June 11, 2020 - Update
To our valued volunteers, supporters, donors, thrift shoppers, and staff:
Thank you for your patience and support throughout the last few months of the provincial state of emergency resulting from COVID-19. As we enter, phase 2 of the Alberta relaunch on June 15, 2020, below is an update on MCC Alberta programs and operation.
MCC Alberta staff will resume working from the MCC office on June 15, 2020.
The office will remain closed to the public. MCC Alberta has taken measures to disinfect and ensure the health and safety of staff is protected prior to returning to work. MCC Alberta will continue to adhere to physical distancing restrictions and ensure the necessary safety precautions are practiced to prevent illness and spread of COVID-19.
Material Resources Centre
The Material Resources Centre in Calgary remains closed to staff, volunteers and donations (blankets, supplies, kits etc.) until further notice.
MCC Thrift Shops
All MCC Thrift Shops are now open to staff, volunteers and public.
Donations are currently being accepted during the following business hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Saturday: 9:30-4:30pm
For full business hours, please visit the MCC Thrift Shop website and search for the store nearest you.
We also encourage you to follow local Thrift Shop facebook pages to stay informed on store updates:
MCC around the world
MCC continues to work to respond to the effects of COVID-19 around the world. Thank you for your ongoing support. During these uncertain times, we value prayers for our friends and neighbours, around the world and locally affected by COVID-19.
For questions and inquiries, please contact our office by phone or email at 403-275-6935 or officeab@mccab.ca.
April 20, 2020 - Update
To our valued volunteers, supporters, donors, thrift shoppers, and staff:
MCC Alberta continues to monitor changes and restrictions for COVID-19. The following changes, precautions, and closures remain effective until public health and safety authorities deem necessary:
Material Resources Centre
The Material Resources Centre in Calgary remains closed to staff, volunteers and donations (blankets, supplies, kits etc.) until further notice.
A Message from Material Resource Coordinator, Linda Dickinson
MCC Thrift Shops
All MCC Thrift Shops remain closed to staff, volunteers and public until further notice. Donations are currently not being accepted. Please consider saving your donations for when shops re-open.
We encourage you to follow local Thrift Shop facebook pages to stay informed on current status and updates:
MCC Alberta Office
MCC Alberta office staff continue to adhere to physical distancing requirements with the majority of staff working from home and making use of technology to facilitate connections. The office remains closed to the public until further notice. For questions and inquiries, please contact our office by phone or email at 403-275-6935 or officeab@mccab.ca.
MCC around the world
When crises hits, the needs of vulnerable and displaced families become even more pronounced, whether at home or around the world and MCC is well-positioned to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, through:
- Sustaining essential health services serving displaced and vulnerable peoples during the pandemic. While MCC is not a medical NGO, we support neglected health services in extremely vulnerable places – such as a primary care clinic serving a displaced people’s camp in DR Congo, mental health services in Afghanistan, and community-based maternal and child health workers in Somalia.
- Expanding health promotion and disease prevention programming that can slow the spread of COVID-19. This includes providing hygiene kits and relief buckets (material resources donations), health education to encourage hand-washing, and helping people access soap, clean water, cleaning products and improved sanitation to keep their families healthy.
- Providing the most at-risk groups with emergency food assistance and support during the pandemic, as this is essential to keeping them healthy.
- Ensuring that all MCC programs are doing what they can to minimize risk and follow the latest public health guidance.
One hundred years ago, MCC was formed to help people in crisis. MCC has moved toward similar challenges. Today, we are working hard to live up to this legacy. We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.
We encourage everyone to continue supporting the causes they are passionate about, including the work of MCC.
COVID-19 Resources:
A Message from MCC Canada and the response to COVID-19
Story: 4 ways MCC is responding to COVID-19
Resources for a time of uncertainty (for families, churches, individuals)
Donations
Donations are gratefully accepted over the phone at (403) 275-6935, toll-free at 1.888.622.6337, via mail at 2946 32 ST NE, Calgary, AB T1Y 6J7 or online at donate.mcccanada.ca.
