Mission Store

The Mission Store is a social enterprise, a not-for-profit, and a registered charity.

Social Enterprise

A social enterprise is a business that generates revenue while achieving social impact. How our Mission Store achieves social impact is listed below:

Emergency Voucher Program: From 2023-2024, the Emergency Voucher Program provided over $148,000 in free voucher goods to individuals in need (see Emergency Voucher Program post). Click here to read more.

Work Placement Partnerships: The Mission Store works with local employment agencies to provide thousands of hours each year to those facing employment barriers.

Mission Services of London Program Support: Items donated to Mission Store may be directly used by our other sites, including Men’s Mission, Rotholme Family Shelter, and Quintin Warner House.

Affordability: Providing a place for lower-income individuals and families to find what they need at affordable prices.

Donation Pick-Up Services: Ensuring everyone has a way to donate, even if they cannot drop off the items themselves.

Environmental Impact: Collecting and selling pre-loved goods means keeping items out of landfills, reducing carbon and chemical pollution caused by manufacturing, and lowering water consumption.

Not-for-Profit

As established within the social enterprise definition, the Mission Store is a business that generates revenue; however, the Mission Store is also a not-for-profit.

The revenue generated by the Mission Store is used in a variety of ways.

The Mission Store’s revenue goes to necessities, such as leasing costs, labour costs (our Mission Store employs under 20 staff members, and has approximately 100 volunteers), operational costs (hangers, tags, utilities, maintenance, etc.), and make-up for lost potential merchandise sales, as a result of giving away items at no-cost through the Emergency Voucher Program.

Registered Charity

Since the Mission Store is operated by Mission Services of London, it also falls under our Registered Charity designation. Because of this, the Mission Store is tax free for shoppers.

The Emergency Voucher Program:

Mission Services of London has operated the Emergency Voucher Program in the London and area community for more than 55 years. The program is intended as an emergency service for those in need of a basic set of clothing, outerwear in the cold, and small household items.

Individuals who are unsheltered or living in an emergency state can access the program multiple times per year, including during the change of seasons.

Once they are no longer in an emergency state, previous clients of the Emergency Voucher Program are provided with two 50 percent off discounted shopping experiences per year.

To ensure each participant has the dignity of choice, they are provided a slip upon arrival containing everything they’re able to shop for, for free.