wheels is always looking for volunteers, especially drivers!
The Empty Gate Zen Center provides a calm and relaxing environment to practice Zen meditation. The center offers Zen practice sessions throughout the week, as well as ‘Beginner’s Night’ on Wednesdays between 7pm and 9pm. Membership is not necessary, but members do receive discounts and access to special retreats and events.
Kensington Community Center, located above the library and below Hilltop Elementary School, is a hub for local activities. Classes, after-school enrichment programs, local associations and committees alike meet here to play, meet and create. The center is located near a beautiful park, small trails and play areas.
La Peña Cultural Center is a nonprofit performing arts and culture center in Berkeley. The center hosts classes, cultural exhibitions and public events relating to Latin American culture and a variety of other cultures from around the world. The center also sells Latin, homestyle food from its in-house restaurant, Café Valparaíso.
Marsh Berkeley, located in the Gia Arts Center, is the local venue of The Marsh, a Breeding Ground for New Performance. The theater hosts live performance shows such as dramatic plays and comedy acts. The Marsh strives to present shows that are on the cutting-edge of modern performance arts, and to provide an intimate and interactive experience for both the artists and the audience. The Marsh Berkeley is located downtown, one block front the Bart station.
The Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza and transit area is a community center that was the subject of a major renovation process orchestrated by the Berkeley Downtown Business Association. It is a modernized transit station with sustainable, environmentally sound design, trees and gardens, ample seating and lighting, a bus shelter and secure access to trains. The plaza also features a "cafe zone" with local restaurants and shops.
The East Bay Center for the Blind provides a friendly atmosphere in which blind men and women can meet and develop living skills. There are life enrichment classes in Braille instruction, exercise and movement, computer instruction and arts and crafts. There is also a Braille and audio library, and a support group for people who have recently become blind. In addition, the center runs special events like an annual picnic, harvest festival, talent show and bingo nights.
The Live Oak Community Center is a multipurpose facility that can be reserved and rented by community members for a variety of functions. The center includes a social hall that can accommodate up to 200 people, several community rooms for meetings, classes and events of varying size, a kitchen and a fireside room with a hearth. Outside, two children’s playgrounds, a soccer field, and tennis, volleyball and basketball courts provide a field of play for youth of all ages. After-school programs and summer programs are also available here. For a current guide to activities, visit the Web site or stop by in person to pick up an Activity Guide.
This city recreation center is 4.24 acres in size and has a softball field, volleyball court and two lit tennis courts with a practice wall. There is a small picnic area with a barbecue grill as well as two playgrounds for small children. They also have a gym that city residents can use for a variety of sports-related activities. Please note that the tot play area is handicapped accessible, but the school-age play area is not.
One of three city-run senior centers, the North Berkeley Senior Center offers workshops, classes and group activities for seniors aged 60 and up. Hot lunches are served daily at the center, where seniors also can gather for conversation or to take classes in a wide array of subjects, from yoga to ceramics to Russian. Other center activities include movie nights, grocery shopping trips, health screenings and financial “check-ups.” The senior also organize excursions to museums, concerts, casinos and other destinations. For up-to-date information, visit a senior center to pick up a copy of the Tri-Center Nugget or visit the website.
The Frances Albrier Community Center provides rental space for various activities. There is a landscaped patio, a kitchen with a commercial oven and stove, and a Social Hall that can be reserved for meetings or large groups. The center's arts and crafts room and multipurpose room can each accommodate up to 40 people.
The Homeless Action Center offers professional legal services to homeless and mentally ill people throughout Alameda County. The Center provides assistance with supplemental security income, food stamps, Medi-Cal, social security disability insurance and cash-assistance programs for immigrants. The Center also staffs law student interns throughout the year who help to interview people and draft appellate briefs.
Community members can make donations to the Homeless Action Center via check, money order or Paypal.