March 31, 2020 - Update
Despite the challenges this rapidly evolving situation presents for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), including how best to balance the needs of the people we serve, the needs of staff and the needs of our community, MCC is well-positioned to continue providing support and care.
To ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers and those we serve, our Thrift Shops, Material Resource Centre and office remain closed. MCC Alberta office staff are still working from home and we have made changes to our programming to embrace physical distancing.
We invite you to follow local Thrift Shop facebook pages to stay informed on changes and updates:
We recommit ourselves to caring for our neighbours, whether across the street or the globe, and being people of service and generosity. This is a time to dig deeper and look to the needs of vulnerable people everywhere.
When crises like these hit, the needs of vulnerable and displaced families become even more pronounced, whether at home or around the world and MCC is well-positioned to respond to the impacts of the current crisis in the places we work, and is already working to respond to COVID-19, through:
- Sustaining essential health services serving displaced and vulnerable peoples during the pandemic. While MCC is not a medical NGO, we support neglected health services in extremely vulnerable places – such as a primary care clinic serving a displaced people’s camp in DR Congo, mental health services in Afghanistan, and community-based maternal and child health workers in Somalia.
- Expanding health promotion and disease prevention programming that can slow the spread of COVID-19. This includes providing hygiene kits and relief buckets (material resources donations), health education to encourage hand-washing, and helping people access soap, clean water, cleaning products and improved sanitation to keep their families healthy.
- Providing the most at-risk groups with emergency food assistance and support during the pandemic, as this is essential to keeping them healthy.
- Ensuring that all MCC programs are doing what they can to minimize risk and follow the latest public health guidance.
One hundred years ago, MCC was formed to help people in crisis. MCC has moved toward similar challenges. Today, we are working hard to live up to this legacy. We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.
We encourage everyone to continue supporting the causes they are passionate about, including the work of MCC.
Donations
Financial donations are gratefully accepted over the phone at (403) 275-6935, toll-free at 1.888.622.6337, via mail at 2946 32 ST NE, Calgary, AB T1Y 6J7 or online at donate.mcccanada.ca.
March 17, 2020 - Update
At MCC the safety of our community and staff are very important to us. We are implementing the following measures to help keep our employees, families and communities as healthy and safe as possible and do our part to help slow the rate of infection.
MCC Alberta Office: Most staff will be working from home. We acknowledge that working remotely is not possible for all roles within our organization so we have implemented appropriate safety measure and adhering to social distancing guidelines set by the Alberta government and health authorities to protect the health of our staff and supporters. Staff will be available by phone or email. Please refrain from visiting the offices as they will be closed to the public. For questions and inquiries, please contact our office by phone or email at 403-275-6935 or officeab@mccab.ca.
Most face-to-face programming provided by MCC within our communities has been cancelled and wherever possible we are making use of technology to facilitate continued connections.
- RAFT office is closed following guidelines from the City of Calgary. RAFT staff will be available via phone.
- Bridge Ministries and CoSA (Circles of Support and Accountability) will only be providing services by phone.
- Centre for Newcomers (Taber) is closed to the public. Staff are available by phone.
- Refugee Sponsorship Program, Peace Program and Indigenous Neighbours staff will only be available by phone.
All in-person events and fundraisers are cancelled. Please check our website at mccab.ca/events for more info.
The Calgary MCC Material Resource Centre is closed. We are asking all our valuable volunteers to stay home until further notice.
MCC Alberta Thrift Shops are closed effective March 17, 2020 until April 1, 2020. Staff will continue to work their regular hours for the time being. Thrift Shops will continue to accept donations with strict protocols that there be no physical contact with the donors. This will be monitored on an ongoing basis as we watch the information coming from our Provincial Medical Director.
The cleanliness of our shops and offices are more important than ever. Aligned with guidance from health authorities, we are implementing additional measures to clean and disinfect our locations.
We will continue to carefully monitor and assess new developments and follow guidance from the World Health Organization and local health authorities. Any updates will be posted here and on social media.
Please watch your inbox, our website and social media for opportunities to continue to connect and work together to support relief, development and peace in the name of Christ.
Thank you for your ongoing support. During these uncertain times, we value prayers for our friends and neighbours, around the world and locally affected by COVID-19.