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
Merry Christmas! ‘Tis the season! At MCC Thrift, we have a small crew that thinks about Christmas on a weekly basis year-round, sorting and pricing. Décor comes out of storage in early fall, transforming our retail floor into a Christmas wonderland. The music of Christmas has played through our speaker system since mid-November. As the calendar turns to December, we shift our attention to some quieter weeks ahead.
For some, a quiet, slower pace for a few days is welcomed. For others, it brings unwelcome reminders of grief, loss, or loneliness. Maybe it’s a mix of both for you. Regardless, please know that you are loved and appreciated. May your work in our
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)
Shop bring you a sense of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment that connects you to Jesus, the Prince of Peace, this Christmas season!
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
“May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Tim Albrecht
General Manager MCC Thrift,
St. Catharines
Around the Shop
Ana & Joel enjoyed a peaceful photo booth opportunity as part of Peace Conference activities.
Ana G., Barb R., Chris R. enjoy Hallowe’en fun. At a recent online all-staff meeting, staff milestones were celebrated. Ana – one year, Chris five years.
MCC’s Peace Conference was held Sat. Nov. 1. We got creative, designing quilt blocks with a message of peace.
Christmas in Processing, Hard Goods. Haley volunteers in our book department. Wes was recognized at a recent MCC Ontario online all-staff meeting as surpassing a 1-year anniversary milestone.
Mazen, Chelsea, Isabel, Gabriel Sr., Gabriel Jr. – the Friday night Retail Floor crew, ready for Christmas.
Greta, Eva, Ana, Sara –our Linen’s processing crew, getting into the Christmas spirit!
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
BIRTHDAYS
Julian
Paula
Margaret
Marilyn
Paul
Christmas Fun in the Shop
December 8-13 – Dress for the holidays week! Wear your favourite Christmas sweater or outfit! December 15-20 – Share some Christmas baking!
Christmas Recipe Feature
Marilyn began volunteering at MCC Thrift in 2007 after she retired from Sears Canada where she was part of their management team for 35 years. She has always volunteered in processing our craft donations. Marilyn’s famous Christmas Shortbread cookie recipe was given to her from a friend at her church. She has been making this shortbread recipe for over 20 years. Marilyn was told that the secret to having amazing shortbread is that shortbread should never be frozen. An interesting fact about Marilyn is that she loves Christmas and decorates every room in her home for the Christmas season. She has done this for about 40 years tries to add to her decorations every year. Marilyn volunteers because it helps her to escape for a little while from other challenges in her life. She can cope better as a result, and she enjoys having time with the good friends she has made at MCC Thrift too. Thanks, Marilyn, for volunteering and for sharing this shortbread recipe with us!
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.
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! :)
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.
