Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: 2020 Habitat for Humanity work project to take place in Dominican Republic

Since beginning their work with Habitat for Humanity in 1984, President and Mrs. Carter have helped to build, renovate and repair 4,390 homes in 14 countries alongside more than 104,000 volunteers through their annual work project. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has served more than 22 million people around the world.

“We are honored to host the 2020 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in the Dominican Republic,” said Cesarina Fabián, national director of Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic. “President and Mrs. Carter are shining examples of service. We are so grateful to their commitment to building a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live.”

The 2020 build will mark the third time the project has been hosted in the Caribbean. The former president and first lady traveled to Haiti to build alongside homeowners and hundreds of other volunteers in 2011 and 2012.

According to the Dominican Republic’s National Statistics Office, the country faces a deficit of more than 2.1 million housing units, which increases by 50,000-60,000 every year. About 60% of the housing deficit is due to the quality and safety of the housing available and about 40% is due to the lack of available homes.

This week in Nashville, the Carters joined hundreds of other volunteers to build 21 new Habitat for Humanity homes. An additional 12 new single-family homes and 26 new townhomes will be constructed by 2021 with support of funding raised for the project. In total, funds raised through the 2019 Carter Work Project will have served 59 Nashville families.

Photos of the Carter Work Project in Nashville and previous projects are available at habitat.ngo/CWPphotos.

About Habitat for Humanity

Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.

About Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic

With the vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic empowers families to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Since its creation in 1986, Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic has made more than 26,000 housing solutions and impacted around 135,000 people. Habitat Dominican Republic contributes to its country by improving the living conditions of the families that do not have access to a decent place to live, either because they do not own a house or because their housing is not adequate. This goal is achieved through the execution of various programs such as construction of new homes, financial education, response and disaster risk reduction activities, capacity building on construction for families and masons, promoting access to microfinance products for house repair and improvements to low income families with technical construction assistance and the helping hands of volunteers. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitatdominicana.org.