Repair Cafe Palo Alto
  • Home
  • About
  • Volunteer
  • In the news
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact
Repair Café Palo Alto
In 1960, each person in the US generated 2.68 pounds of waste per day.  By 2000, the average was 4.65 pounds per day. We all have something that no longer works, that we still need. We can throw it out and buy a new one, stick it in the garage, pay to get it fixed, or fix it ourselves.

The Repair Café Palo Alto is a volunteer-run, community service dedicated to encouraging the repair and reuse of goods rather than dumping them in landfill.
 
The first Repair Café started in Amsterdam in 2009, now there are over 1,500 Repair Cafés around the world.  The Repair Café Palo Alto is affiliated with the Repair Café Foundation in the Netherlands. We are the first Repair Café to become operational in the United States.  (Although we are affiliated with the Repair Café  Foundation, we are self-funded and operate independently.)  Learn more about the Repair Café Foundation in the Netherlands: www.repaircafe.org
Join us! Bring your broken items to our quarterly “cafes” or volunteer to help others repair things.

Repair Cafe Volunteers in the community
Big thanks to volunteers Todd and Sandy Smith and their work with Ecumenical Hunger Program. Their wonderful work fixing EHP donations was highlighted in the EHP Cares Summer 2019 newsletter!

APRIL 28, 2019 SPRING WAS IN THE AIR

We repaired more than 210 items. Highlights incluDed: A Cuckoo clock that wouldn't sing, A trike that made too much noise, we "debugged" paintings  and repaired Spider and Dinosaur toys.

Great event AT STANFORD!
JUNE 2 , 2019

nearly 50 people came to Stanford'S HAAS CENTER. our  talented volunteers repairED electronics, bikes and lots of clothing and backpacks. The sewing machineS ran at top speed the entire time!

REI offers Free bike clinics

The REI store in Mountain View offers a variety of free bike clinics. Click here to learn more.
While We Shelter in Place...
The next scheduled event is August 9.  Let’s hope we are back in business by then. For those with free time and the interest, below are a few COVID-19 related fixing/building opportunities that a few of you brought to my attention.  If you know of others, feel free to send them to me and we'll post on our website.
May everyone remain safe and healthy.  Hope to see you all soon.
From ifixit, a medical repair database and a ventilator project:
https://www.ifixit.com/News/36582/our-medical-repair-database-is-going-strong-but-still-needs-help

https://www.ifixit.com/News/36860/weve-expanded-our-ventilator-project

Bloom Energy ventilator refurbishment and rapid microgrid deployment.

https://www.bloomenergy.com/ventilators
https://www.bloomenergy.com/blog/were-stepping-aid-covid-19-battle-we-need-your-help
Mt. View & Sunnyvale Public Library VIRTUAL Repair Café Event - ALL Welcome

Date: Sunday, September 13, 2020
Time: Noon to 4 p.m. 
Location:  Zoom Link from the comfort of your own home
Cost: FREE
RSVP/Registration: Required, fill out form by Fri 9/4: https://forms.gle/K3BbZL6J7EzGih9B9


All Palo Alto events for 2020 have been cancelled due to necessary COVID-19 safety precautions.  Please check back for updates.



KPIX visits the Repair Cafe in February:

iFixit joined us and filmed this:

Repair Café thanks GREENWASTE for donation of a new tools and supplies trailer.​
More Info
Contact Us
Repair Café Palo Alto, Inc.