Volunteers kick off ‘Sandwich Saturdays’ to help those in need

If you’re hungry and without housing, a free sandwich might just make your day.

That was pretty much the thinking when resident Rich Seale started the “Sandwich Saturdays” program, giving out free lunch to the unhoused in Waltham.

Seale had identified a critical gap in food availability for people experiencing homelessness in Waltham — there’s nothing offered on Saturdays. So he and his wife Deb stepped up and started a volunteer program that now provides up to 40 free sandwiches for lunch to those in need.

Through a sign-up sheet posted on SignUpGenius, volunteers pick dates and make bagged lunches complete with bottled water, fruit, chips and cookies.

Each volunteer makes choices of their own. Last week was ham and cheese; next up are peanut butter and jelly, salami, and chicken breast sandwiches. The response by residents has been encouraging. Seale is booked through the end of April.

“Hopefully the program sticks. The whole idea is to have continuity so folks know that we’re going to be at the same location at the same time every week. They’re our neighbors, and it’s  incredibly important that they understand that fact.” Seale said.

Saturdays between 2 and 3 p.m., Seale and helpers pass out wrapped sandwiches from the trunk of his car at the parking lot at Carter and Moody streets, near the Community Day Center. Any extra sandwiches get dropped off at the shelter.

The volunteers never make speeches or ask questions people don’t want to hear. They simply hand out the lunch bags. A simple sandwich and a kind word is enough to make a difference, Seale said.

“We’ve been doing it since November and there’s a trust level now. There’s no commitment on their part. It’s sandwiches with smiles, and it may be the only smile they get all day, all week or all month,” he said.

Residents can sign up here to join the sandwich makers and help support a new community initiative of kindness, caring and compassion.