Building Connection Through Sandwiches and Service at The Dugout

The Volunteer Wave community has been deepening its connection with The Dugout, a safe “living room” space for those experiencing homelessness in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Since June, our volunteers have been assembling and serving sandwiches made with care to support the nutritional needs of The Dugout’s many guests. Each month, we aim to distribute at least 200 sandwiches, featuring favourites like ham and cheese, egg salad, and peanut butter and jelly. When funds allow, we also donate fruit cups, granola bars, mandarin oranges, and other snacks to add variety and nourishment.

On September 20, 2025, our volunteer team came together once again to build an efficient sandwich assembly line filled with purpose and camaraderie. With the support of The Dugout’s welcoming staff—Robert and Peter—and long-time volunteers Rita, Chali, and others, we set up our food stations in the back kitchen and got to work. We began by making 100 meat sandwiches using white bread, mayonnaise, spinach, ham, and cheese, then shifted to preparing peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches. On that day, we assembled and served over 240 sandwiches in two hours!

While some volunteers served sandwiches and desserts—scones, cake, and pie—to guests, others helped with food prep, table bussing, and cleanup. We value offering balanced meals, but we’ve also learned that a touch of sweetness brings joy and comfort to many who visit The Dugout.

What made the day truly special were the moments of connection it created. From the surface, it simply looked like a community sharing food and friendly conversation in a cozy space. But on a deeper level, something more profound was happening: stereotypes were dissolving, biases were being unpacked, and people were building relationships with a sense of shared humanity. Guests expressed their gratitude with smiles and kind words, and volunteers responded with genuine warmth—complimenting someone’s smile or admiring a handmade keychain on someone’s backpack. Everyone contributed to the atmosphere of care: guests cleaned up tables for others, helped when drinks spilled, and even shared food with one another.

Beyond supporting The Dugout’s guests, our volunteers also found connection within the team itself. During icebreakers and coffee breaks, conversations flowed about travel stories, local food spots, and even concert memories (It turns out that three volunteers had all been at the same Jonas Brothers concert that week!). Every Volunteer Wave event reminds us that volunteering is as much about relationships as it is about service. We’re building a community where everyone—guests, volunteers, and staff alike—can experience belonging through simple acts of kindness.