A Slice of Service: Students Deliver Hope One Sandwich at a Time
At Florida Southern College, the students who are looking to make a difference in their community do not have to look far. Sandwich Services, a student organization, provides an accessible and meaningful way for students to serve Lakeland’s homeless population, one PB&J at a time.
Led by sophomore president Rachel Surmacz, Sandwich Services has a consistent presence in the campus service community. The organization operates with a simple but impactful mission to provide food, hygiene, and support to individuals facing homelessness in downtown Lakeland.
“We work out of the Fannin Center,” explained Surmacz. “Our usual meetings are getting together sandwiches, hygiene supplies, water, snacks– anything that people might need, and then we bring it down to the shelters and hand it out.”
Each Sunday at 2:30 p.m., students gather to prepare the supplies before heading to Lighthouse Ministries to distribute the items. Unlike many service organizations that may require long-term commitments, Sandwich Services is intentionally designed to be flexible and low-pressure. Students can participate as frequently as their schedules allow.
“It’s really good that it’s a low-commitment organization,” Surmacz said. “You can drop by and have no idea what you’re doing. It’s pretty easy to come and make a sandwich.”
The organization’s executive board consists of four roles: president, vice president, social media manager, and treasurer. Despite the smaller leadership team, Sandwich Services has expanded its reach through partnerships with other student organizations. This year, Greek fraternities such as Sigma Chi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon attended meetings and participated in the cause.
Beyond the weekly sandwich-making, Sandwich Services occasionally participates in larger service initiatives. This semester, members collaborated with Gospel Inc., a community providing home and work opportunities to the formerly homeless. Experiences like these allow the FSC students to engage deeply with the challenges that Lakeland’s homeless population is facing.
Surmacz noted that many individuals they serve week to week are part of what she describes as a “transient homeless” population, meaning people who may be living out of their cars or relocating frequently. Due to this, it can be difficult to track their long-term outcomes.
“There was actually a younger guy last year who was trying to get back into college,” Surmacz said. “I haven’t seen him this year, so I assume he’s moved on to greater things.”
Students can also support Sandwich Services through their donations. The organization maintains a collection bin outside the campus Moc Mart, where snacks and easy-to-distribute foods are requested for donation.
Looking forward, Surmacz hopes to expand the organization’s impact through increased participation week to week and more large-scale service events.
“I’d like to do bigger service events like we did this semester. But in general, it’s just good to have people rotating in and out so that everyone on campus can be involved.”
For Surmacz, the value of Sandwich Services lies not in the scale of its efforts, but in the consistency and simplicity.
“It’s a small thing,” she said, “but doing the small thing is better than not doing anything at all.”
“It’s a small thing, but doing the small thing is better than not doing anything at all.”
Rachel Surmacz
Sandwich Services continues to offer FSC students a meaningful way to engage with their community, proving that even the simplest acts of service can make a difference.
For more information on the organization and to get involved, follow their Instagram @sandwichservices.
Volunteerism in LKLD 