A Life of Service: Remembering President Jimmy Carter
Lexington Habitat for Humanity mourns the loss of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. We are reminded of his lifelong commitment to peace, human rights, and service to others — a legacy that has inspired and impacted millions.
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Below, browse reflections on his impact from the Lexington Habitat community.
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Read Lexington Habitat's official press release here.
“President Carter's work with Habitat for Humanity has served as a beacon of hope for so many, demonstrating his belief in the power of community and the dignity of homeownership. His hands-on efforts have helped build not just homes but futures, offering families stability and the opportunity for a better life,” said Lexington Habitat CEO Darryl Neher. “Through his compassion and leadership, he has shown us all what it means to live a life dedicated to making the world a better place.”
In 1997, President Carter came to Eastern Kentucky for the Hammering in the Hills project (pictured above, courtesy Kentucky Lantern). The ambitious undertaking sought to build 52 homes throughout Appalachia in a single week.
Lyle Hanna, Board Emeritus, writes:
"What a terrific loss to have President Carter pass. I was blessed to get to know him quite well through our interaction with Habitat for Humanity. Jimmy Carter was a loving man who stood for peace and human rights. He knew there was more to life than just living for oneself. He demonstrated how our lives can be devoted to helping make a better experience for everyone. After traveling and working with President Carter around the world, I think he would beam with delight if each of us would find a way to contribute to those less fortunate!"
"What an inspiration President Carter was to Habitat volunteers! Those of us who are 'Seniors' begin to question whether it’s time to hang up the tool belts and put away the paint brushes. But as his leadership continued over the years, we realized that we can 'Get out of our comfort zone', which Pres. Carter always proposed, and keep on working.
My first time at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project was in 1996 in Vác, Hungary, with a group from Kentucky the year before the 1997 Hammering in the Hills Carter Project was held in KY and Tennessee. And I was really hooked….working with great volunteers from all over the world, new and lasting friendships, seeing the results of homes being built in a week, meeting the homeowners and the spirit and atmosphere that surrounded the work site. My husband got involved also and we have participated with the Carters and hundreds of like-minded volunteers. Yes, we have gotten 'out of our comfort zone' numerous times in numerous countries, trying to follow the examples set before us.
We will certainly miss President Carter but his legacy lives on throughout the world as he inspired so many to help build 'simple, decent, affordable homes' for those in need."
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- Longtime Lexington Habitat and Carter Work Project volunteers supporter
Jean Cravens.
From Lexington ReStore Director Mark Little:
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"President Carter only tackled problems that he thought were solvable. He didn't come to Habitat job sites for photo ops or press releases. He came to swing a hammer and build a house. He volunteered with Habitat for Humanity because he saw the enormity of the housing affordability crisis and could see a way to end it.
Guinea worm disease. Intractable war. Maybe housing is next.
The conviction of President Carter is among the primary reasons that I've spent more than 20 years working for Habitat. He believed that the housing crisis was so deep and yet still solvable that he gave both his name and his time—his two most valuable resources—to the cause. His legacy is unfathomably large, but some of it lives in simple, decent, affordable homes that will shelter families for generations to come.
I believe that the housing crisis is solvable because Jimmy Carter tells me that it is.
Safe passage, sir. It is hard to imagine a life better lived." ​
