Volunteer Andre Gannon traveled from Tucson, Ariz., to help build.

Jimmy Carter Work Project 2003:
Rising to the 21st Century Challenge

For two decades, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have led thousands of volunteers in a weeklong drive to build decent, affordable housing. Mr. Carter has carried his namesake work project as far as South Africa and as near as the rural landscape of his Plains, Ga., hometown.

From June 6-13, more than 4,000 volunteers from across the United States and around the world converged on three sites for this year's Jimmy Carter Work Project in Anniston, Ala., LaGrange, Ga., and Valdosta, Ga. The cities were selected because of their participation in Habitat for Humanity International's 21st Century Challenge, an initiative that assumes a collaborative approach to eliminating substandard housing by a specified date, typically within 20 years. Habitat affiliates work with local churches, businesses and government to garner the support necessary to achieve the goal.

By week's end, the three locations had taken several steps toward their shared objective. Despite rain that muddied the work sites early in the week, volunteers completed 92 simple, decent, affordable houses, bringing new hope to families who once only dreamed of a better place to live.