September 15, 2026
Steve Buchan has been a familiar face at Habitat for Humanity Hamilton for over 16 years now (and counting). Since first volunteering with us in 2010, Steve has spent countless hours lending his time and talents to help support Habitat’s mission of building a stronger Hamilton.
Steve is someone who simply likes to build and repair things — making his time at Habitat a natural fit. Much of his volunteer work involves assembling and repairing items that eventually make their way onto the ReStore sales floor. For Steve, the repair work is about more than simply fixing something. It requires him to slow down, pay attention and figure things out.
“Repair work makes me think,” Steve says. “It forces me to be present and work something out in my head.”
It’s a quality that serves him well as a volunteer. Steve particularly enjoys working with wood, and he believes he may have inherited a natural talent for woodworking from his father. But perhaps his most important skill is simply that he likes to work.
That willingness to pitch in has made Steve an important part of the Habitat Hamilton volunteer community, but it’s the people who have made volunteering especially meaningful for him.
“It’s always nice to come down here to work with a wonderful group of people,” he says. “I would consider everyone here to be my friend.”
For Steve, being surrounded by good people and contributing to something worthwhile brings a sense of fulfillment. And after 16 years, that connection to the people and the mission continues to bring him back.
When asked what he would say to someone considering volunteering with Habitat Hamilton, Steve keeps it simple: come on down and try it out.
“It may not be for everyone, but some people come and stay for a really long time because they really like it here and the work/mission we do.”
Steve sees his role — and the role of volunteers across Habitat Hamilton — as an important part of addressing the housing crisis. Volunteers like Steve directly help raise funds for affordable housing in Hamilton, including through the work of the ReStore.
And the impact goes well beyond the ReStore.
“I think it is making a big difference – we have builds going on all over the city,” Steve says. He sees Habitat Hamilton as one part of a much larger team made up of community organizations, volunteers, donors and partners all working together. With Habitat now doing home repairs in addition to building new homes, he sees the organization as an important community member working alongside others to make Hamilton stronger. What they all have in common – a desire to contribute.
For Steve, that contribution has meant 16 years of building, repairing, problem-solving and spending time with people he considers friends – all while helping Habitat Hamilton raise funds and create more affordable housing in our community.
Thank you, Steve, for 16 years of volunteering with Habitat Hamilton. We’re grateful for everything you do, and especially for sharing your talents with us.
Interested in volunteering with us? Please visit our website to sign up and explore current opportunities today.