Brooklyn Park Habitat for Humanity Worker Honors Jimmy Carter
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter died in late 2024 at age 100. Today — Jan. 9 — the nation is honoring him with a Day of Mourning.
A wall on display at the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity building was specially constructed to remember Carter.
The former president dedicated much of his time with the organization, including holding the annual “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project” to build homes alongside homeowners.
That display wall will eventually become a part of someone’s home.
But right now, it’s a place for people to write messages in Carter’s honor, according to Shereese Turner, Habitat Twin Cities’ chief program officer.
“I said: ‘President Carter, job well done! Fly high,'” Turner said, pointing out her message on the wall. “What a legacy. What a heck of a legacy to leave. And it continues, because we still have this work to do.”
Turner said the door on the wall is symbolic of the doors he’s opened for others. The organization’s projects stretch across the Twin Cities.
Just last year, a Habitat for Humanity HOPE home was constructed in Golden Valley.
Turner lives in Brooklyn Park and her neighbor has a Habitat for Humanity house.
She said it’s a joy to watch the kids in that family grow up.
“It’s just a reminder of how important Habitat really is, because it brings communities together,” Turner said.
A community member writes a personal note for former President Jimmy Carter.
Firsthand Experience
Turner never met President Carter, but her coworker Katie Loe did.
Loe is the vice president of resource development at Habitat Twin Cities. She met him when he came to help with the Carter Work Project in the Twin Cities, with projects in both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
“It was absolutely humbling and inspiring to just be in his presence and have his kind eyes looking at me for that brief moment. It was a real honor,” Loe said.
Loe said Carter was the first to arrive on a site, and the last to leave. His hard work pointed to a greater cause, one that Loe has seen results from.
“We know that affordable homeownership is the foundation for so many other things in life — better educational outcomes, better financial outcomes, community engagement, financial stability,” Loe said. “Our families have, you know, again, created that foundation where they can grow and thrive.”
The wall is filled with messages commemorating a life well-lived.
“President Carter’s lifetime of service, and legacy with Habitat for Humanity is really inspirational to so many of our volunteers,” Loe said. “I can see that ripple effect continuing into the future.”
To learn more about Carter’s history of service with Habitat for Humanity, you can visit the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity website.
Habitat for Humanity displayed a slideshow of former President Jimmy Carter working on projects throughout the years.
