Michigan's Habitat for Humanity remembers Jimmy Carter
(CBS DETROIT) — Advocates with the Michigan chapter of Habitat for Humanity say that former President Jimmy Carter was often the first on the job site and the last to leave, helping build homes across the country and in the state.
"He was not just a figurehead. He actually swung a hammer a lot and kept people working hard," said Don Wilkinson, the president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Michigan.
In 2005, Carter came to Michigan to build homes. Alongside additional habitat partners, the Carters had a hand in building more than 300 homes.
"I think the total investment was something like $20 million and it really helped to create affordable housing here in Michigan," said Wilkinson.
Carter began volunteering his time and energy with Habitat for Humanity in 1984 and worked on projects across 14 countries. Wilkinson said he thinks the Carters spent so much time working with the organization because they believed in Habitat's mission.
"I think he believed in the Habitat model of a hand up, not a handout, and that really drew him into working and helping families who just didn't get a fair shake in life and were able to get a hand up in owning a home," Wilkinson said.
He says that Habitat doesn't give homes away. Families who qualify receive a mortgage that is no more than 30% of their income, and they have to volunteer some of their own time with Habitat. He said it's one way for families to build wealth.
"The Harvard Joint Center for Housing still says the best way for Americans to build wealth is by owning their own home, and here at Habitat, we get to help so many people build their own home," said Wilkinson.
He said Carter's leadership had a major positive impact on the organization and the communities they served.
"Just to know that we had somebody at the highest level in our country that stepped up to volunteer and help out Habitat all over the world, it wasn't just the United States is, is pretty amazing to me," Wilkinson said.
