Luke Buchanan on Making a Difference with Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity’s mission of building homes for people in need is a truly inspiring one, and a mission that Luke Buchanan connects strongly with. A Tulane graduate, Luke Buchanan volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in the months after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. While working with Habitat for Humanity, Luke Buchanan was struck by what a big difference the efforts of volunteers were making for the families and communities where they came to work. From utter destruction, homes rose again. Luke Buchanan worked and watched as New Orleans was slowly, if incompletely, renewed by volunteers from Habitat for Humanity and other organizations.

Habitat for Humanity has been building homes for people in need since 1976. Luke Buchanan is proud to be among the thousands of individuals who have worked with Habitat for Humanity and encourages everyone he meets to volunteer with the organization. Many college students have the opportunity to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity during school breaks, notes Luke Buchanan, while others might find volunteer opportunities through their church community or other organization. For Luke Buchanan, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity stands alongside organizations like the Spanish Education Development Center as a critical forum for giving back to the communities he has called home.

Luke Buchanan often reflects on the lessons he learned while working with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans. The bravery of those who had survived the storm was touching, and Luke Buchanan spoke with many survivors who told him about the horror of the storm and the subsequent losses. Inspired by these stories, Luke Buchanan, when facing an obstacle, draws on the strength that he believes he developed during this period. It seems impossible to Luke Buchanan that you could work with Habitat for Humanity, especially in a region like post-Katrina New Orleans, without being totally transformed.