Jimmy Carter’s 100th Birthday to Feature 30 New Habitat for Humanity Homes

Former President Jimmy Carter’s 100 birthday on Tuesday is being celebrated through a series of events including a star-studded benefit concert and the construction of 30 new Habitat for Humanity homes.
Carter served as the 39th President of the U.S. from 1977 to 1981. A former governor of Georgia, Carter prioritized human rights and energy reform. After his presidency, he became known for global humanitarian efforts and founding The Carter Center, which he and his wife Rosalynn Carter created in 1982 with the mission to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope.” In 2002, Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of effort in finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights, and promoting global economic and social development.
In celebration of his humanitarian efforts, thousands of Habitat for Humanity volunteers gathered Monday to build 30 homes in St. Paul, Minnesota. The volunteers, including country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, worked together to build 30 homes over five days.
The Carters have been closely involved with Habitat for Humanity for over four decades, starting in 1984 with a project in New York City.
“The image of a president of the United States sleeping in a church basement and physically helping rehab a tenement building captured the world,” Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, said to The Associated Press (AP) as he recalled that Carter repeatedly spoke of how working with the organization was a way he put his Christian faith into action.
Newsweek reached out to The Carter Center via email on Monday for comment.
Carter’s impact on those he has helped continues to be seen. Cleora Taylor, a medical assistant from Indiana, vividly recalls Carter personally greeting her during a 2018 Habitat for Humanity build. Her home, constructed with Carter’s hands-on support, now stands as a testament to the values he promoted throughout his life.
“It means so much to me that he knew me,” said Taylor, speaking to the AP from her living room in the home the Carters helped her build “He’s just such a good, welcoming, humble guy. I’m just glad to be a part of a legacy that he’s leaving behind.”
The Habitat for Humanity’s announcement of the new homes follows a concert held at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre earlier this month, which saw some of the biggest names in entertainment gather to raise funds for The Carter Center.
Performers at the event included Carlene Carter, The B-52s and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus. Actress Renee Zellweger was among the special guests.
Jason Carter, chair of the Carter Center board of trustees, previously told Newsweek: “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song truly exceeded my expectations.
“It was an incredible evening, full of good music and heartfelt tributes, and it made history as the first-ever 100th birthday celebration for a living American president. Thanks to this partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting, not only will my grandfather be watching, but we can share that experience with the rest of the world.”
This concert will air on October 1, Carter’s birthday, on Georgia Public Broadcasting, bringing wider attention to the humanitarian work Carter dedicated his life to.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.