Jimmy, Rosalynn Carter's Habitat for Humanity legacy will continue, organization says

Habitat for Humanity resumed the Carter Work Project this year to continue former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter's groundbreaking work in creating affordable housing.

Jimmy Carter died Sunday at the age of 100, following the death of Rosalynn Carter last year at 96.

The Carter Work Project is an annual week-long event created in 1984 by the Carters, who have been described by the organization as "two of the world’s most distinguished humanitarians as dedicated Habitat volunteers."

The October 2023 week-long event kicked off in North Carolina at Habitat Charlotte Region’s large-scale affordable housing neighborhood, The Meadows at Plato Price. 

Over the course of five days, future homeowners and scores of Habitat volunteers built 27 single-family affordable homes on nine acres of land. They were assisted by Humanitarians and country music superstars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.

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"Though we could never fill their shoes, we are so incredibly honored to be given the opportunity to carry President and Mrs. Carter’s legacy forward through the continuation of the Carter Work Project," Brooks said in a statement. 

The former first lady was a leading advocate for mental health, women's rights and caregiving. Her mission to create decent housing for all will carry on. 

For four decades, the Carters have been strong advocates for affordable housing for everyone, dedicating a significant amount of their time building and improving homes alongside Habitat for Humanity volunteers. 

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While working with the organization in Americus, Georgia, in early 1984, the Carters saw "firsthand the effects that lack of affordable housing has," according to Habitat. 

In September of that year, the first Carter Work Project kicked off when the Carters led dozens of Habitat volunteers to New York City to renovate a six-story apartment building. From then on, the project has become a week-long event that takes place in a different location all over the world each year.

The Carters recognized that "to ensure the greatest success, families need a stable, affordable foundation to grow. That often begins with a safe place to call home," Habitat said. "With this deeply held mission at its center, the Carters and Habitat formed a partnership." 

"Habitat provides a simple but powerful avenue for people of different backgrounds to come together to achieve those most meaningful things in life. A decent home, yes, but also a genuine bond with our fellow human beings. A bond that comes with the building up of walls and the breaking down of barriers."

- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter?

Since the early '80s and through 2019, the Carters worked alongside more than 100,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair nearly 4,400 homes through the Carter work Project, according to the organization. 

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The Carters "inspired millions across the globe with their dedication and rallied thousands of volunteers and even celebrities to take part in our mission, helping Habitat for Humanity become internationally recognized for our work to build decent and affordable housing," Habitat said. 

The former president has said that the organization "provides a simple but powerful avenue for people of different backgrounds to come together to achieve those most meaningful things in life."

The project in North Carolina is in an area that was described as a "once thriving African-American neighborhood," according to Habitat. It was named after the Plato Price School, which closed in the 1960s during desegregation. The land was left vacant until 2019, when the city of Charlotte donated it to Habitat. 

The project broke ground in September 2021.