Keeping our valued volunteers informed
A Christmas Message to Our Incredible Volunteers
Dear Friends,
As we enter this season of peace and gratitude, we want to take a moment to thank you. The way you show up, with kindness, commitment, and a deep sense of care, makes such a difference in our shops and far beyond them. Every hour you’ve offered, every welcome you’ve extended, every connection you’ve built has helped MCC live out its mission in real and meaningful ways. Because of you, families find stability, communities grow stronger, and hope takes root in places we may never see ourselves. Your generosity echoes far beyond the day-to-day, and we don’t take it for granted.
GM’s Corner
As December begins, we enter a season filled with reflection, connection, and kindness. Whether you celebrate Advent, prepare for the holidays, or simply enjoy the slower pace of winter, this is a time to come together — to share warmth, hope, and care with our community.
A Year of Impact
Before we turn the page to a new year, we want to say a heartfelt thank you. Your time, energy, and compassion have made a real difference. From supporting neighbours in need to lending your skills
From all of us at MCC Ontario Thrift, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a season filled with peace, joy, and quiet moments of gratitude. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We truly couldn’t do this work without you.
Warmly,
Lynda Lynch
Thrift Director
Caitlin Sousa
Thrift Operations & Training Manager
Heather Krotz
Thrift Project Lead (MCC Picks Up)
behind the scenes, every act of service has helped strengthen our community.
Seasonal Reflections
Each week of December invites us to focus on what truly matters:
• Hope – believing in the power of small actions to create change
• Peace – finding calm moments amidst the busyness
• Joy – sharing smiles, laughter, and light with others
• Kindness – extending care to friends, family, and strangers alike
As you volunteer this month, notice the quiet ways these values show up—in your actions, in your teammates, and in the lives you touch.
Debbie Siertsema General Manager MCC Thrift & Gift
Welcome!
We welcome our new volunteers who started with us recently!
Matei – Started Sept 27 – Receiving Ari – Started Sept 19 – Retail
What’s Coming Up
Christmas Party Delayed
We will be spending much of the time in December in celebration but, due to missing a Volunteer Engagement Manager and Debbie’s time away, it was decided to postpone our Christmas gathering until February. By that time, we will have time to celebrate a new Volunteer Engagement Manager and your work with us. We are planning to have smaller celebrations from December 8 – 20.
MCC Thrift Challenge – MCC Thrift in St. Catharines is challenging us to raise funds to purchase one of each of the gifts in the Christmas giving guide. A small cash donation of $5-$10 can make a big impact. Will we accept the challenge?
Lunch and Learn
Join us on Thursday, January 15th from 12:00 – 12:30 pm at the shop for a lunch & learn with John and Deepti Bhattacharjee, MCC reps in Kolkata, India.
New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale Feature Quilt Reveal
Each year, a talented individual or team creates a feature quilt for the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale, where hundreds of quilts are auctioned off in support of MCC. On January 27 at 9:30 a.m., the 2026 feature quilt will be unveiled! Join us in person in the foyer of Thrift on Kent in Kitchener for this exciting moment.
Great Winter Warm Up – January 31
Get ready to cozy up at the Great Winter Warm-up! Bring friends and family to the MCC Hub (65 Heritage Dr., New Hamburg) for a fun-filled comforter knotting blitz. Together, we’ll create handmade comforters that bring warmth and remind those in need that they are loved and cared for. No experience necessary.
Be an Active Bystander
Join our Training Active Bystanders (TAB) workshop and learn practical ways to respond to harmful or isolating behaviour in everyday life.
Date: January 19, 2026 | Time: 1:30–4:00 PM ET | Online - Zoom
MCC Ontario does not expect volunteers to enter unsafe situations— TAB is about building confidence for everyday scenarios.
Register here: bit.ly/TABJan2026
December
BIRTHDAYS
The Cloak of Many Colours
Sales Update: Looking Ahead to 2026
As we move towards the end of 2025, we’re excited to review our sales trends and see how our results stack up against budget goals. The momentum we’ve built throughout the year shows strong progress, and the outlook for 2026 is bright.
We’re looking forward to using these insights to finetune our strategies and set the stage for another year of growth and success!
Lori, Kyle, and Nadine model coats of many colours for us.
Volunteer Survey Now Open
Your voice matters—help shape the MCC Ontario volunteer experience!
We value your feedback and want to hear from you! The annual volunteer survey is now open, and your input helps us improve your experience and strengthen our programs.
Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts by completing the survey with the link below: www.surveymonkey.com/r/MCCOVolunteerSurvey2025
Thank you for your time and for the incredible impact you make towards relief, development, and peace through volunteering with MCC Ontario!
Staying Healthy This Season!
To help keep everyone healthy, please follow these guidelines when deciding whether to come in for your volunteer shift—and let us know if you won’t be coming!
If you have any of these symptoms (not related to another condition), please stay home:
• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Runny nose or nasal congestion
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Sore throat
• Muscle aches or joint pain
• Stomach issues (such as vomiting or diarrhea)
Before returning to volunteer, make sure:
• Your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if you had nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea)
• You do not have a fever
• You have not developed any new symptoms
If you volunteered within 24 hours of the onset of any of these symptoms, please let your MCC Staff point person know, and we can monitor illnesses and keep our environment healthy.
Extra Tips for Staying Healthy:
• Wash your hands often
• Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
• Avoid touching your face
Masks are always available — just ask and we’ll be happy to provide one, and feel free to wear one during your shift.
Let’s work together to keep germs from spreading this season! :)
New Volunteer Position Titles
Clearer titles, same great teamwork!
We’re updating volunteer position titles across all six MCC Thrift shops to bring clarity and consistency. Your position will not change and remains essential! Your team lead stays the same Shop workflow is not changing Updated titles will appear in VicTouch by mid-December, and FAQs will be posted on your shop bulletin board. If you have any questions, please speak with your Volunteer Engagement Manager.
Give Gifts of Comfort and Joy Chris as Giving Guide
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: MCC’s annual Christmas giving guide is back! Every year, MCC publishes its Christmas guide as a way for you to give gifts with impact worldwide. In addition to a nice sweater or new toy for your loved one, add the gift of education for a girl in Ethiopia, or a duck for a family in Bangladesh.
Here are some unique gifts to add to your Christmas list:
Clean water at school
Share a gift of clean water!
This handwashing station at a primary school in Ethiopia helps Selam Bulo, a third-grade student, and her peers in Batu, Ethiopia stay clean, healthy and fully immersed in their studies. $25
Room at the inn
$75
For people on the move, an open door, a warm bed and a listening ear offer great comfort and hope. This gift helps people like pastors Victor Lampón Leon and Rocio Valencia Islas in Mexico have the supplies they need, including mattresses, pads and sheets so that they can extend hospitality to those moving through their communities.
Sewing machine
$150
Go the extra yard with a gift tailor-made for those who love to sew. With a machine of hers own, Mariyum Khatun of Bangladesh can start a new business to support her family.
This Christmas, by helping our global neighbours build skills, grow food or meet basic needs, your generosity brings cause for celebration long after your tree comes down and the lights are put away.
Find the 2025 Christmas catalogues at receiving, cash and volunteer lunch rooms. You can also distribute these to your churches – we have 25,000 copies to give out! Talk to your Volunteer Engagement Manager if you need copies.
You can also shop online by going to mcc.org/Christmas and sending an e-card after making your donation. Or call 888-622-6337 toll-free to talk to an MCC representative. You can select your gifts and request e-cards or paper-cards that you can send to your loved ones.
