“Building and Nurturing INTEGRATED Communities”
Waterloo Wayside Centre supports and builds community by providing safe places and opportunities to share and connect. Our vision is rooted in the belief that by sharing our experiences and gifts with each other, we can meet our immediate physical needs for food and shelter, and our long-term need to live independently, while contributing to and belonging to a loving, forgiving, and inclusive community.
Key Programs
- Bridgeport Café: A cornerstone drop-in program run entirely by volunteers that provides hot meals and fellowship Tuesday through Friday. It serves approximately 12,000 meals annually (roughly 80 guests per day) to families, retirees, and individuals experiencing housing or income instability.
- Food Bag Program: In partnership with the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, this program distributes healthy, fresh, and prepared foods every Thursday. It supports approximately 180 families weekly and distributes around 7,000 bags of food annually.
- ShareWear Clothing Exchange: This program collects and distributes gently used clothing and footwear to adults in need. Annually, it distributes significant quantities of essentials, including 1,000 pairs of socks, 600 pairs of shoes, and 500 pairs of jeans, as well as seasonal items such as winter coats and mitts.
- Chair Yoga For Healthy Aging: A fall prevention and wellness program established in 2014 for adults 55+. It combines gentle exercise with social time (tea and coffee) to reduce isolation and build physical strength.
Community Impact
- Fostering Resilience through Connection: The organization’s impact is centred on reducing social isolation. By providing a space where people “know your name,” Wayside helps marginalized individuals build connections that increase their ability to withstand adversity.
- Empowerment and Skill Building: Many volunteers at the centre began as guests. This “restorative nature” allows individuals to move from receiving help to contributing their own skills, such as dish-washing, table setup, or even pursuing further education (e.g., nutrition) after their experiences at Wayside.
- Meeting Immediate and Long-term Needs: While addressing immediate physical needs for food and clothing, Wayside’s programs are designed to support the long-term goal of helping individuals live independently within an inclusive community.
- Integrated Support: The centre augments food bank staples with fresh vegetables and essential hygiene items like toilet paper, soap, and shampoo (approximately 7,000 units annually) to provide a more holistic level of support.
Our Approach: Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD)
At Waterloo Wayside, we operate on the principles of Asset-Based Community Development. We believe that every individual in our community—whether a guest, a volunteer, or a director—possesses unique gifts, skills, and capacities. Our goal is not to “fix” a neighbourhood, but to mobilize the assets that already exist within it. We are seeking collaborative Board members who view our community as a rich ecosystem of assets rather than a collection of needs, and who are dedicated to building collective power through strategic partnerships and internal leadership.
The Opportunity
Our Board of Trustees is seeking talented, engaged members of our community to join in the pursuit of this vision. As a member, your role will be to share in the governance and leadership of our organization, helping us move toward a more integrated community where boundaries between “provider” and “participant” are dissolved.
Desired Gifts and Expertise
To complement our current strengths in program delivery and project management, we are seeking individuals who can offer their “gifts of the head, heart, and hands” in the following specialized areas:
- Non-Profit Governance & Strategy: Helping us build formal structures that protect our inclusive ABCD culture while ensuring legal and financial health.
- Fundraising & Community Narratives: Utilizing marketing and social media to share the stories of our community and secure sustainable resources.
- Legal & Human Resources: Providing the expertise needed to manage our growth and support our staff and volunteers safely.
- Diversity of Experience: We are actively looking to increase the diversity of our board—specifically regarding age, ethnicity, and lived experience—to better reflect the beautiful complexity of the Waterloo region.
Values and Commitment
Wayside welcomes representation from all faiths and backgrounds. We serve a diverse guest base, including seniors, new Canadians, and those experiencing unsheltered life. We ask that all Board members respect our commitment to a loving, inclusive environment where everyone has a seat at the table.
How to Apply
If you have a passion for building an integrated Waterloo and want to contribute your skills to a dynamic, grassroots board, please apply in writing by Sunday, March 15th, 2026.
Please include a summary of your experience, the “gifts” you wish to share with the board, and the names of three personal references to:
David Petro Chair, Nominating Committee
c/o Waterloo Wayside Centre
Email: davidp@waterloowayside.org