Durham Habitat for Humanity Honors the Life and Legacy of President Jimmy Carter

Habitat for Humanity of Durham joins the world in mourning the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, reflecting on his enduring legacy of service and advocacy for affordable housing.

Alongside his wife, Rosalynn Carter, the former president devoted more than 35 years to Habitat for Humanity, becoming the organization’s most recognized volunteers and inspiring countless others.

To honor President Carter’s memory, Durham Habitat will host a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Habitat home at 212 S. Maple St. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 2 p.m.

“We send our sincere condolences to the family of President Jimmy Carter, who, alongside the late First Lady Rosalynn Carter, helped create homeownership opportunities for thousands of families and improve countless lives worldwide,” said Carleena Deonanan, interim executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Durham. “President Carter leaves behind a legacy of lifelong service and generosity. He is an inspiration to us all.”

After leaving the White House, the Carters sought meaningful ways to continue their commitment to social justice and human rights. Their journey with Habitat for Humanity began in March 1984, near their home in Plains, Georgia. Later that year, they traveled to New York City’s Lower East Side to renovate an abandoned building alongside families in need, marking the first Jimmy Carter Work Project.

While they could, the Carters volunteered with Habitat annually, working alongside more than 104,000 volunteers in the United States and 14 countries to build, renovate, or repair 4,390 homes. President Carter also served on Habitat’s board of directors from 1984 to 1987.

Reflecting on his work, President Carter once said, “I think every human being has within himself or herself a desire to reach out to others and to share some of our blessings with those who are in need. Habitat for Humanity makes it easy for us to work side by side with homeowners who’ve never had a decent house. I haven’t been on a Habitat project that I wasn’t thrilled, inspired, and moved to tears.”

In 2016, Habitat named President and Mrs. Carter its inaugural Habitat Humanitarians, recognizing their extraordinary dedication to the vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.