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Atlanta Habitat ReStore honors Jimmy Carter with memorial door for public tributes

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Updated  January 6, 2025 11:41pm EST
Jimmy Carter
FOX 5 Atlanta

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The Brief

    • The Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore is honoring former President Jimmy Carter with a memorial door for public tributes and memories.
    • The door will be available for signing at the Atlanta ReStore until Jan. 9, then at the South Fulton ReStore from Jan. 10 to Jan. 16, before being permanently displayed at Atlanta Habitat’s headquarters.
    • Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Dec. 29, was a celebrated volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, significantly contributing to projects like the 1988 Carter Work Project in Atlanta.
    • The memorial door symbolizes a home's threshold, aligning with Habitat for Humanity’s mission and Carter’s dedication to affordable housing.
    • Visitors are encouraged to leave messages on the door during store hours, with many families already contributing heartfelt tributes.

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore is honoring former President Jimmy Carter with a memorial door, giving the public a unique way to leave tributes, share memories, and celebrate his legacy. The door, a symbolic representation of a home's threshold, will be available for signing at the Atlanta ReStore located at 271 Chester Ave. from Tuesday through Jan. 9. It will then be moved to the South Fulton ReStore, located at 5626 Old National Highway in College Park, from Jan. 10 through Jan. 16. Afterward, the door will return to Atlanta Habitat’s headquarters, where it will be permanently displayed.

"We’re very excited to be one of many Habitat affiliates across the nation celebrating Jimmy Carter," said Megan McCabe, director of the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore. "We figured this was a fun and easy way for folks to leave tributes and celebrate his legacy."

Megan McCabe, director of the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore, points out a tribute to the late President Jimmy Carter on a memorial door on Jan. 6, 2025.

Megan McCabe, director of the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore, points out a tribute to the late President Jimmy Carter on a memorial door on Jan. 6, 2025.

Carter, who passed away on Dec 29, was deeply involved with Habitat for Humanity. Although not its founder, he and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter became celebrated volunteers for the organization, beginning in the 1980s. Their efforts included the 1988 Carter Work Project in Atlanta, where 21 homes were built in a single week, leaving a lasting legacy in the city.

"Most people think that Jimmy Carter founded us, but he’s actually been a very celebrated volunteer since the ’80s," McCabe said. "The Carter Work Project around the Olympics was a huge success and remains a significant part of Atlanta’s history."

The memorial door aims to capture the public’s admiration for Carter’s life and work. McCabe emphasized the symbolic importance of a door in Habitat for Humanity’s mission, calling it "the threshold for somebody’s home" and a fitting tribute to Carter’s dedication to affordable housing.

Visitors are encouraged to stop by during store hours, Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., between [specific start date] and [specific end date], to leave messages on the door. According to McCabe, many families have already left heartfelt tributes. "We hope it will be full of color and comments by the time it’s ready for its permanent home," she said.

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The Source: This article is based on information given to FOX 5 Atlanta during an interview with Megan McCabe, director of the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

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