SEPTEMBER 2026
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
Keeping our valued volunteers informed
VEM Inspiration Happy September Volunteers, Thank you for being part of MCC’s mission of relief, development and peace in Christ’s name. Last month, my colleagues and I canned chicken for MCC’s relief work in Chad. My assigned tasks were weighing chicken, wiping cans, and gluing labels onto the prepared cans. The canned chicken event helped me better understand how our work brings comfort to people in times of need and care in times of distress. MCC Thrift helps people find quality items at low prices, supporting families and individuals from diverse economic circumstances as they manage their budgets. Then, our profits continue the work. Thank you for standing with us and helping us do this important work each day for local Ontarians through programs like the Raw Carrot Soup Program and Material Resources canned chicken, and for families in India through sustainable farming programs. Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping us
September BIRTHDAYS
provide 22,500 cans of chicken, 953 comforters, 1,760 school kits, and peacebuilding skills training for 500 people (MCC Impact Report, 2026). This month’s observances include International Day of Charity (Sept. 5), Labour Day (Sept. 7), International Literacy Day (Sept. 8), International Day of Peace (Sept. 21), and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sept. 30). Let’s make September a month to honour volunteer work, rest from our labours, make peace with our neighbours, and learn how we can be blessings to Indigenous communities. Thanks again for all you do, With gratitude,
LiTunjia Olubusi Volunteer Engagement Manager
MCC Thrift on Mill
Marcel Mann
9/21
Book- Prep/Sorting and Receiving Attendant
Hacinta (Angela) Grant O’Rosco 9/21
Book- Prep/Sorting
Johan Guenther
9/27
Toys/Sports - Prep
Nancy Kampstra
9/27
Cashier
Louise Tiessen
9/4
Linens - Prep/Sorting
John Stewart
9/28 Electrical - Sorting
Scott Legualt
9/10 Toys/Sports - Sorting/ Prep
Edna Konrad
9/29 Linens - Pricing
Richard Walker
9/29 Receiving Attendant
Katherine Groenewegen 9/21 Clothing - Pricing
Thought of the Month Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.
SEPTEMBER 2026
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
Welcome! Join me in welcoming Oumouhani, Bella, and Scott! Thank you for joining the Thrift on Mill volunteer team. Your fresh energy adds inspiration and warmth to our community!
Oumouhani
Bella
Scott
Recipe of the Month
Undercurrents Podcast Before the next season of Undercurrents kicks off in September, take a moment to catch up on last season in a recap episode (#41): mcc.org/undercurrents. Each episode includes discussion questions so you can gather a group and listen together!
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2026
Around the Shop
Summer Students We’re sending best wishes to Jenn and Aj for all their hard work over the summer. We are so grateful you joined us over the past few months and are confident in your future success!
Peaceful Practices for Everyday Life Peaceful practices grow out of MCC’s Christian faith and Anabaptist peace tradition, but they offer wisdom for people of all faith backgrounds or no religious background at all. Peace is not only something we hope for in the world; it is something we practice in everyday interactions. These practices invite us to listen with care, stay curious, speak honestly and treat each person with dignity. This quarter’s invitation: In a moment of tension or disagreement, pause before responding. Choose curiosity, ask a thoughtful question or listen to understand. Small choices like these help us grow together as a community of peace.
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2026
Peace Conference: Nourishing Peace Together Saturday, November 7, Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, Kitchener If you’re hungry for connection, meaning and practical ways to resist despair in a world that feels overwhelming, plan to be at this year’s Peace Conference. MCC Ontario is hosting an in person event for people who don’t have everything figured out but who want to build peace. Attendees will: • Learn how to practice peace in everyday life • Hear from courageous people pursuing justice, reconciliation and care in hard places • Share food, stories and space • Take action, like knotting comforters and sending advocacy letters, to remind us we’re not powerless Register at mcc.org/Ontario-Peace-Conference
Creating a Respectful Volunteer Environment Our Volunteer Code of Conduct helps create a welcoming and respectful environment for everyone. Volunteers are expected to volunteer in a manner that reflects our mission: “MCC shares God’s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. MCC envisions communities worldwide in right relationship with God, one another, and creation.” One important expectation is: Deal with conflicts or difficulties in an appropriate manner. Challenges and disagreements happen. What matters is how we respond. We encourage volunteers to bring concerns forward respectfully, listen to different perspectives, and work with staff toward a constructive solution. A helpful reminder: If something is bothering you during your volunteer experience, please speak with your supervisor, manager or use the Speak Up service. We want to hear your concerns. Want to learn more? The full Volunteer Code of Conduct is included in the Volunteer Orientation Manual and the Speak Up service information is posted on a designated board. Ask a staff member where you can find a copy of the Volunteer Orientation Manual or the Speak Up poster and take a few minutes to review it. Thank you for helping us live out our mission through the way we treat one another.
You’re invited: Truth & Reconciliation (TR) Learning Days 2026 Volunteers are warmly invited to take part in one of MCC Ontario’s TR Learning Days 2026, Walking the Path of Peace: Learning from Indigenous approaches to relationship, community, and reconciliation. This virtual half-day learning opportunity will be offered on Tuesday, September 22 from 9 am - 12 pm or Wednesday, September 23, 9 am - 12 pm and volunteers are welcome to choose one of the dates that works best for them. Together, we’ll listen, reflect, and consider what MCC Ontario can learn from Indigenous understandings of peacebuilding, right relationship, community, and care for creation. The morning will include time in virtual small groups for conversation and connection, as well as self-guided learning using the resources provided. Those who register will receive the agenda and more details about how to participate. For more information contact volunteerservices@mcco.ca to register visit bit.ly/trdmcco2026volunteers.
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2026
Bucket of Thanks On Saturday, August 29, The MCC Hub in New Hamburg became a place of connection, generosity, and hands-on service. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, people of all ages gathered to pack MCC relief kits into buckets, filling them with practical items that will one day bring comfort, dignity, and hope to families facing hardship around the world. As I watched towels, bath soap, laundry soap, shampoo, nail clippers, combs, toothbrushes, and feminine pads being packed into buckets, I couldn’t help but think about where these supplies came from. They were purchased through the Round-Up for Relief campaign that many of you helped promote in our thrift shops earlier this year. Every time you invited a customer to round up their purchase, you were helping make this day possible. What may have felt like a small conversation at the cash register became something much bigger. Because of the generosity of customers and the encouragement of our volunteers, more than 250 relief kits were packed and prepared for a future MCC shipment from New Hamburg. The photos from the event tell a wonderful story. They show people packing buckets, working side by side, and sharing in a common purpose. They also tell another story, one that began months earlier in our shops. The impact captured in these pictures is a direct result of volunteers who took the time to ask, customers who chose to give, and a community that came together to turn generosity into action. Thank you for being part of that story. Thank you for the many ways you support the mission of MCC through your service in our thrift shops. Because of your efforts, these buckets are now ready to make their journey into the hands of people who need them most. Your work matters. And this Bucket of Thanks is for you.
Lynda Lynch Thrift Director