Habitat for Humanity Mourns Rosalynn Carter
Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley is deeply saddened by the passing of former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who was a champion and strong voice for affordable, decent housing for all. For over three decades, she and President Jimmy Carter donated their time and leadership to Habitat each year to build and improve homes worldwide.
“On behalf of the Habitat NRV family, we mourn the loss of a great collaborator and partner to the mission of Habitat. The impact of President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter as advocates of affordable housing is unprecedented. Our prayers and thoughts are with the entire Carter family” said James Drader, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley.
“We grieve the loss of Mrs. Carter, and our prayers are with President Carter and their family. Mrs. Carter has helped change the lives of thousands of homeowners, empowered countless women, and inspired millions of people. Over the years, she has blessed us with her compassion for serving others and commitment to improving housing conditions,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International. “The Carters lent a hand to Habitat for Humanity as a young, fledging organization and created global awareness of our work and of our mission. We are grateful for the incredible impact she and President Carter have had on Habitat and on the families who have benefited from their shining example.”
After leaving the White House, the Carters planned meaningful ways to continue their commitment to social justice and basic human rights. Their first volunteer experience with Habitat for Humanity was in March 1984 near their home in Americus, Georgia, where Habitat for Humanity was founded. 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 needing affordable housing. That marked Habitat for Humanity’s first Jimmy Carter Work Project, which was later renamed the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Since then, President and Mrs. Carter have worked with more than 104,000 U.S. volunteers and 14 countries to build, renovate and repair 4,390 Habitat homes. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has served more than 46 million people worldwide.
In 2016, Habitat 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.
Habitat for Humanity will be celebrating Mrs. Carter’s life of service with local observances. To learn more or to share a tribute, visit habitat.org.
