A Season for Giving and Gratitude
Dear MCC Thrift Volunteer,
The 2025 Christmas Giving Guide is here—and it’s full of joy, hope, and meaningful ways to make a difference!
As someone who generously gives your time at MCC Thrift, you already know the power of community and compassion. This Christmas, we invite you to take that spirit even further by exploring MCC’s Giving Guide and sharing it with your loved ones.
Whether it’s a fruit tree for $20 to help a farmer earn income, a beekeeping kit for $43 to support thriving ecosystems, or a sewing machine for $150 to empower someone’s livelihood—each gift is a chance to bring comfort and joy to families around the world.
You can:
• Give a gift in honour of someone special and send a personalized e-card.
• Print a card at home or request one to be mailed to you.
AM’s Corner
It is November and that means the Festive Season at MCC Thrift on Kent is underway! Our busiest season to raise money for MCC is made possible because of the work of our dedicated volunteer team. Thank you for your role in this mission.
This season, in addition to thrift shopping (I assume most of you do this :) ) I would like to highlight MCC’s Niska Artisans. MCC supports Indigenous artisans in First Nations communities across Northern Ontario by purchasing their work, hosting workshops and sales, and creating spaces for artisans to gather. Niska is Cree for goose, the life-giver for hunters in Northern First Nations.
Recently I had the privilege of travelling to MCC’s Northern office in Timmins to visit staff and
• Share the guide with friends, family, and customers at your thrift shop.
Even though the printed guide may be delayed due to the Canada Post strike, you can browse and shop online anytime (mcc.org/christmas). You can also pick up a copy of the guide at your Thrift shop.
We hope you will choose a gift that celebrates your values and spreads hope.
Thank you for contributing to MCC’s mission. Your passion and compassion help make this season brighter for everyone.
With gratitude and joy,
Kim Lester Associate Executive Director
Indigenous partners. I would love to share more than this space allows. MCC has been present in this region for 32 years, building relationships and facilitating reconciliation with First Nations people. This is long, slow, meaningful work.
If it interests you, check out Niska Artisans as a giftgiving option this season. I enjoyed being in the Niska “store” in Timmins (and made a purchase of course) but you can purchase online as well. There will be a Niska pop-up sale of at 50 Kent later this month. Visit niskaartisans.ca to shop.
Jan Adams Assistant Manager MCC Thrift on Kent
Welcome!
Have you met any of our new volunteers? (started between Sept 15-Oct 15).
Please join me in welcoming them!
Achoamseasonal Monday
Teylorseasonal
Jadee- retail fashion
Peter –receiving
Emmaseasonal
Spencer –receiving
Abbey- retail
Deborah –retail fashion
Mani – retail
Rachelreceiving
Tarian - toys
Peterreceiving
Deborah –seasonal
Carol – cashier
Alice - seasonal
Nada – retail fashion
Tarian – cash
Lucas- retail
Gerarmy – retail
Rachel – retail
David C – metal recycling
Husina, Husniya & Gahwar –retail fashion
November
BIRTHDAYS
David Leepoy-Brown (electrical/cash)
Jennifer Reid (cash/ retail fashion)
Katharina Hiebert (workroom)
Bruce Steckly (workroom)
Irene Jakubassa-Frezell (cash)
Zoreena Rhab (retail fashion)
Mohab Ibrahim (receiving)
Irene Metzger (media)
Marie Burkholder (retail )
Jane Golem (housewares)
Pat Shaniawski (jewelry)
Emma Scott (retail fashion)
Bob Cutler (electrical)
Novie Licayan (hardware/retail fashion)
Donna Bertrand (books)
Cheryl Parker (retail )
Parkes (retail )
Have you met our
Christmas team?
Mid-October we welcomed our seasonal staff! We are so grateful for their help during this busy season! Many of you will know Amber, who has been volunteering with us faithfully for over 2 years on cash and retail fashion. You may also recognize Tetiana, who was a volunteer with us and was seasonal staff last year. Tiana is likely a new face to you – join me in welcoming her!
Orange Shirt & Truth and Reconciliation Day
Wondering what staff did on Orange Shirt / Truth and Reconciliation Day? We joined hundreds from the Region to participate in the walk from the Healing of the 7 generations to the Clock Tower in Victoria park and heard stories from survivors. I particularly appreciated two young women who shared their stories, reminding us that the effects are real for generations. Throughout the stories was a theme of healing and breaking cycles caused by trauma. I saw a number of volunteers there – thanks for joining us as we stood in solidarity with our Indigenous neighbours!
How MCC strives to Do Retail Differently
In September, staff all participated in a training day, looking at how MCC aims to “Do Retail Differently.” As a Mennonite organization, we are committed to being peacekeepers in our everyday interactions. The overall theme was how to offer respectful, compassionate interactions to everyone who comes into our shop –including those who may be struggling with housing insecurity, mental health and addictions. Our conversations included the following topics:
• The Power of Connection: Making authentic connections with customers where they feel valued and welcomed creates a ripple effect — improving customer satisfaction, increasing team morale, and potentially benefiting the wider community through collaboration and shared values.
• Pre-Escalation: Focusing on prevention first—building trust, empathy, and proactive communication to avoid the need for de-escalation in the first place.
• De-Escalation: Understanding how to reduce the intensity of conflicts or potentially volatile situations with customers or team members.
• We also explored unconscious biases — the assumptions we make without realizing it — and how this can influence our decisions and behavior. Becoming aware of these biases is essential to ensure fair, inclusive, and respectful interactions with everyone. By keeping people at the center of our work, fostering a welcoming community, and becoming more aware of how we show up in every interaction, we not only prevent conflict but also create a space where everyone feels seen, safe, and supported.
MCC Thrift on Kent Chris as Celebrati
What: an evening of finger foods, games, entertainment and a thank you from MCC to celebrate the season!
Where: Community Room upstairs at 50 Kent, Kitchener
When: Wednesday, November 26, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Please sign up by Nov 20th on the clipboard beside the TV in the breakroom so we know how many to expect. Please indicate if you are bringing a guest.
If you are interested in helping to decorate or prepare food on that day, please let Giselle know.
P.S. Stay tuned for other activities in December to celebrate the season!
Annual Volunteer Survey Coming Soon!
We value your feedback! Keep an eye on your inbox for our annual volunteer survey, arriving in late November or early December. Your insights help us improve and celebrate the amazing work you do—thank you for being part of our community!
Volunteers Needed
For November and December, we are looking for a few people who would be willing to take on an extra shift to stock Christmas items in the shop. Let Giselle or Jan know if this interests you.
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.
