FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Sunday, and his wife spent over three decades building homes for families in South Florida and across the globe.
His legacy of humanitarian aid was felt by many people in South Florida, including in Broward with Habitat for Humanity.
As evidence of his impact, 20 families will be moving into newly constructed homes in Fort Lauderdale sometime in Summer 2025 as part of Habitat for Humanity’s initiatives.
“Habitat, wherever we’ve been in almost every country on Earth, we try to set an example. When there’s a lack of hope, look at what can be done at least on a small scale,” said Carter in a 7News interview a few years ago.
With the Habitat for Humanity Jimmy Carter Work Projects, volunteers, alongside the former president, traveled to nations like Haiti and parts of the United States to build homes that would provide hope to future homeowners.
“As I’ve said for 30 years, we’ve never been on a Habitat project that we didn’t get more out of it than we put into it,” said Carter during a speech at one of the building sites.
While the organization doesn’t provide homes for free, it does give the opportunity of homeownership to people who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
Across South Florida, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami has built over 1,000 homes, while Habitat for Humanity in Broward has constructed more than 600.
Both Jimmy and his wife participated actively in building homes throughout the area.
“He did not take breaks and it was about work and getting these houses built and getting it done,” said Nancy Robin, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Broward.
The former president was spotted at a building site in South Florida a few years ago, contributing what Habitat calls, “sweat equity.”
“They were there at 7 a.m. every morning like everybody else and if we were behind schedule and had to stay until 7, 8 or 9 p.m., he stayed and he was the last one to leave,” said Nancy Daly, honorary board member of Habitat for Humanity of Broward.
Robin recalls his dedication even in his later years.
“I think he was either 97 or 98. At his last build, he took a fall. They patched him up and he was right back out there hammering and working,” she said.
Carter’s commitment to helping others could be traced back to his mother, Lillian. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India.
13 years ago, during an interview with 7News in Haiti, he reflected on a book she wrote about her time there.
“This is a picture of my mother with a little girl. The gardener gave mother vegetables from the rich family. Mother didn’t have any way to repay him so she taught his little daughter how to read,” Carter said.
Years later, he said, he crossed paths with the now-adult woman.
“She said ‘I’m the president of a university!'” said Carter.
“She’s the president of a university? What would your mother have said?” asked 7News reporter Nicole Linsalata.
“She would’ve said ‘I’m not surprised,'” said Carter.
Robin spoke of Carter’s dedication to making a difference in people’s lives.
“When you reflect back and look at the images of him and the videos of him that were captured doing that work, the emotion was so very real of making a difference in the lives of others,” she said.
She hopes his passing will remind others of all the work Habitat for Humanity does and inspire people to get involved.
A national day of mourning for the former president will be observed on Jan. 9.
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