Thousands of volunteers gather in Austin to build 25 homes for Habitat for Humanity's 39th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project

The homes will be part of the nation's first fully connected geothermal Habitat neighborhood

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, thousands of volunteers, partners and Habitat homeowners are coming together to honor the legacy of President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter in a way that we know they would appreciate – by keeping the work going.

Habitat for Humanity's 39th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, the first since the passing of President Carter, kicked off today in east Austin.

President and Mrs. Carter helped to put Habitat on the map when they joined the first week-long blitz build that bears their name in 1984 after they quickly realized that the organization's mission closely aligned with their values. The Carters saw firsthand the effects of unaffordable housing and understood that families need a stable, affordable foundation to grow – often beginning with a place to call home.

With this mission held at the center, the Carters and Habitat formed a partnership that has since inspired more than 108,000 volunteers to build or improve more than 4,447 homes in 14 countries.

"As we kickoff the first Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project since President Carter's passing, we are honored to continue the extraordinary legacy of service and inspiration that he and Rosalynn built," said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. "The Carters deep commitment to creating a world where everyone has a safe, decent place to call home will continue to live on through every volunteer, homeowner and home built through Habitat for Humanity."

The 2025 event is taking place at Whisper Valley, where Austin Habitat for Humanity plans to build 48 units. Whisper Valley will be a fully connected geothermal neighborhood, and the Habitat homes will feature geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, an advanced energy-efficient design with a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 25 allowing homes to generate as much power as they use and more.

In addition, Habitat is holding its first-ever Rural Rally as an extension of this year's Carter Work Project. During the week, home builds and rehabs in more than 60 rural communities across more than 20 states in all regions of the nation will take place alongside the large-scale build in east Austin.

Additional information about Carter Work Project, historical photos and videos are available at habitat.ngo/cwpphotos. New photos will be added throughout the week.

Carter Work Project is generously supported by more than 60 sponsors, including the project's Diamond partners, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Adam R. Scripps Foundation, Travis County and the Musk Foundation. Platinum sponsors include Delta Air Lines, GAF, MasterBrand, St. David's Foundation and Wells Fargo.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity is a movement of people in your local area and around the world, working together to build more prosperous and vibrant communities by making sure everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home. Since our founding in 1976 as a Christian organization, together we have helped more than 62 million people globally build their futures on their own terms through access to decent housing. We've done that by working alongside people of all walks of life to build, repair and finance their homes, by innovating new ways of building and financing, and by advocating for policies that make constructing and accessing housing easier for everyone. Together, we build homes, communities and hope. To learn more, visit habitat.org.

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SOURCE Habitat for Humanity International