Buckets of Thanks

Give buckets full of hope.

Did you know that hope can come in a bucket?

This Thanksgiving, show your gratitude and fill a bucket of hope for those in need around the world by giving a Bucket of Thanks.

This year, our local partners will need 24,000 relief buckets for people affected by disaster or conflict. This Thanksgiving season, our goal is to collect supplies for 1,800 of these buckets.

What is a Bucket of Thanks? It's a five-gallon pail filled with essential hygiene items, also known as a relief kit. These buckets get sent all around the world providing essential items to people and families in need in places like Ukraine, Iraq and Syria.

To show your gratitude and help give hope, during the month of October you can:

Pack a relief bucket and drop it off at your local MCC office. (Contact your local MCC office to ask about picking up pails).
Sponsor a bucket to cover the cost of supplies needed for a bucket. Chose to sponsor a bucket in honour of someone you love and you'll receive a printable Thanksgiving card.
Drop off some or all of the supplies that go in a relief bucket at your local MCC office. Every item helps!

Want to make relief buckets with children of all ages? Written for Sunday Schools, classrooms or families, Kits are for Caring is a ready-to-use curriculum with everything you need to guide a group of children towards sharing God's gifts by helping people around the world. Sign up to receive this helpful tool!

FAQ

Where in the world do they go?

Last year, generous people like you sent relief kits to Cuba, Haiti, Honduras, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Ukraine and Zambia.

What in the world goes in a bucket?

A relief bucket includes:

4 large bars bath soap (leave in wrapper)

Shampoo (1 or 2 bottles, totalling more than 600 ml; place in a resealable plastic bag)

4 large bars laundry soap (such as Sunlight®, Fels Naptha®, or Zote® brands)

4 adult-sized toothbrushes (in manufacturer’s packaging)

4 new bath towels (medium weight, dark or bright colours; approx. 75 cm x 150 cm)

2 wide-toothed combs (15–20 cm)

1 nail clipper (good quality)

1 box adhesive bandages (minimum 40, assorted)

Sanitary pads (THIN; 1 or 2 packages, minimum 28 pads total)

Items we cannot accept:

Face towels/cloths

Hotel/mini bar soap

Full nail care kits or nail files

Hair conditioner

Panty liners

Personal notes or family photos

Child size/small toothbrushes

Men’s pocket combs

Travel size toothpaste

Powdered laundry detergent

Read the full list of requirements and assembly instructions

Where do I drop off supplies or completed buckets?

You can drop off completed buckets or the supplies that go into a bucket at your local MCC office throughout the month of October.

Where can I read stories of people who receive these kits?

We've got plenty of stories to show how people like you met the needs of the most vulnerable by providing relief kits. Read the relief stories collection.

My family wants to plan a relief kit activity. Do you have resources?

Yes! Send out this video ahead of time to get your family excited about the cause and tell them why you want to take part. And find more resources for families here.

Get packing!