Good questions.

Drop-in, no appointment needed. Just show up during event hours with your item and we'll get you set up with a volunteer. We may ask you to add your name to a waitlist if things get busy, but there's no pre-registration.

Yes, completely free for visitors. Repair Cafés around the world work this way: skilled volunteers give their time, and the community benefits. We may have a tip jar or small donation box for those who want to contribute to future events, but it's never expected or required.

Most things you can carry in: lamps, fans, radios, chargers and other small electronics and appliances; clothing, bags and other textiles; furniture; bicycles; and toys, ceramics and jewelry.

Please leave large appliances, phones, earbuds, cameras, watches, toasters, ovens and anything hazardous at home. See the full list of what we fix.

We ask that you bring up to two items per person per event so that every visitor gets quality time working hands-on with a volunteer. If it's a quiet event, we're happy to tackle more.

Check in at the welcome table. We'll ask you to fill out a waiver and an intake form describing your item, then pair you with a volunteer who knows that kind of repair. If things get busy, we'll add your name to a waitlist.

It depends on the item. Simple fixes (a button, a loose connection) might take 15–20 minutes. More complex repairs can take an hour or more. You'll be working alongside the volunteer the whole time, so plan to stay and be hands-on.

We'll always be upfront. If a repair is beyond what we can tackle together on the day (wrong tools, missing parts, or a fault that needs a specialist), we'll say so clearly and suggest next steps where we can. We never guarantee a fix, but you and your volunteer will always give it an honest best effort.

For now we're holding events monthly on a Saturday, same place and time: 3–6 PM at the Callis & Elaine Community Center in San Carlos (1336A Arroyo Ave). Check-in closes at 5:30 PM. The schedule can change, so always check this website for the next date.

Our next event is Saturday, November 21st, 2026. Join our mailing list for reminders and updates.

We'd love to have you. Have a look at our volunteer roles and sign up for a slot at the next event, or join our mailing list to hear about future ones. We ask for roughly 3–4 hours at a single event, and no prior volunteering experience is needed.

Not for every role. Our repair coaches need to know their way around the repairs they coach, but some roles need no repair skills at all: welcoming visitors and checking them in, keeping the event flowing, taking photos, designing flyers, sharing posts and connecting us with community groups. See all volunteer roles.

Yes! We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit run entirely by volunteers. Donations are tax-deductible and go toward tools, parts and future events. Our EIN and registered address are in our organization details.

Email us at , or find us on social media through our contact page.