Volunteer Spotlight: David Patterson
Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga ReStore volunteers are the reason our affiliate can build houses in the community. Their hard work allows us to invest more time and money in our mission to provide safe and affordable housing for everyone. We are so grateful for their commitment and would like to thank them for their contribution.
Nearing the end of National Volunteer Week, we would like to recognize David Patterson for his hard work and dedication at our Burlington ReStore.
Two months ago, David took a trip down Appleby Line to visit our store after a recommendation from his mother to check out some furniture.
Immediately after his visit, David signed up to be a volunteer.
“We need affordable housing, and helping out makes me feel like I’m making a difference.”
“When I got here, I saw that it was the top ReStore location for Ontario, even in Canada. I was like ‘Wow, someone’s running this place well’,” he says. “I knew Habitat took lots of volunteers and that they were a big volunteer-run organization. I also knew they were so well-run and well-regarded. I thought I needed to get in there.”
David visited our website and registered to help out. As a new warehouse worker, David soon took the responsibilities of unloading trucks, placing new items on the floor and helping customers. His willingness to lend a hand and positive attitude helped him quickly connect with customers and the team.
Now, David reflects on what he loves most about working here.
“What I like about volunteering here are the people. The people are great, the energy, the vibes, even the customers are polite,” he says and laughs.
Yet, the one thing that repeated itself in our conversation was his admiration for Habitat’s mission.
“It’s for an important issue which is affordable housing,” he says. “That’s a very relevant issue for lots of people. I’ve seen homeless people, even in Burlington now. We need affordable housing, and helping out makes me feel like I’m making a difference.”
Coming from a background in refurbishing and recycling computers at a tech company for free, David also has a passion for helping the environment.
“I volunteered with non-profits and charities that recycled and refurbished computers to use again. It was kind of idealistic I guess,” he says. “We were building computer systems out of the older parts. Similar to the ReVive Centre here, it’s like we were reviving them. Sometimes we’d make whole systems just for schools.”
Before that, he volunteered as a web developer with the Halton Environmental Network, adding that their mission to implement sustainable initiatives in the community was something he strongly valued.
Years later, he finally landed at Habitat. A place where he can give back to the community and the environment surrounding him.
In his interview, David emphasizes that our initiative to recycle and refurbish material donations at our stores is an important part of working here.
“Too few people recycle, and society needs to recycle and reuse more,” he says. “When my mom and I walked in here, we were like, ‘Wow, this stuff is so much cheaper, it looks new and it’s better to do it.”
At Habitat for Humanity Halton Mississauga, our goals are simple. We want to be a voice in the community for affordable housing needs, and we want to build safe and decent homes for those in need. By extension, we are building a community of champions like David who help us drive our mission. Thank you, David, for your contributions at the Burlington ReStore. We look forward to our future with you as part of our Habitat family!
If you want to make a difference in your community through volunteering with us, head to habitathm.ca/volunteer.
