Jimmy Carter Work Project

The Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project - formerly the Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP) - is an annual home building blitz organized by Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliates. It generally takes place in the United States one year, and an international location the next. President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter helped Habitat volunteers renovate the 19-unit building, and media coverage brought attention to Habitat, which had been founded in 1976 in Americus, Georgia, a short distance from Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia. Even though President Carter has said repeatedly he never intended to start an annual project, the following year the Carters returned to the same site to finish the renovation work. On Oct. 10, 2013, as part of the 30th annual project, the Carters returned to the building and met with families living there.

By 2013, the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project had helped more than 3,800 families move into safe, affordable shelter in 14 countries. Over the years, more than 89,000 volunteers from all over the world have signed up to build alongside the Carters.

The Carter Work Projects started modestly and built slowly. Early projects were held in the United States, and were relatively small compared to later years.

Chicago, Illinois: Following the first two trips to New York City, the Carters moved on to Chicago, where they helped build a four-unit complex on the city’s West Side. They were joined by their daughter, Amy, and celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary — July 7, 1986 — on the build site. In years to come, Carter children and grandchildren would frequently volunteer.

Charlotte, North Carolina: Habitat founder Millard Fuller called Charlotte “The Miracle on 19th Street,” and comedian Bob Hope was among the volunteers who came to build 14 houses in Charlotte's Optimist Park area. This marked the first year the project was held in tandem with a worldwide Habitat House-Raising Week, in which an additional 300 homes were begun.

Atlanta, Georgia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The 1988 build was the first held in two separate locations — a 200-volunteer, 10-unit renovation project in North Philadelphia, and a 1,000- volunteer, 20-house project in Atlanta’s Edgewood neighborhood.

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