Habitat for Humanity’s 30th Annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project Comes to Union Beach

Almost a year after the arrival of Superstorm Sandy, a storm of a different kind descended upon the town of Union Beach, NJ on Saturday, October 12, as an army of tool-wielding volunteers arrived en masse to rebuild and repair some badly-damaged homes of community residents. In the otherwise quiet and half-deserted neighborhood, instead of the thunderous sound of pounding surf, there was a cacophony of pounding hammers. Defying the wind and water that once lifted trees and homes, workers lifted newly-framed walls…and spirits. Onlookers smiled and cheered as they watched the creation of a new habitat, if you will – a Habitat for Humanity – on this bright and sunny autumn day.

This storm of support was nothing new, as Habitat for Humanity, along with other volunteer organizations, has been working for months to help restore the shore in Union Beach. That week alone, work was underway at 16 different homes in the Bayshore community to help them recover from the storm that demolished 270 homes – 80% of the town’s residences. What made that day in particular stand out was the special spotlight that shone on the endless effort, thanks to the personal participation of former U.S President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn.

This year marks the 30th annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, a week during which the Carters publicly work on key projects, selected a year in advance, throughout the country to draw attention to Habitat’s mission, inspire volunteers, and solicit support. The Carters were drawn to and have been dedicated to the organization, which was founded not far from their home Georgia, for 30 years, personally providing their accomplished carpentry skills and enthusiastic support year-round on numerous construction projects both in the United States and abroad. Coinciding with the United Nations-designated World Habitat Day, the week’s construction activities included stops in Oakland and San Jose, California; Denver, Colorado; and New York City. Seeing and empathizing with the enormous need in Union Beach, Monmouth County’s hardest-hit community after Superstorm Sandy, the Carters added it to the agenda as their final stop on the annual Carter Work Project tour.

Despite the swarm of media around them as they toiled, the crew of volunteers never let their momentary celebrity status distract them from the task at hand: rebuilding, from the ground up, the home of the Lamberson family on Prospect Avenue. They worked swiftly and efficiently, chatting comfortably with both Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, both in their late 80s but looking vibrant, who stood with them shoulder-to-shoulder and shared in the effort as Secret Service agents, police, and sheriff’s officers hovered nearby. There had been 650 volunteers working throughout the week, with 300 there that Saturday to work on the Carter project site and other buildings. Two homes were being completely rebuilt, and another 14 were being repaired. 

After several hours’ worth of work, which started at dawn, the volunteers broke for lunch while the president and his wife sat down in a nearby tent for a press conference. Joined by Nancy Doran, board president of Habitat for Humanity of Monmouth County (HFHMC), and Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, the Carters greeted everyone warmly and spoke comfortably, sometimes with quiet emotion, about the importance of the organization and the services it provides to so many. Referring to Union Beach, President Carter said, “When we saw what happened, our hearts went out to the people here. We were worried about you.” He and Mrs. Carter explained their decades-long “addictive” partnership with Habitat for Humanity, the importance of people having homes in which to live, and the significant positive impact a reliable home has on families.

Clearly a spiritual man with strong Christian values, the Democrat who served as president from 1977 to 1981 also spoke in the most basic terms about the need for people to come together in service. When working alongside other volunteers, he said, “I’m sure half of them are Democrats and half of them are Republicans. I don’t care. Some of them are Christians and some of them are not. I don’t care.” Asked his opinion of Governor Chris Christie’s handling of post-Sandy New Jersey, he replied that he thought the governor has been very effective in handling the state deficit he inherited and in taking care of people after the storm. Asked also about the divisions in Washington, DC and the government shutdown, the former president tactfully noted that it has been decades since he was in office and it would not be appropriate to criticize those currently serving, but warned that government officials of both parties must recognize that everyone is American and their responsibility to solve problems. At the conclusion of the press conference, the Carters strolled off hand in hand to meet and greet the Habitat volunteers and pose with them for photos.

Since 1993, Habitat for Humanity of Monmouth County, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, has been building and repairing homes to help provide decent, affordable housing to low-income families, who are required to invest sweat equity in their own or in other Habitat construction projects, from Aberdeen to West Long Branch. It has assisted 65 local families thus far, with 10 more projects currently in progress. It is the goal of HFHMC to assist an additional 100 homeowners through the coming year. For more information on how to apply for the programs, to donate, or to volunteer, visit www.habitatnemc.org.