Black and white photo of The Carters.

Carter Work Projects through the years

In September of 1984, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter led a group of Habitat for Humanity volunteers to New York, building alongside 19 families in need of safe, affordable housing.

That was the inaugural Carter Work Project, which is now a weeklong event somewhere around the world each year.

Carter Work Project locations and impact

Learn more about the families served at each build site throughout the years, and click the play button to see the impact of the Carter Work Project grow from 1984 to now.

Carter Work Project timeline

Journey through the incredible legacy of Carter Work Projects in our timeline below!

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1984

The first weeklong Carter Work Project was in September 1984, with the former president and Mrs. Carter joined by dozens of volunteers in the renovation of the six-story, 19-unit Mascot Flats apartment building in New York City.

1985

In 1985, the Carters returned to New York’s Lower East Side to finish the work they had started the year before. The renovation provided rare affordable housing in the city, allowing homeowners to remain in their neighborhood.

1986

Working in rainy conditions, some 150 volunteers from the United States and Canada worked alongside future Habitat homeowners to build a four-unit townhouse during the 1986 Carter Work Project in Chicago.

1987

President and Mrs. Carter led 235 volunteers in the construction of 14 houses in Charlotte, North Carolina’s Optimist Park area.

1988

Carter Work Project volunteers built 20 homes in Atlanta, Georgia, and renovated another 10 housing units in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1989

In 1989, the Carter Work Project traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where President and Mrs. Carter joined nearly 1,000 volunteers and homeowners to build six new homes and renovate eight others.

1990

Some 3,000 volunteers worked alongside 100 families from Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California, to build their homes. In Tijuana, the Carters joined volunteers staying in tents next to the construction site.

1991

In 1991, President Carter returned to Miami’s Liberty City area, which he had last visited while occupying the Oval Office. More than 400 Carter Work Project volunteers spent the week building 14 houses alongside Habitat homeowners.

1992

The Carters returned to Washington, D.C., in 1992, as Habitat volunteers. The Carter Work Project completed 10 homes in the nation’s capital. In addition, 10 houses were rehabbed in the Sandtown area of Baltimore.

1993

More than 1,100 volunteers joined the Carters for the first Carter Work Project to be held entirely outside the United States. The week saw the construction of 18 houses in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and 10 houses in Waterloo, Ontario.

1994

Thirty houses were completed on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation near Eagle Butte, South Dakota.

1995

More than 1,500 volunteers from 39 states and five countries participated in the 1995 Carter Work Project in Los Angeles’ Watts/Willowbrook neighborhoods and other Southern California communities.

1996

The Carter Work Project marked it first foray into Europe in 1996. President and Mrs. Carter led construction of 10 Habitat homes in Vac, Hungary. They built with homeowners and 500 volunteers from 23 countries.

1997

The 1997 Carter Work Project built 50-plus houses in eastern Kentucky and Tennessee.

1998

As the 1998 Carter Work Project kicked off in Houston, Texas, 100 families had hopes for a better future. When the build week wrapped up, that future was in sight.

1999

In one of the largest Carter Work Projects, 14,000 volunteers from 32 countries helped build safe, decent and affordable homes in the Philippines. Families worked alongside volunteers to build 293 homes in six communities.

2000

President and Mrs. Carter built with families in the Carters’ hometown of Plains, Georgia, and also joined thousands of volunteers in Americus, Georgia; Jacksonville, Florida; and New York, New York. The week netted 157 new Habitat homes.

2001

In 2001, President and Mrs. Carter and volunteers traveled to Asan, South Korea. More than 9,000 volunteers from South Korea and other countries worked with homeowners to build 136 housing units.

2002

The Carters were joined by the then-presidents of Mozambique, Malawi and Kenya who witnessed 3,000 volunteers and Habitat homeowners build 100 houses in Durban, South Africa.

2003

Volunteers joined the Carters in LaGrange and Valdosta, Georgia, and in Anniston, Alabama, to build alongside 92 Habitat homeowners.

2004

The Carter Work Project 2004 brought together 4,000 Mexican and international volunteers to build 150 Habitat for Humanity homes in one week in the cities of Puebla and Veracruz.

2005

While Detroit and Benton Harbor were the main sites of the 2005 Carter Work Project, local Habitats across Michigan also worked to strengthen their communities. More than 200 homes were built in Michigan during the week.

2006

Sandhya and her husband, Aziz, worked with President and Mrs. Carter and volunteers during the 2006 Carter Work Project in Lonavala, India. Their home, one of 100 built during the week, is a place where the family can thrive.

