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
A Light in the Darkness
As you read this newsletter, we have arrived at the middle of December, and Christmas, New Years and many festive holiday celebrations are days away.
Growing up in Newfoundland and raised in the Anglican tradition, December was marked by the season of Advent—a time of reflection before Christmas, centered around four weekly themes. Each Sunday of Advent marked a different candle on the Advent wreath and a special message around that theme. These simple words came to shape my understanding of Advent, Christmas and life in general: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.
While not everyone observes Advent or comes from a Christian background, I’ve always appreciated how universal these themes truly are. They speak to values that extend far beyond any one tradition. I see them on display often here at the Care & Share Thrift Shop, not just at Christmas, but all year round.
Hope appears in finding exactly what is needed or receiving kindness at just the right moment.
Peace is on display in the kind, warm and
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)
welcoming nature of our volunteers and staff.
Joy is found in laughter in the backroom and around our break table, in the shared stories, and the sense of purpose each of us finds in being here.
Love is lived out in the mission we support—helping MCC bring relief, development, and peace to people around the world.
Even though Christmas is still ahead of us, I see these four themes every day that I’m here. In the simple acts of kindness and generosity, the heart of the season is already shining.
As Christmas breaks forth among us, I am grateful for each of you—volunteers, donors, customers, and friends—everyone who helps to make Care & Share a place of warmth, dignity, and community. However you celebrate (or don’t), my hope is that the weeks ahead bring moments of hope, peace, joy, and love into your life in ways that feel real and grounding.
From all of us at Care and Share,
Thank you for being part of our shop family.
Brian Ingram General Manager MCC Care & Share
For Being the Care and Living the Share in all you do.
May this season meet you with light and meaning.
For many, Christmas brings warmth, celebration, and togetherness—but it can also make life’s hard moments feel heavier. Advent reminds us that God
meets us in those darkest moments offering hope, peace, joy and love to our imperfect lives in an imperfect world.
Look for short reflections on the themes of advent throughout this newsletter.
Welcome!
New volunteers added to our family so far this month! Let’s welcome:
Husna H
Nashyat M
Ashley and Sue G
Laura W
Judy D
Norbert D
Catena S
Nicolas M
BIRTHDAYS December
Adam B
Shoil N
Bonny M
Valerie B
Akashpreet K
Joke of the Month
Judy L
Nicole A
Laura G
Mary H
Heather H
Austin K
Justin C
Tiffany T
Wanda K
Linda D
Olga S
Tiffany B
Brandon B
Matthew G
Shirley L
Wei Jun Lu
Hope is not about pretending everything is fine. It is the quiet, steady light that flickers even in the darkest moments. When life feels heavy or lonely, hope reminds us that small acts of kindness, connection, or comfort matter.
Say Hello to Our New Assistant Manager!
Peace is not the absence of stress or struggle, but a gentle stillness that steadies us. In this season, peace can be found in the welcome of a friend, the calm of a quiet corner, or simply the reassurance that we are held, even in difficult times.
Meet Dayanvesh: Faith-Guided Leadership and a Heart for Community
We are delighted to introduce Dayanvesh Nadiminti, whose journey from India to Canada reflects a deep commitment to faith, learning, and community impact.
Dayanvesh grew up in India as part of Bethany Prayer House (Hebron Fellowship), where he learned the values of service, humility, and compassion. After moving to Canada, he continued that spiritual journey at Chinese Gospel Church Toronto, finding a supportive community that helped him stay rooted in his faith.
Alongside his church involvement, Dayanvesh has built strong experience in leadership and operations across both countries. He recently earned his Master of Science in Project Management from Northeastern University, where he led multi-stage projects involving team coordination, community outreach, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning. His capstone work involved designing a scalable student-support initiative for over 1,000 newcomers to Canada, a project that required collaboration, communication, and thoughtful leadership. Professionally, he has experience in Canadian retail environments, supporting customer service, store operations, and team coordination at No Frills and Loblaws. Combined with his earlier leadership roles overseas, he brings a balanced understanding of people, process, and community need.
Dayanvesh has also contributed to several community events, including Doors Open Toronto and Habitat for Humanity’s Global Service Week, strengthening his passion for meaningful, service-oriented work.
At MCC Care & Share, Dayanvesh brings a calm presence, a strong work ethic, and a leadership mindset shaped by both faith and experience. His blend of international perspective, project leadership, and community focus makes him a valuable addition to our mission and team.
Please join us in welcoming Daya to the Care & Share family!
Joy is often misunderstood. It is not forced happiness or constant cheer. True joy can still exist alongside grief and weariness. It is the small delight in a shared smile, a memory, or a moment of gratitude. This season, may we notice and savor these fleeting sparks of joy wherever they appear.
Around the Shop
Farewell to our Australian friend!
We wish Sarah safe travels as she heads back home to Australia! During her 6 months in Canada with her husband, she jumped right into our C&S team and made an incredible impact. From the moment she joined us, she came in strong; hard-working, reliable, and full of heart. We’ve truly loved having her as part of the team, and we appreciate everything she brought to our space!
Goodbye Heather!
Seven weeks have flown by! Heather was a great addition to our retail and processing team! We will miss her hard work and curiosity around the shop! Thank you to 360 Kids for the continuous partnership!
A message from Lauren
To my dear friends at the Care & Share Shop, I have some news to tell you, and I hope that you will be happy for me. I have decided to resign from my position here and pursue (again!) full-time retirement! This was not an easy decision for me as I have come to cherish the friendships I have made here. This store has an incredible group of volunteers, staff, and customers.
As some of you know, I started volunteering here after I retired from my full-time career in Parks and Recreation services. When a full-time position became available at this shop, I jumped at the chance to apply and, well, the rest is history. Although I am stepping away from full-time work, I do plan on volunteering once or twice a week after a bit of a rest. I love this place too much to give it up entirely!
I want to thank ALL OF YOU for welcoming me, having a few laughs with me, and making my job a lot easier because of your dedication and love for this store.
My last day as Retail Lead will be December 31st, but my last day as a supporter of the Care and Share Thrift shop is many, many years away. God bless each and every one of you! :)
Lauren
PS - this is a photo of my beautiful family, whom I plan to spend a lot more quality time with. Handsome hubby Scott, cherished daughter Jessica, and our “teddy bear” dog, Sophi.
Goodbye, Rahat!
Rahat has been such an amazing and hardworking addition to our staff team over the past 6months. As her contract comes to an end, her last day with us will be December 6th. We are truly grateful for all the dedication and heart she has poured into our shop, both as a retail associate and as a volunteer!!
Rahat, you will always have a home here at C&S, whether you join us again as a volunteer or simply pop in as a shopper. Thank you for everything you’ve brought to our team!!
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!
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.
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
Be an Active Bystander
• 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! :)
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
Love is not always picture-perfect. It is expressed in patience, care, compassion, and presence. In gestures, large and small. This season, may love reach those who feel left out or alone, including ourselves.
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.
