Steven Lindquist is one of just 12 volunteers worldwide honored by Habitat for Humanity International for exceptional service and impact.
Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity is celebrating one of its own! ReStore volunteer Steve Lindquist has been named one of just 12 Global Volunteer Honorees by Habitat for Humanity International, selected from nominations across Habitat’s worldwide network.
Steve is one of only two volunteers globally recognized in the ReStore category. The honor is part of Habitat for Humanity’s 50th anniversary celebration, recognizing extraordinary volunteers whose service, leadership and innovation are helping advance affordable housing around the world.
For Steve, the recognition celebrates more than 2,100 hours of volunteer service and a remarkable contribution to Milwaukee Habitat’s ReStore operations.
Turning Technical Expertise Into Affordable Homeownership
Milwaukee Habitat ReStores sell donated furniture, appliances and home improvement materials, with proceeds supporting Habitat’s mission of building affordable homeownership. The more profitable our stores are, the more funding we can generate to support families seeking to buy their first home.
Since joining Milwaukee Habitat in 2022, Steve has applied his technical expertise to help transform how ReStore understands and manages its operations.
A major initiative in Milwaukee Habitat’s five-year ReStore Strategic Plan was to better understand which types of donations and sales generate the greatest profit, ultimately maximizing the funding available for affordable homeownership.
Steve played a critical role in making that possible, developing technical solutions that connect ReStore’s inventory, sales, and accounting systems. He also built a custom Profitability Dashboard that brings all that information together, allowing leadership to evaluate profitability across different revenue streams.
Today, Milwaukee Habitat is among a small number of Habitat ReStores nationwide with this capability, helping us make more informed decisions about store operations and generate more funding to build affordable homes in Milwaukee.
Steve’s technical contributions represent an estimated $50,000 in professional services, all generously donated through his volunteer time.
A Volunteer Who Makes Everyone Better
But Steve’s impact goes well beyond technology.
He originally joined Milwaukee Habitat’s Franklin ReStore with a simple goal: to get more steps in during the day. What started as a way to stay active quickly became an extraordinary contribution to the organization.
Steve has become a trusted collaborator and friend to staff and fellow volunteers, bringing creativity, thoughtful challenges and plenty of humor to everything he does.
As ReStore Director Dominic Jaehnke shared in Steve’s award nomination:
“What makes Steve exceptional isn’t just what he built. He engages at every level of the organization as a peer, challenging leaders, building genuine friendships with staff and volunteers, and bringing a sense of humor that makes every meeting better than it needed to be. He came to us to get his steps in. What he gave us was extraordinary.”
Steve’s recognition places him alongside exceptional volunteers from around the world who are helping strengthen communities and expand access to affordable housing.
Congratulations, Steve! We’re incredibly grateful for your generosity, dedication and the lasting difference you’ve made for Milwaukee Habitat and the families we serve.
Inspired by Steve’s story? Explore volunteer opportunities with Milwaukee Habitat and discover how your time and talents can help more local families invest in the dream of homeownership.
