Help support mens mental health in the DTES ⚾️

How would your pandemic experience look if you didn't have access to activities, programs, technology or mental health services?

Since 2019, the East Van Sandlot Society (EVSS) proudly partnered with the Dudes Club to share the spirit of sandlot baseball in the Downtown Eastside.

Together we offer no-cost community based, recreational baseball as a contribution to the Dudes Club programs of health focused activities for their members.  Over the course of four months in 2019, the EVSS held multiple "gear raisers", information sessions and live practices to completely outfit the Dudes and prepare to play a true sandlot game.

Thanks to many generous donations, the local baseball community outfitted us with an incredible amount of amazing gear and allowed us to get going.


Following a pandemic break, we resumed practicing weekly in the summer of 2021. And have been offering weekly sessions with participation of the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.

From now until September 30, the EVSS is asking for donations to help the Dudes Club fund their wide array of essential programs for mental health and wellness. 

The first $500 of donations will be matched by myself and my wife Aryana. Donations over $100 will receive either a snazzy East Van Sandlot Society t-shirt or retro East Van Black Sox long sleeve. Check out @EastVanSS on Instagram for more info and to follow along with the campaign  ⚾️

Larger donations and corporate partners are most welcomed! Email separately if you'd like to donate directly via the Dudes website or via donation form. 

Please be generous and join me in supporting a group I've enjoyed getting to know.



More about the Dudes Club: 

More information about Canadian Men's Health Foundation: Our mission is to inspire men and their families to live healthier lives. 72% of Canadian men live unhealthy lifestyles and CMHF is the first non-profit in Canada to study health behaviours rather than disease. We provide health programs and initiatives free of charge to help support Canadian men make healthy lifestyle choices.

The DUDES Club was established in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside in 2010 and since then clubs have been set up in communities across British Columbia (see SITES). The DUDES Club is a proven model for Indigenous men’s wellness promotion that builds solidarity and brotherhood, enabling men to regain a sense of pride and purpose in their life.

Within DUDES Clubs the hierarchy of the western medical model is flattened, and the healthcare providers who are involved prioritize cultural competence and safety, genuine connections, and support to help men navigate the healthcare system. Men who often carry with them intergenerational trauma related to the loss of or damage to their land, culture, family, language, and identity, are able to begin to drop some of their armour. All initiatives are community-driven and highlight the importance of peer champions.

The Dudes Club Website