2007

In 2007, the Carter Work Project headed to southern California, to South Central Los Angeles and San Pedro, where more than 750 volunteers joined homeowners to build 30 houses and refurbish dozens of others.

2008

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 Carter Work Project took place in recovering communities along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

2009

The volunteers and homeowners of the 2009 Carter Work Project joined together in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and China with the common goal of building stronger communities.

2010

President and Mrs. Carter worked in communities in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland; Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota; and Birmingham, Alabama.

2011

In 2011, the Carters and their fellow volunteers worked alongside families affected by Haiti’s devastating earthquake to erect 100 stable, secure homes.

2012

The Carters traveled to the Caribbean nation of Haiti once again, with volunteers working alongside more than 150 families who moved from tents or makeshift shelters into safe, homes.

2013

For the 30th consecutive year, the Carters joined with volunteers to build and renovate houses in Oakland and San Jose, California; Denver, Colorado; New York City and Union Beach, New Jersey.

2014

Habitat for Humanity’s 31st Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project brought the Carters together with more than 5,000 volunteers and 100 families for a weeklong build in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.

2015

In November 2015, with the project planned for Chitwan, Nepal, canceled because of civil unrest, the Carters participated in a one-day build in Memphis, Tennessee.

2016

The 2016 Carter Work Project brought hundreds of volunteers to Memphis, Tennessee. They and the Carters worked alongside Habitat homeowners to build 19 new homes and improve others.

2017

In 2017, the Carters helped 150 families build and improve places they can call home in Canada as the country celebrated its 150th anniversary.

2018

The 2018 Carter Work Project headed to Indiana where President and Mrs. Carter worked alongside future homeowners and hundreds of other volunteers to build or improve 41 homes in Mishawaka and South Bend.

2019

The 2019 Carter Work Project headed to Tennessee where President and Mrs. Carter worked alongside future homeowners and volunteers to build 21 homes in Nashville.

1984

The first weeklong Carter Work Project was in September 1984, with the former president and Mrs. Carter joined by dozens of volunteers in the renovation of the six-story, 19-unit Mascot Flats apartment building in New York City.

1985

In 1985, the Carters returned to New York’s Lower East Side to finish the work they had started the year before. The renovation provided rare affordable housing in the city, allowing homeowners to remain in their neighborhood.

1986

Working in rainy conditions, some 150 volunteers from the United States and Canada worked alongside future Habitat homeowners to build a four-unit townhouse during the 1986 Carter Work Project in Chicago.

1987

President and Mrs. Carter led 235 volunteers in the construction of 14 houses in Charlotte, North Carolina’s Optimist Park area.

1988

Carter Work Project volunteers built 20 homes in Atlanta, Georgia, and renovated another 10 housing units in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1989

In 1989, the Carter Work Project traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where President and Mrs. Carter joined nearly 1,000 volunteers and homeowners to build six new homes and renovate eight others.

1990

Some 3,000 volunteers worked alongside 100 families from Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California, to build their homes. In Tijuana, the Carters joined volunteers staying in tents next to the construction site.

1991

In 1991, President Carter returned to Miami’s Liberty City area, which he had last visited while occupying the Oval Office. More than 400 Carter Work Project volunteers spent the week building 14 houses alongside Habitat homeowners.

1992

The Carters returned to Washington, D.C., in 1992, as Habitat volunteers. The Carter Work Project completed 10 homes in the nation’s capital. In addition, 10 houses were rehabbed in the Sandtown area of Baltimore.

1993

More than 1,100 volunteers joined the Carters for the first Carter Work Project to be held entirely outside the United States. The week saw the construction of 18 houses in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and 10 houses in Waterloo, Ontario.

1994

Thirty houses were completed on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation near Eagle Butte, South Dakota.

1995

More than 1,500 volunteers from 39 states and five countries participated in the 1995 Carter Work Project in Los Angeles’ Watts/Willowbrook neighborhoods and other Southern California communities.

1996

The Carter Work Project marked it first foray into Europe in 1996. President and Mrs. Carter led construction of 10 Habitat homes in Vac, Hungary. They built with homeowners and 500 volunteers from 23 countries.

1997

The 1997 Carter Work Project built 50-plus houses in eastern Kentucky and Tennessee.

1998

As the 1998 Carter Work Project kicked off in Houston, Texas, 100 families had hopes for a better future. When the build week wrapped up, that future was in sight.

1999

In one of the largest Carter Work Projects, 14,000 volunteers from 32 countries helped build safe, decent and affordable homes in the Philippines. Families worked alongside volunteers to build 293 homes in six communities.

