Planting Roots and Growing Community

On October 26, 2025, our Volunteer Wave community returned to one of our favourite local shelters, Belkin House, to continue what we started a month earlier. This time, our volunteers split into two teams: one supporting the kitchen on the main floor and the other working on our ongoing community garden restoration project upstairs. It was a bustling day of great conversation, smiles, and transformation, all taking place under one roof at Belkin House, an emergency shelter and transitional housing facility in Downtown Vancouver.

While our kitchen crew peeled apples and chopped vegetables to support Belkin House’s daily meal program, our gardening group headed up to the third-floor garden to work on an area we’ve been restoring since late September. During Phase 1 last month, volunteers cleared out invasive Himalayan blackberry bushes, removed tangled weeds, and trimmed overgrown plants. This time, for Phase 2, we built on that progress, focusing on planting, mulching, and setting the garden up for long-term growth.

Our team arrived early to prepare for the day’s activities, unloading supplies like soil, tools, and landscaping fabric before gathering for a quick icebreaker to kick things off. With guidance from our expert volunteer landscapers, Carl and Carol, the group divided into smaller teams to tackle different garden zones. Together, we removed remaining weeds and invasive plants, laid down landscaping fabric, spread fresh soil, and added colourful mulch to brighten the beds. The final step we did—planting native, low-sunlight species such as evergreen blackberry—will bring life back to the garden in a vibrant and sustainable way.

Throughout the day, volunteers worked side by side, sharing stories, learning new skills, and enjoying a sense of camaraderie that’s at the heart of every Volunteer Wave event. While our program coordinator Mitchie made her rounds, offering conversation starters, music, and encouragement, volunteers didn’t need much prompting to connect. For Volunteer Wave members, friendships and teamwork seem to come naturally!

By the end of the afternoon, the transformation was unmistakable. The garden was a place of calm and connection again. It became a small oasis of colour and renewal for Belkin House residents to enjoy once more. Stepping back to admire their work, volunteers could see how far the space had come in just two sessions! Check out our pictures to see the amazing result!

But, the project hasn't ended yet. In the coming weeks, small volunteer teams will return to the site to finish planting two additional side gardens and planters. With continued support from Carl and Carol, we’re also working toward certifying the restored garden as a Canadian Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat since it is now a space that supports native plants, pollinators, and biodiversity right in the heart of the city.

This partnership with Belkin House reminds us that ecological stewardship doesn’t just have to happen in forests or parks—it can thrive in our own community spaces, too. Thank you to Belkin House staff, Volunteer Wave members and staff, and especially Carol and Carl from Thriving Gardens for supporting nature in this big way! Learn more about Carol and Carl's garden maintenance work at thrivinggardens.earth on the web or @thriving_gardens_ on Instagram.

Want to get involved?

No gardening experience is needed—just curiosity and a willingness to lend a hand. Join us on Bloomerang to RSVP for future planting sessions or explore other Volunteer Wave opportunities that grow impact right here in our local community!