Acts of generosity take place all over Vancouver every holiday season.

Last year, an indigenous man from the Nisga'a village of Kincolith, Alex Watts, launched a charitable project called Hope & Love 4 U.

It involves handing out bagged lunches with turkey sandwiches, oranges, juice boxes, candy canes, pastry, and hot chocolate to Downtown Eastside residents on Christmas Day.

This year, the part-time Union Gospel Mission outreach worker was back on Main Street near the corner of East Hastings Street with 50 volunteers.

Watts's friend Bill Chu and a dozen members of the Chinese Baptist Church helped distribute the food as well as winter gloves, mittens, toques, and scarves. Some of them prepared the sandwiches. And Watts's employer even sent workers to perform crowd-control duties.

Chu describes Watts as "a Christmas miracle", noting that he spent $600 financing Hope & Love 4 U in its first year even though he doesn't have a lot of money.

Watts was homeless himself for many years. He plans on continuing this annual tradition next year.