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How former President Jimmy Carter has constructed a humanitarian legacy

With former president Jimmy Carter’s health in question, many are now reflecting on the 39th president’s legacy. One initiative Carter continues to be most remembered for is his humanitarian work with Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing with flexible payment options to families struggling or in need.

The organization credits former President Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, as some of the biggest contributors to the organization both through fundraising and hands-on construction work. According to statistics on the Habitat for Humanity website, Carter and his wife have worked alongside over 100,000 volunteers in 14 countries, while helping to build, renovate and rebuild over 4,000 homes.

Action News Jax had the chance to speak to Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Malinda Everson on Monday night, who outlined the monumental impact Carter has had on the organization.

“[Carter] is such a humanitarian. And I think that alone gets people’s attention,” Everson stated. “It’s been hugely important with Habitat [for Humanity] because he physically would come out and work at the sites.”

Everson also shared one incredible display of dedication by the former president back in 2017, while he helped with a Habitat for Humanity construction project in Canada.

“I remember a story a couple of years ago, I wanna say it was 2017 … he came out there and he was working at the site. And it was unusually hot in Canada that year and he had a heat stroke. And the very next day, he was back out there again after being in the hospital. And he was in his ‘90s,” Everson recounted with amazement.

Habitat for Humanity has also since released a statement regarding the former president’s contributions to the organization and his current health. That full statement can be found below:

Dear friends, as President Jimmy Carter enters hospice care, we hope you will join us in praying for him, Mrs. Carter and the entire Carter family. A man deeply committed to social justice and basic human rights, President Carter has dedicated himself to alleviating human suffering. In addition to promoting peace and human rights through the Carter Center, President and Mrs. Carter led the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity for more than 30 years, raising awareness of the critical need for affordable housing.

In honoring his legacy, please know that the 2023 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project hosted by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will take place as planned in Charlotte, North Carolina, October 1-6. Look for additional updates on the Carter Work Project page and posted in the Carter Work Project Facebook group.

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