Meet Mary and her team!


Meet Mary Dilly!
Mary has been a resident of Burlington since 1990. Her career has spanned from a legal assistant to events/fundraising/marketing and advertising. Her 40+ years of event planning have given her experience and logistical, time, and project management skills. Mary has been the sole organizer of an annual Christmas Day Dinner since 2006. Her attention to detail in the planning and execution – from fundraising, working with volunteers, food, and presents for approximately 500 guests – ensures the success of this tremendous endeavour each year. Mary has been helping families to downsize for years. She enjoys the challenge of dispersing items compassionately while donating to worthwhile local charities. The main priority for Mary is keeping things out of the landfill.
Accolades, Awards & Recognition for Mary
✅ 2020 - Rotary Burlington North Paul Harris Award
✅ 2018 - MPP Eleanor McMahon's Canada 150 Award
Mary's Annual Christmas Day Dinner
Since 2006, Mary has been organizing and hosting an annual Christmas Day Dinner held at East Plains United Church in (Aldershot) Burlington. It started with 45 volunteers and 35 guests and has now grown to 100 volunteers on December 24th to set up and wrap presents and approximately 100 volunteers on Christmas Day to serve dinner to 350 - 500 guests and then clean up and takedown. It is an enormous endeavour and one which gives Mary such joy.
She says this is her "ticket to Heaven"! Every guest is served a full turkey dinner (or veggie option), enjoys carolling by the volunteers, great companionship and a visit and present from Santa! It is a magical day and couldn't take place without the amazing volunteers!
Mary Raises & Fosters Service Dogs
Since 1996, Mary Dilly has been raising and fostering service dogs in training. She is presently raising her 14th puppy. Fostering a service dog in training is a lot of work but is also a lot of fun. Dogs are taken everywhere – stores, malls, church, movie theatres, etc. to socialize them and teach them proper behaviours in public settings. Mary is proud that all of her dogs, except one, graduated and are working service dogs.
Mary Is Committed To The Community
In early 2020, Mary learned about a project that was supporting families moving out of shelter and new immigrants with donations of household items. What was lacking was furniture donations so she and a friend decided to do something about that! Three years later, Mary and her friends have now outfitted over 50 families with household items such as couches, beds, dressers, tv’s, kitchen tables/chairs and so much more. Thanks to the Burlington community who donate all the items! This endeavour could never have been possible without the tremendous and generous support of Access Storage for the donation of three storage units.
Meet The Downsizing Solutions Team
Debbie, a Dilly-ette works part-time for Downsizing Solutions. She loves helping the clients pack their things up and take residency in their new homes. You'll always see her smiling. In fact, we're not always sure whose smile is bigger on move-in day; hers or the clients. When she's not packing and un-packing with Downsizing Solutions you will find her doing the things she loves most: hiking, biking, travelling, and spending time with her husband and four adult children. This may or may not be in local communities and markets.
Jordyn is our youngest Dilly-ette, and works occasionally for Downsizing Solutions. She loves backyard fires with her family in her spare time. She loves all things sports - playing it or watching it, but her fave sport of all time is fishing. Despite being the quietest of all Dilly-ettes, she takes great pride in her work, and loves the clients.
John & Brian are the primary Downsizing Solutions moving team. They've been a dynamic moving duo since the inception of the company. You'll not likely see one without the other. They may be quiet, but they are hard at work being professional to get the job done, no matter how big or small. When they're not hauling boxes or furniture you will find them working on one of their many "hobby" cars.


We're always interested in expanding our team. If you, or you know someone, interested in joining the Downsizing Solutions team, please contact Mary Dilly directly.