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What We're Up To
Christmas Trees With the Lions Club
This year we were able to partner up with the McMinnville Lions Club to deliver Christmas trees to local families in need. The Lions Club provided the trees while we provided the ornaments and decorations. Our very own Amy Potter tells the story the best:
"Our first delivery partnership was on Thursday morning with Belinda Ogle and Carmen Banke, executive director of the See Ya Later Foundation. We delivered to a family in Sheridan. One of the family members has cancer and was out at a treatment when we delivered. However, it was wonderful to share this experience with the family.
The next delivery was with Morris Eagleman from Hope on the Hill. We delivered to a single mom of two here in McMinnville. Her son is 8 years old and has bone cancer. Their smiling faces were so great! And when they found out that the decorations were theirs to keep, tears of joy rolled down the mom's face.
On Friday morning, we were joined by Charmaine from Provoking Hope. We met another single mother that is building a new life for her and her daughter. She was so very thankful for the gift of the tree. And then she opened the box of decorations and it was exactly the colors she would choose! Her kitty got into helping with the tree too!
Friday afternoon took us to our YCAP partnership, joined by Guadalupe Garcia. The family of 8 is getting back on their feet. Their oldest son just got home from his first semester in college on scholarship. Their dad told us that the little ones had been writing to Santa asking him to bring a tree. I let them know that Santa had told us they needed a tree with all of the trimmings! Their little eyes were so full of joy and wonder. They were going to spend the evening baking cookies and trimming the tree.
Being able to "deliver" Christmas with Brian Sauer from the Lions Club was one of the most rewarding things I have been able to do this season! After each one, the tears were hard to hold back. Seeing the children so very grateful for any small thing was such a joy and blessing to my heart.
We cannot wait until next year! We've already begun discussing how to make it bigger and more inclusive."
Sunday Sandwiches
Every Sunday at 1:00 PM at the McMinnville Public Library, Encompass Yamhill Valley spearheads the effort to provide free sandwiches and coffee to local individuals struggling with homelessness. We have recently volunteered to pass through donated items like hats, gloves, blankets, sweaters, and a coffee mug to keep. We count on your donations to MacHub to be able to provide partnership, service, and support to the local community at events like these. It's amazing what we as a community can accomplish when we show up and support each other, especially those who are suffering in any way. You can give back by donating your time, expertise, pre-loved treasures, or financial support to our cause. This allows us to continue our mission and expand our efforts to be able to assist our community even more. We appreciate and recognize you, knowing we wouldn't be able to do it without you.
eBay Seller Story Series
We were recently honored to be part of the eBay Seller Story Series this past month. Swedemom founder, Cami Nyquist, sat down with eBay and their film crew for their seller spotlight. In the following article and YouTube video, Cami talks about the history of Swedemom, the idea behind it, and the passion it takes to keep it all going. It was an amazing thing to be a part of and we think it perfectly captures the message of Swedemom Center of Giving.
"Community is everything. Building relationships with one another and the energy like we've got here at Swedemom and with our community—I've never seen anything like it. I'm very blessed to be watching it happen. I have seen people come through our programs here who had no home, no place to go, who got a job and now are living in their own homes. They were able to get out of their situation because they were surrounded by community. It was the community here in the business and the external relationships built all around it. It's a beautiful thing, community. There's nothing like it, and we need more of it."
Partner Spotlight: Provoking Hope
Provoking Hope was started by Diane Reynolds after particularly difficult early life experiences. She suffered with domestic violence, child abuse, poverty, and was surrounded by people who struggled with things like depression, alcoholism, and drug addiction. She believed that death was a better alternative. Staring at a pile of pills, thoughts came into her mind about using her experiences to help others and provide hope to them. In 1988, she began to heal and recover from the damage done to her in her youth. Today, Provoking Hope provides mentorship, motivation, parenting classes, job placement assistance, housing assistance, counseling, education, and much more to those who struggle with substance abuse and/or mental health issues. The mission of Provoking Hope is: "Providing a clean and sober team and environment to transition you onto a path of successful recovery. Bring them in, raise them up, equip them, and then send them out!"
Swedemom Center of Giving and MacHub have been in partnership with Provoking Hope for several years. How we have supported them has evolved over time depending on need. We recently collected donated items such as bedding and kitchen items and sent them to the new Hope House run by Provoking Hope. We are grateful to be part of a community that supports each other and combines expertise and resources to improve the lives of those involved. Swedemom Center of Giving supports the mission of Provoking Hope, helping to bring hope and light to people in need.
Get To Know Our Team
Savannah Robinson started with us through one of the job assistance programs and has since worked her way up to Production Manager at MacHub. When Savannah first started, her youngest child was a year old. "I was just trying to get back into working so that's why I chose the jobs program. I wanted to find something new to do." She recognizes the need for these job assistance services to get people back into the workforce, gain experience, or to get back on their feet. She has been instrumental over the years in helping these individuals as well as volunteers, interns, and other employees. I think it’s safe to say this organization would suffer without Savannah and we are grateful for her expertise and managerial support.
MacHub is part of a bigger organization called Swedemom Center of Giving. The concern of the Swedemom founder, Cami Nyquist, was that moms who are raising young kids have the flexibility they need at their workplace to be able to still take care of their families. With that goal in mind, MacHub has taken on the role of a job skills training facility as a workplace who supports the need for flexibility, especially for parents or students. We work with job assistance organizations such as Easterseals, Shangri-La, and more to help provide training, mentorship, and support for individuals looking to get back into the workforce or who need to gain job skills and experience to gain better employment. We have seen many individuals be able to learn and grow and find their way to a successful career. It's been amazing to see these transformations.
A Division of Swedemom Center of Giving (501C3)
Winter Sales With MacHub!
Find everything you need to stay warm and cozy this winter! You can find fantastic deals every day, shop for a local cause, and help the planet with MacHub! Through our partnership with Swedemom, we have an online shopping platform that makes it easy and safe to browse our stock of furniture, collectibles, décor, and more.
Mark your calendars in December, January, and February for MacHub's Online Auctions! With a wide variety of items and prices there is surely something for everyone!
Registration is FREE and there is currently NO BUYER PREMIUM.
MacHub's Next Pre-loved and Useable Items Online Auction: Bidding begins at 8:00 AM on December 31st and begins closing on January 5th at 5:30 PM. Be aware that the auction will end an hour earlier this time!
To view our catalog, click the button below to go to the HiBid auction site. Be sure to check back often! New lots are being added every day!
Looking for an opportunity to volunteer or share your skills?
Wednesdays are volunteer days at MacHub! We invite you to join our volunteer base to help serve our community and have fun while doing it! If you'd like to participate or learn more about our volunteer opportunities, please visit our website below or email us at volunteers@machub.org for more information!
We wish you the happiest holiday season and
send hope for a prosperous and peaceful new year.
Help ensure the future of our organization!
If you appreciate what we are doing, we welcome your financial support. Donate today through Swedemom Center of Giving or email for more information at donations@machub.org.