LISTEN: The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project spent the week in Atlanta as Habitat for Humanity celebrates its 50th anniversary. GPB's Amanda Andrews takes us there.
Nearly 1,000 Habitat for Humanity volunteers were in Atlanta this week for the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Crews had just five days — May 3 through May 8 — to build 24 affordable homes and townhouses. This year Habitat for Humanity is celebrating its 50th anniversary by bringing the work project back to Atlanta for the first time since 1988.
On a Monday afternoon in Southwest Atlanta’s Sylvan Hills neighborhood, the sky was clear with a slight breeze, and the sounds of power tools filled the air.
"All the noise you hear behind me, those are volunteers swinging hammers, raising walls, painting," said Rosalyn Merrick, the CEO of Atlanta Habitat for Humanity.
She’s part of the sea of volunteers in matching blue hard hats building Langston Park, a community of 24 houses and townhomes.
Merrick said this project is almost a decade in the making.
"For a long time, this land sat as an overgrown forest and there was a concrete slab from a previous factory that became a skate park,” she said. “And while that was great for the time that it was here, now it gets to be this beautiful, vibrant community for, ultimately, 64 families as we build here for the next couple of years."
Creating affordable housing has become a priority for Atlanta leaders, but it wasn’t always like that. Jimmy Carter and Habitat for Humanity started the work project in 1984 to address the rising cost of housing.
Merrick said the impact has been huge.
"Over 4,500 families have been served overall by the Carter Work Project," she said. "So we were super excited to see it come back here to Atlanta."
Alan and Lynn Merrill got their start as Atlanta Habitat volunteers during the first Atlanta work project in 1988. Allen said things weren’t as polished back then.
"There's a tent that will allow us to feed 900 people a hot meal instead of a bag lunch, which is probably what we had in 1988," he said.
Meals were made by church volunteers. That was back when Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were still on site to help build the houses. Alan Merrick worked alongside them. He said it was more than a photo opportunity.
"The Carters didn't do it for show; they came to work," he said. "So typically, with the press, they would say, 'OK, we'll give you a few minutes at the beginning of the day to get to get your photos. But from then on, we're working. We've got things to do. We've got a house to build.'"
Alan took that message to heart. He ultimately quit his corporate job and trained to be a lead carpenter. He said building a house is fun, but meeting the families is a blessing.
One of those families is Tammy and Kyrié Redding. Kyrié said she was inspired when her mom, Tammy, purchased an Atlanta Habitat home in 2022.
"Watching my mom go through the process kind of helped me figure out what exactly I needed to do on my end to make sure I was ready when it was my turn, if I ever got a turn," she said. "And then I got a turn."
Homeowners are required to take classes on budgeting, home maintenance, and complete 250 "sweat equity" hours. `
Kyrié said she’s looking forward to the next family get-together.
“I'm excited; we rotate houses every holiday,” she said.
Her mom Tammy is also ready for Kyrié to host.
“The next family gathering will be here,” Tammy said. “Now it's time for her to take the reins.”
When her house is done, Kyrié will be one of over 1,500 Atlantans owning a Habitat for Humanity home.
