Overview: Former President Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981, passed away at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, advance democracy and human rights, and promote economic and social development. Carter was known for his commitment to Habitat for Humanity and his efforts to mitigate the nation’s economic woes during his presidency. A state funeral will be held in Washington, D.C., on January 9, and a national day of mourning has been declared for Thursday, January 9.
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Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, passed away at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday. He was surrounded by family.
Carter served as President between 1977 and 1981, though some of his greatest contributions occurred subsequent to his time in office. .
In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts “to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”
According to Carter’s biography presented by the White House Historical Association, as President he aspired to make the American government more “competent and compassionate, as well as responsive to the American people and their expectations.”
However, he was president during an era of rising energy costs, mounting inflation, and continuing global tensions and as a result, it was fundamentally impossible for his administration to meet the high expectations he’d set for his time in office.
Despite these headwinds, Carter worked to mitigate the nation’s economic woes of inflation and unemployment. The good news is that by the end of his administration, he had added nearly eight million jobs and decreased the budget deficit, but inflation and interest rates remained at record highs, and the administration’s efforts to bing them down resulted in a short-term recession.
Despite his setbacks in office, Carter will perhaps be best remembered for his founding of and commitment to Habitat for Humanity. In a press statement, Habitat for Humanity Riverside joined Habitat organizations around the world in erecting a memorial framed wall and door to pay tribute to President Carter and acknowledge how his efforts opened doors to brighter futures for thousands of Habitat homeowners over nearly four decades.
Habitat for Humanity Riverside’s memorial framed wall and door will be at Riverside ReStore, 2180 Iowa Ave., Riverside, Calif. 92507, beginning Friday, Jan. 5, 2025. The general public is invited to pay tribute by signing the memorial with their names and personal messages.
“President Carter’s contributions to Habitat for Humanity are among the most vital to our organization,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “He opened doors of opportunity for families worldwide, and all of us at Habitat have been honored and humbled to work alongside him. We were truly blessed to have his support, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Carter family.”
Habitat for Humanity Riverside Executive Director David Hahn expanded on President Carter’s engagement locally: “Over the past 35 years, President Carter has led “Carter Family Builds” three separate times in Southern California communities, most recently in 2007 to build and rehabilitate homes in San Pedro. His influence and support will truly be missed.”
An official state funeral will be held in Washington, D.C. on January 9. In addition, President Joe Biden has declared Thursday, January 9, a national day of mourning and plans to deliver a at Carter’s funeral.