Jimmy Carter's acts of goodwill touched lives of New Yorkers through Habitat for Humanity
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- In his century of life, President Jimmy Carter's kindness and goodwill touched countless Americans, including many in New York City.
Ms. Montanez was understandably emotional on Monday, because the man who was instrumental in her having a home at 742 Sixth St. died on Sunday.
"Thank you for what you've done for me, my children. You know, I came here as a single woman. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm crying, but just. Thank you," resident Ms. Montanez said.
In September 1984, President Jimmy Carter and a busload of volunteers rehabbed what was a dilapidated building and turned it into affordable housing. It was one of the many projects he worked on in New York City with Habitat for Humanity.
THE VAULT | From 1984: Jimmy Carter arrives in NYC to rehab dilapidated building
"I loved and respected him before he homesteaded the building because, you know, I was of age when he was the president of the country as well," Montanez said.
Meanwhile, 74-year-old Earlean Golson wanted to share her memory of serving meals to President Carter when he was rehabbing buildings in Harlem.
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"We served lunch downstairs in the basement of the YMCA," said Golson, a former volunteer. "You know, what I loved about the whole thing is that he stuck to his roots to understand him, saying no matter how he rose, he always kept his humility, his humbleness, and that's not the way some people rise. He kept his boots on the ground, and kept his work on the ground with the people."
All told, Carter worked on 4,500 homes, alongside 100,000 volunteers.
"The sweat equity that he made alongside the families, alongside the volunteers. I mean, it just talks about how we're all in this together," said Sabrina Lippman, CEO of Habitat for Humanity NYC & Westchester.
Which is why Brian O'Connor and his son Finn stopped by Mascot Flats on Monday.
"It's God's work as they say," O'Connor said. "If there's a little bit of Jimmy Carter in all of us, I think we'd be a lot better off moving forward."
Montanez knows she's better off.
"Thank you. Thank you for his work across the world to provide housing for people," she said.
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