After Christmas, we were looking through old photos. The girls asked, “Dad, why do you have a random photo of a park bench?” I explained that it wasn’t just any bench. The Hawthorne Neighborhood Council installed that bench overlooking the Minneapolis skyline to honor President Carter’s visit during Habitat for Humanity’s 2010 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. A few days after this conversation, we learned that President Carter had passed away.

Together with the world, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity staff, supporters, and homeowners remember President Carter’s life and grieve his death. Many AAHH staff and supporters worked alongside President Carter and his wife Rosalynn at Carter Work Projects, worshiped with them in Plains, or heard him speak at various Habitat events. Since his passing, we’ve been sharing comforting stories of those experiences.

The common thread in each memory is how genuine and kind President Carter was. I experienced this most during the 2010 Carter Work Project in Minneapolis, when I was working for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

That event focused on Habitat’s neighborhood revitalization initiative. In Minneapolis, I chose to highlight the Hawthorne Neighborhood Council’s work on the Hawthorne Eco-Village, a project that transformed four blighted blocks into a model of sustainable development.

At the time, Habitat’s relationship with Hawthorne had been challenging. Some neighbors worried our homes would raise property values too much, while others feared they would lower them. Even some Habitat homeowners were hesitant to invest in a transitioning neighborhood. Convincing the neighborhood council to partner with us for a year-long initiative that would culminate in building, rehabbing, and repairing 25 homes in a single week with national media attention was far from easy.

What made it possible was President Carter. His name and reputation lent credibility and rallied folks around this vision.

A few months before the event, Bev, the chair of the neighborhood council, told me they wanted to contribute something special. She said, “We’re commissioning a local artist to create a park bench, and we’d love for President Carter to see it during his visit.” I promised to try, but the schedule was packed.

During that week, the Carters would travel between five different cities. They would build homes and do media and fundraising events in each location. The schedule was planned down to the minute. It would be grueling for an 86-year-old. Adding a stop to commemorate a park bench was going to be a long shot.

I lobbied hard. The event planners thought there wouldn’t be enough time. The Secret Service thought securing the park could be tricky.

I broke the bad news to Bev. I invited her and the rest of the neighborhood council to meet the President and be in one of the photos with homeowners and volunteers. She asked if I would put them at the house closest to the park just in case.

The week of the event, things were going beautifully. The Carters arrived Wednesday morning. I met their motorcade on site. We had arranged a surprise reunion with Walter Mondale. I’ll never forget the smile on President Carter’s face as he built alongside Rosalynn and his former Vice-President helping Melo realize her dream of owning a home.

Then, it was time to for the Carters to visit each of the houses for photos. He loved to hear the story of each new Habitat homeowner and to personally thank as many volunteers as possible. We had spent hours planning these visits down to the second. We formed a “motorcade” of golf carts. I ended up driving the cart behind the former president and watched him and Walter Mondale catch up like two old friends as we drove between the houses.

We finally made it to the house where he would meet the neighborhood council. I introduced him to Bev and Georgianna and the others. He was curious to learn about the Hawthorne Eco- Village. He was so gracious thanking them for their vision and dedication. Then Bev said, “I know you’re on a very tight schedule, but we’ve installed a new bench in your honor in the park across the street.” He got that world famous grin and said “Well, let’s go see it!”

And suddenly, the whole parade of golf carts and secret service veered off into Farview Park to the delight of some of the most selfless community volunteers I have ever known.

Bev later wrote to me that “you’ll never know how much this week has meant to the community, especially those who stayed through the toughest times.”

There are a thousand stories like this. These stories are why–when people learn I work for Habitat–people of all backgrounds say, “Jimmy Carter is a great man.” He loved people. He put that love into action. He lived with an integrity that gave him a moral authority that called people together and made you want to build a better future. We will miss that now that he is gone.

Habitat for Humanity will be celebrating President Carter’s life of service with local observances and an online memory book. To learn more or to share a tribute, visit habitat.org.