2000

President and Mrs. Carter built with families in the Carters’ hometown of Plains, Georgia, and also joined thousands of volunteers in Americus, Georgia; Jacksonville, Florida; and New York, New York. The week netted 157 new Habitat homes.

2001

In 2001, President and Mrs. Carter and volunteers traveled to Asan, South Korea. More than 9,000 volunteers from South Korea and other countries worked with homeowners to build 136 housing units.

2002

The Carters were joined by the then-presidents of Mozambique, Malawi and Kenya who witnessed 3,000 volunteers and Habitat homeowners build 100 houses in Durban, South Africa.

2003

Volunteers joined the Carters in LaGrange and Valdosta, Georgia, and in Anniston, Alabama, to build alongside 92 Habitat homeowners.

2004

The Carter Work Project 2004 brought together 4,000 Mexican and international volunteers to build 150 Habitat for Humanity homes in one week in the cities of Puebla and Veracruz.

2005

While Detroit and Benton Harbor were the main sites of the 2005 Carter Work Project, local Habitats across Michigan also worked to strengthen their communities. More than 200 homes were built in Michigan during the week.

2006

Sandhya and her husband, Aziz, worked with President and Mrs. Carter and volunteers during the 2006 Carter Work Project in Lonavala, India. Their home, one of 100 built during the week, is a place where the family can thrive.

2007

In 2007, the Carter Work Project headed to southern California, to South Central Los Angeles and San Pedro, where more than 750 volunteers joined homeowners to build 30 houses and refurbish dozens of others.

2008

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 Carter Work Project took place in recovering communities along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

2009

The volunteers and homeowners of the 2009 Carter Work Project joined together in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and China with the common goal of building stronger communities.

2010

President and Mrs. Carter worked in communities in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland; Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota; and Birmingham, Alabama.

2011

In 2011, the Carters and their fellow volunteers worked alongside families affected by Haiti’s devastating earthquake to erect 100 stable, secure homes.

2012

The Carters traveled to the Caribbean nation of Haiti once again, with volunteers working alongside more than 150 families who moved from tents or makeshift shelters into safe, homes.

2013

For the 30th consecutive year, the Carters joined with volunteers to build and renovate houses in Oakland and San Jose, California; Denver, Colorado; New York City and Union Beach, New Jersey.

2014

Habitat for Humanity’s 31st Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project brought the Carters together with more than 5,000 volunteers and 100 families for a weeklong build in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.

2015

In November 2015, with the project planned for Chitwan, Nepal, canceled because of civil unrest, the Carters participated in a one-day build in Memphis, Tennessee.

2016

The 2016 Carter Work Project brought hundreds of volunteers to Memphis, Tennessee. They and the Carters worked alongside Habitat homeowners to build 19 new homes and improve others.

2017

In 2017, the Carters helped 150 families build and improve places they can call home in Canada as the country celebrated its 150th anniversary.

2018

The 2018 Carter Work Project headed to Indiana where President and Mrs. Carter worked alongside future homeowners and hundreds of other volunteers to build or improve 41 homes in Mishawaka and South Bend.

2019

The 2019 Carter Work Project headed to Tennessee where President and Mrs. Carter worked alongside future homeowners and volunteers to build 21 homes in Nashville.


Carter Work Project

We have been honored to have two of the world’s most respected and renowned people as dedicated and hardworking Habitat volunteers for more than 35 years. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter have been tireless advocates, active fundraisers and some of our best hands-on construction volunteers. 

Learn more

Carter Work Project 2024

The 2024 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project is a landmark milestone for Habitat, marking the project’s 40th anniversary. Habitat Humanitarians and country music superstars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will host the event in St. Paul, Minnesota, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2024.

Learn more

Carter Work Project 2023

The 2023 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, from Oct. 1-6, 2023. Take a look at some of the most memorable moments from the week as homeowners and hundreds of volunteers worked to build 27 single-family affordable homes.

Learn more

Carter Work Project 2019

The 2019 Carter Work Project headed to Tennessee where President and Mrs. Carter worked alongside future homeowners and volunteers to build 21 homes in Nashville.

Learn more

Carter Work Project 2018

The 2018 Carter Work Project headed to Indiana where President and Mrs. Carter worked alongside future homeowners and volunteers to build or improve 41 homes in Mishawaka and South Bend.

Learn more

Carter Work Project 2016

Take a look back on Habitat’s flagship event that has helped create strength and stability for families and communities in Memphis, Tennessee.

Learn more