A Benefit concert And the construction of 30 new homes will represent many events President Jimmy Carter s 100th birthday on Oct. 1. Given the former president’s long tradition as a philanthropist, it’s no surprise that he prefers to give any gift to others.
The star-studded concert at Atlanta’s Fox Theater in September has so far raised $1.2 million to support international programs. Carter Center, Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter founded in 1982 with the mission of “” The peace wageFight the disease, build faith. The concert airs Oct. 1 on Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Meanwhile, thousands of Habitat for Humanity volunteers gathered Monday to build 30 homes in St. Paul, Minnesota, over five days, led by country music legends. Garth Brooks and Trisha YearwoodHe has worked with the Carters for years, starting with projects in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area.
The Carters’ relationship with Habitat for Humanity dates back 40 years, until they moved to a building in New York City in 1984.
“The image of the President of the United States sleeping in the basement of a church and physically helping to rehabilitate an apartment building captured the world,” said Jonathan Wreckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. The Carters built homes annually for 35 years. Wreckford recalled that Carter’s many times working with the organization was an exercise in his Christian faith.
Cleora Taylor, a medical assistant, met the Carters in August 2018 while helping build 41 new homes in South Bend and Mishawaka, Indiana.
Years later, Taylor recalled the former president greeting her by name and getting to know her children, including her daughter, who was then 11 and autistic.
“It meant a lot to me that he knew me,” Taylor said, adding that the Carters helped build her on a street called Carter Court. “He was a nice, welcoming, humble guy. I’m glad to be a part of the legacy he leaves behind.
Presidential historian Cassandra Newby-Alexander, the Virginia Black Professor of History and Culture at Norfolk State University, said the strength of Carter’s legacy lies in his discipline. Unlike many who claim to care about the underprivileged, Carter has shown that they — not power or money — are his main concern, Newby-Alexander said.
“I think he probably did more personally in his post-presidency than anybody because he didn’t seek attention,” he said. “He’s trying to change things. He’s not trying to make money for himself. He’s trying to live the life of a Christian — a true Christian, who cares about the poor and the homeless and the children.
While leadership in philanthropy is often measured by the size of donations or assets under management, Carter’s giving came in the form of his relentless personal effort. From building a house Election monitoring And in pursuit of eradicating a painful but neglected disease, Carter used his status and presence to mobilize resources and attention for his causes.
“In many ways, he set the standard for what presidents should look like in their post-term office, someone who’s going to continue to do good, someone who’s going to continue to have a positive impact on society,” Newby-Alexander said.
Carter’s legacy includes the Carter Center’s commitment to eliminating the guinea worm since 1986. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified this disease as a candidate for eradication after smallpox. Carter finally vows to outlive such a parasite.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Deputy Director for Neglected Tropical Diseases Dr. According to Jordan Tappero, the catchphrase is “for the destruction of the worm,” which has given The Carter Center $263 million since 2000. On guinea worm.
With 13 known cases in humans by 2022, the number of cases has dropped from 3.5 million when the center began, and is now focused on closing. “Last Mile” of Epidemics In many African countries. Even after Carter entered the clinic As of February 2023, Tappero said Carter was still contacting his team.
“He still wants updates and wants to know what’s going on because his mind never stops until the last heartbeat,” Tappero said, speaking in March 2023.
Conrad N. Carter engaged directly with ministries of health and heads of state to mobilize their commitment to public health interventions. The Hilton Foundation’s Steven M. Hilton said. Since 1991, the foundation said it has given the Carter Center nearly $50 million to support its work to eradicate guinea worm and control trachoma, a disease that causes irreversible blindness.
Hilton considers Carter “a remarkable man with a deeply compassionate heart.”
“I feel fortunate to have witnessed the strength of her character, including her commitment to seeing enormous humanitarian challenges to the end,” Hilton said in a statement.
Tappero draws inspiration from the Carters’ humility, energy and commitment. “If we all had one-fifth of his energy, dedication and passion, the world would be a much better place,” he said.
Taylor, who lives near South Bend, Indiana, said she saw that dedication firsthand as she helped Carter, 93 at the time, build a kitchen wall in her four-bedroom home.
“It was amazing that he was still out here, at that age, working with us,” he said. “It motivated us to work harder.”
She is still emotional about that week, an incredible opportunity for her and her four children.
“Not only did I meet Jimmy Carter and his wife and his children and hundreds of volunteers, other celebrities, but I got to own a piece of the world. I got to own a piece of land,” she said.
“I never thought I could do something like that as a single mother. And if they have to add more to it, do the volunteers and Jimmy Carter really need to be here? It was amazing that people cared as much as he did.
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Associated Press writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this story.
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