MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Former President Jimmy Carter, widely celebrated for his humanitarian efforts after leaving the White House, made a significant mark on South Florida in 1992 when he joined Habitat for Humanity to help build homes in Miami’s Liberty City.
“Rosalynn and I enjoy doing this. It’s kind of a vacation for us every year — hard-working, unpredictable, adventurous, challenging, but always gratifying,” Carter once said of his involvement with Habitat for Humanity, an organization dedicated to building affordable housing worldwide.
The 39th president, celebrated for his humanitarian efforts after leaving the White House, used his hands-on approach to inspire others and demonstrate the power of compassion and community service.
“What he really enjoyed was grabbing a hammer, going with Roselyn to the job sites, and literally helping build houses, and he did that well into his 90s,” said Mario Artecona, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami.
During his 1992 visit, Carter’s work was part of a long-term project tour focused on addressing housing issues in the U.S. and abroad. His efforts in Liberty City, alongside hundreds of volunteers, led to the construction of dozens of homes and drew attention to the community’s housing challenges.
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“President Carter’s impact on Miami-Dade County is incredible,” Artecona said. “Habitat for Humanity was a very small organization, and it wasn’t unti
“What he really enjoyed was grabbing a hammer, going with Roselyn to the job sites, and literally helping build houses,” said Mario Artecona, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami. “He did that well into his 90s.”
Carter’s visit brought national attention to affordable housing issues in Miami and boosted Habitat for Humanity’s profile as a credible solution to the housing crisis.
“Here in Liberty City, dozens of homes were built with the help of hundreds of volunteers, and it really brought attention to the problems of affordable housing in Miami,” Artecona said. “It shone a positive light on a community that had not been seen in the best light.”
Carter’s contributions to Liberty City were particularly meaningful, as the area had struggled with its image and economic hardships.
“It really brought attention to the problems of affordable housing in Miami and shone a positive light on a community that had not been seen in the best light,” Artecona added.
Since Carter’s visit, Habitat for Humanity has built nearly 1,400 homes in Miami-Dade County, a testament to the seeds of change he planted.
“And as I’ve said for 30 years, we have never been on a Habitat project that we didn’t get more out of it than we put into it,” Carter said. “That seed that Carter planted has turned into a big, massive tree, and we are going to keep watering it, and it is going to continue to grow.”
His legacy endures, not just in the homes he helped build but in the inspiration he provided to others.
During his presidency, Carter witnessed the 1980 race riots in Liberty City, which motivated him to include the area in his efforts to rebuild and uplift communities.
Artecona praised Carter’s tireless work, saying, “He worked tirelessly to help make this world a better place.”
The Carter Center said the 100-year-old died Sunday afternoon, roughly 22 months after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. The center said he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. He was 100 years old.
Carter’s state funeral will be held on Jan. 9