Durham Habitat mourns the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter

January 2, 2025

Habitat for Humanity of Durham joins the world in mourning the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and joins observances around the world to remember his life of service. He and Rosalynn Carter have served as Habitat for Humanity’s most famous volunteers over the 35 years they helped to build affordable housing with the organization.

In honor and remembrance of President Carter, Durham Habitat will host a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of a new Habitat home at 212 S. Maple St. on Wednesday, January 8 at 2:00 pm.

“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 Habitat families and improve countless lives across the globe,” said Carleena Deonanan, Interim Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Durham. “President Carter leaves behind a legacy of lifelong service and generosity. He is an inspiration for all of us.”

After leaving the White House, the Carters sought out meaningful ways to continue their commitment to social justice and basic human rights. They first volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Americus, Georgia, near their home of Plains, in March 1984. Later that same year, the Carters joined Habitat volunteers in New York City’s Lower East Side to renovate an abandoned building in partnership with families in need of affordable housing. That trip marked Habitat for Humanity’s first Jimmy Carter Work Project (later renamed the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project). Each year since then, the Carters have volunteered with Habitat to build or improve houses alongside homeowners in communities across the United States and around the world. President Carter also served as a member of the organization’s board of directors from 1984-1987.

“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,” President Carter has said. “What’s opened up that avenue for me and my wife and hundreds and thousands of others is Habitat for Humanity. It makes it easy for us to reach out and work side by side with the homeowner who’s never had a decent house, perhaps. I haven’t been on a Habitat project that I wasn’t thrilled and inspired, and wept.”

Inspiring millions over the last three decades, President and Mrs. Carter have worked alongside more than 104,000 volunteers across the U.S. and in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair 4,390 homes. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat for Humanity has served more than 46 million people around the world.

In 2016, Habitat for Humanity International named President and Mrs. Carter as the inaugural Habitat Humanitarians for their extraordinary dedication to service in alignment with Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.