Former Ten Thousand Villages stores in Alberta rebrand
“What would it take to stay open?” asked members of the Edmonton Ten Thousand Villages (TTV) Society after the organization announced its closure in early January. Independently owned stores across Canada held emergency meetings to decide what to do next. According to Ernie Wiens, a board member of the Edmonton TTV Society and of Edmonton…
MCC responding to explosion in Beirut
Mennonite Central Committee is responding to the explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, that caused extensive damage throughout the capital city on Aug. 4. The blast is believed to have been caused by large quantities of ammonium nitrate, used for fertilizer and explosives, stored unsafely in a warehouse at the city’s port. “The damage all over Beirut…
EU grant helps MCC support peacebuilding projects in Middle East
With a 994,000-euro grant (C$1.5 million) from the European Union, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is empowering organizations to implement peacebuilding projects across four Middle Eastern countries. MCC and its Lebanese partner, Development for People and Nature Association (DPNA), a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable development, are using the funds over three years to support the…
What is nature to you?
If you’ve ever invited me to go camping with you, you’ll know I’m not exactly what you would call “outdoorsy.” I enjoy nature, but I don’t really see the need to sleep in it, much less in a stuffy tent with sticks and rocks poking into my back. I feel the same about hiking—I’m just…
MCC announces program cuts, changes due to COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) has scaled up its work to respond to the global crisis, increasing projects related to water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH), local health initiatives and food relief. But given the negative economic effects of COVID-19, including funding uncertainties, travel restrictions and other factors, it has made strategic decisions…
‘We are in this together’
In 1990, as the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s arrival on this side of the Atlantic loomed, Mennonites felt compelled to do something tangible. The Conference of Mennonites in Canada (CMC) formally resolved to work with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), which was already exploring the establishment of a Jubilee Fund. The intent of the fund was,…
The gift of giving time
Many people have given their time to volunteering, but few have a record of volunteering for the same organization for 46 years. Margie Steingart has that distinction. She has volunteered for the Christian Benefit Thrift Shop in St. Catharines, Ont., since it opened in January 1974, making her, at the age of 93, the oldest…
Watch: New video highlights thrift shop’s impact
A new video highlights the impact a Mennonite Central Committee thrift shop in southerwestern Manitoba has on its surrounding community. Volunteer Manitoba, an organization that supports the voluntary sector in the keystone province, recently selected the Brandon MCC Thrift Shop as one of three volunteer programs to highlight at its annual awards dinner. Although the awards…
MCC set to address COVID-19 threats
As COVID-19 spreads and worsens, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) continues its worldwide work while attending to the health and well-being of its staff. MCC is well positioned through its ongoing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health and food programs to address the threats of the novel coronavirus for some of the world’s most vulnerable people,…
We need more Peters!
“We need more Peters! He’s only one man,” exclaims ex-offender Kayel Truong, when asked about the Bridges Ministries program run by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Alberta to help prisoners of faith successfully reintegrate into the community. Peter Worsley, MCC’s offender reintegration chaplain, loves his job. “I get to experience the joy of seeing God work…
