Volunteer Spotlight: Tracey Hill
When Tracey Hill came to Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga’s Burlington ReStore to shop for a lampshade in November 2018, she didn’t know she’d be coming in to volunteer every week for the next four months. A call-out for volunteers in the store led her to sign up as a warehouse worker, and we’ve been thankful for her decision ever since.
Near the end of 2018, Tracey felt like she needed somewhere meaningful to spend her time. Since Habitat was so close to home, it naturally seemed like the perfect place to volunteer. She also knew it was a great way to give back to the community, and she wanted to be a part of it.
“The people are great, they inspire you to do your best”
Now Tracey comes to the ReStore any day she’s able to and donates her time. “This is a great charity to give back to,” she says.
With a positive attitude, Tracey offers to help out with any job. “Put me anywhere you need me,” she tells warehouse managers Jody and Anne. While every shift is different, a day in the warehouse usually involves unloading skids, pricing items and putting them on the shelves so they are ready to go for customers.
The best part about volunteering in the ReStore, though, is the people.
“The people are great, they inspire you to do your best,” she says. “It’s totally different than going to work and getting a paycheque. Every volunteer wants to be here, it’s enjoyable and nobody’s miserable.”
Tracey says that it’s important for her to volunteer here because she knows that losing a home could be anyone’s story, even hers.
“One day I might lose my house and then all of a sudden be on the streets.” To her, Habitat is special because you have the opportunity to “give back to the less fortunate.”
As for the future, Tracey knows that she wants Habitat to be a part of it.
“I’d love to keep coming here and give a little bit of time because I do enjoy the people and the work,” she says. “Habitat treats their volunteers very well.”
As a volunteer, Tracey feels appreciated for the work she’s doing.
“I find in the work atmosphere, when you’re working for a paycheque, it’s so hard for people sometimes to say thank you,” she says. “Even when I was leaving today, Anne was like, ‘thanks for coming in today!’ It’s a small word, but it goes such a long way.”
Volunteers like Tracey make it possible for Habitat to do good work in the community. We want to thank her and our group of dedicated volunteers who roll up their sleeves and make the work happen. Our vision to provide safe, decent affordable housing to families in the community is easier when we have a group of people who want to be a part of the change.
We are always in need of more volunteers to make our community a better place to live. In particular, we are looking for volunteers for the following positions:
- Burlington ReStore: Cashier – Afternoons
- Mississauga ReStore: Cashier – Mornings and Afternoons
- Milton ReStore: Cashier
If you would like to make a difference in your community through volunteering with us, head to habitatvolunteer.ca.
