APRIL 2025
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
Keeping our valued volunteers informed
Exciting Workroom Improvements! The past three weeks at MCC Thrift on Mill have been a whirlwind of activity! If you’ve volunteered recently, you’ve likely noticed significant changes in both the workroom and retail area. From the initial idea to approval and implementation, this transformation happened in just a few short weeks! We hope you received our email outlining the upcoming changes before work began. Several factors influenced this decision, including: • Increasing donation levels and limited space for Receiving volunteers, particularly during peak times. • A rising number of volunteer slips, trips, and falls due to congestion in the workroom. • The need to reduce physical handling of goods by enabling the use of carts, minimizing strain on staff and volunteers. • Alleviating congestion in the hallway between the workroom and retail area, creating a more functional space for book department volunteers and others working from carts. • Improving inefficient processing systems caused by space constraints.
• Adding more worktables to accommodate additional volunteers. • Ensuring all volunteers can work together in the same space, enhancing staff support and collaboration. To create additional workroom space, we repurposed an office and the multi-purpose room. As a result, we now have a designated meeting room for volunteer orientations, staff meetings, internal training, and more. While the total square footage remains the same, 500 sq. ft. has been reallocated to better serve both the retail and receiving/processing areas. Once the structural changes are complete, our next priority will be streamlining efficiencies. We encourage you to share your feedback by completing the survey in the kitchen—your input will help shape our next steps! We truly appreciate your flexibility, patience, and adaptability throughout this process. Thank you for your continued support!
Karla Musselman Thrift Coordinator
Volunteers Needed We need two receivers on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Please see Ken if you know of anyone. We need receivers on Saturday afternoons. We also need helpers (two) to put out clothes on Saturday mornings and afternoons, and we need helpers (one or two) to work in housewares on Saturday mornings or afternoons. We do need more students to join our Friday night Dream Team, so let’s get the word out.