CLEVELAND — The Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity is remembering former President Jimmy Carter as a man who cared deeply about people and not being afraid to get dirty or pick up a hammer.
"So many people think that President Carter founded Habitat for Humanity. Well, that's not the case," said John Litten, President and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity. "You know, I have a hard time believing that it is as widespread as it is throughout the United States and in 70 other countries without, without his sort of popularizing a movement of charitable contributions through time, talent, and, and treasure."
Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, devoted decades of their lives to Habitat for Humanity, leading the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
Habitat for Humanity said the couple worked alongside over 108,100 volunteers who have built, renovated or repaired more than 4,447 homes in 14 countries, all while raising awareness of the critical need for affordable housing.
Carter's last build was in 2019 in Nashville. He was 95 years old and volunteered despite an injury from a fall at his home.
Litten said Carter showed people how to be charitable through their time, talents and treasure.
"I think President Carter believed in getting dirty and doing the work. But he also believed truly in the opportunity that homeownership can provide as a means to pull people out of out of poverty," Litten said. "From my perspective he's touched tens of millions of homes through popularizing this movement throughout the world. Jimmy Carter's legacy what we felt here in Cleveland through this work continuing… while we're sad I think there's a spirit of joy about it all because and now we get to continue the work in his legacy."
This year, Litten said the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity completed a record 28 homes. He also said more than a dozen families paid off their zero-percent mortgages this year.
"You're talking about people really pulling themselves out of poverty, realizing generational wealth in the face of that generational poverty and being able to pass that on to their loved ones over time," Litten said. "It's truly a gift that helps someone for life as opposed to just once or twice."
