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Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

Recalling the start of what would become a decades- and globe-spanning volunteer project, former PresidentJimmy Carterlater told PEOPLE that he and former First LadyRosalynn Carterweren’t exactly thinking about longevity when they and a few dozen others bussed up to New York City to work on a six-story apartment building in 1984.

TheCarter Work Projectbegan.

Pictured: President Carter with Mrs. Carter (center, top) at the 1984 Habitat volunteer project in N.Y.C.

02of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident Carter in N.Y.C. in 1985.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

President Carter in N.Y.C. in 1985.

03of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident Carter with Mrs. Carter in 1985 in N.Y.C.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

President Carter with Mrs. Carter in 1985 in N.Y.C.

04of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident and Mrs. Carter working with Habitat in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1987.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

President and Mrs. Carter working with Habitat in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1987.

05of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident and Mrs. Carter with Habitat in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1990.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

President and Mrs. Carter with Habitat in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1990.

06of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident and Mrs. Carter working with Habitat in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1990.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

President and Mrs. Carter working with Habitat in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1990.

07of 20Habitat for Humanity/Gregg PachkowskiPresident Carter in Maragondon, Philippines, in 1999.

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Habitat for Humanity/Gregg Pachkowski

MARAGONDON, PHILIPPINES (3/26/99) –Former President Jimmy Carter gives keys to Habitat homeowner Sunshine Salas at the dedication of her family’s new house. (Jimmy Carter Work Project 1999) nodownload ©Habitat for Humanity/Gregg Pachkowski

President Carter in Maragondon, Philippines, in 1999.

08of 20Habitat For Humanity InternationalPresident Carter in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, in 2000.

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Habitat For Humanity International

Carter shaking hands with a homeowner in Plains, Georgia. (Jimmy Carter Work Project 2000)

President Carter in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, in 2000.

09of 20Habitat For Humanity/Angel PachkowskiPresident Carter with Mrs. Carter in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 2008.

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Habitat For Humanity/Angel Pachkowski

BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI, USA (05/11/08) - Opening ceremony for the 2008 Carter Work Project. ©Habitat For Humanity/Angel Pachkowski

President Carter with Mrs. Carter in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 2008.

10of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident Carter with Mrs. Carter in 2010 in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

President Carter with Mrs. Carter in 2010 in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.

11of 20Habitat for Humanity International/Chris HaugenPresident and Mrs. Carter in Denver in 2013.

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Habitat for Humanity International/Chris Haugen

DENVER, COLORADO, USA (10/09/2013) -President Jimmy Carter and Mrs. Rosalynn Carter during the 30th Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. ©Habitat for Humanity International/Chris Haugen

President and Mrs. Carter in Denver in 2013.

12of 20Habitat for Humanity International/Ezra MillsteinMrs. Carter in Union Beach, New Jersey, in 2013.

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Habitat for Humanity International/Ezra Millstein

UNION BEACH, NEW JERSEY, USA (10/12/13)-Rosalynn Carter holds 1 year-old Alexa Burke, the daughter of a Habitat homeowner, on the final day of the 2013 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Union Beach, located 40 miles south of New York City, suffered significant damage at the mercy of Superstorm Sandy. Over 80 percent of the town’s homes were affected by flooding, while more than 50 were completely washed away during the storm, and another 200 were leveled in the months that followed. ©Habitat for Humanity International/Ezra Millstein

Mrs. Carter in Union Beach, New Jersey, in 2013.

13of 20Habitat for Humanity International/Ezra MillsteinPresident Carter in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2014.

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DALLAS, TEXAS, USA (10/11/14)- Jimmy Carter talks with homeowner Henry Wills, in front of his Habitat house, which they helped to build together during the 2014 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Hosted jointly by Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity and Trinity Habitat for Humanity in Fort Worth, more than 5,000 volunteers joined the Carters to help build or repair more than 100 homes in seven days. In Dallas, volunteers helped build 30 new homes and repair 20 houses in the East Oak Cliff neighborhood. Volunteers in Fort Worth built 20 new homes in the Central Meadowbrook neighborhood, and painted 44 houses as part of the City of Fort Worth’s “Cowtown Brush Up.” ©Habitat for Humanity International/Ezra Millstein

President Carter in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2014.

14of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident Carter and Mrs. Carter building with Habitat in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2015.

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Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project Habitat for Humanity International

President Carter and Mrs. Carter building with Habitat in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2015.

15of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident Carter with Mrs. Carter building with Habitat in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2016.

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Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project Habitat for Humanity International

President Carter with Mrs. Carter building with Habitat in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2016.

16of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident Carter and Mrs. Carter building with Habitat across Canada in 2017.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project 2017 – Canada

President Carter and Mrs. Carter building with Habitat across Canada in 2017.

17of 20Habitat for Humanity International/Jason AsterosPresident Carter and Mrs. Carter with Trisha Yearwood and her husband, Garth Brooks, at the Habitat build in Mishawaka, Indiana, in 2018.

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Habitat for Humanity International/Jason Asteros

MISHAWAKA, INDIANA, USA (08/30/18)-Day 4 of the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. © Habitat for Humanity International/Jason Asteros

President Carter and Mrs. Carter with Trisha Yearwood and her husband, Garth Brooks, at the Habitat build in Mishawaka, Indiana, in 2018.

18of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident and Mrs. Carter at the 2019 Habitat build in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

President and Mrs. Carter at the 2019 Habitat build in Nashville, Tennessee.

19of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident Carter building a corbel at the Habitat volunteer project in Nashville, Tennesee, in 2019.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

President Carter building a corbel at the Habitat volunteer project in Nashville, Tennesee, in 2019.

20of 20Habitat for Humanity InternationalPresident and Mrs. Carter at the Habitat build in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2019.

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Habitat for Humanity International Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

President and Mrs. Carter at the Habitat build in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2019.

source: people.com