St. John’s Baptist Church

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Habitat for Humanity and the Jimmy Carter Work Projects

Much has been in the local news reports of the Habitat for Humanity Jimmy Carter Work Projects that have occurred in Charlotte. Following is an excerpt from the 100th Anniversary Book about the involvement of St. John’s in the 1987 Work Project.

The summer of 1987 was a very special time for Charlotte and for Habitat for Humanity. The international organization had grown to serve over 200 in the United States and sixty internationally. Out of over 250 locations, Charlotte was selected as the third city to host the Jimmy Carter Work Project, later to become the Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Work Project. The previous sites had been Chicago and New York. This selection was both recognition for a job well done and a challenge to reach even greater heights.

By the time Charlotte was selected for the Work Project, Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte had built or renovated seventeen homes in the Optimist Park neighborhood of north Charlotte. After the registration of volunteers at Queens College, and a welcoming dinner at St. John’s Baptist Church on Sunday, July 26, “The Miracle on 19th Street”, as it began to be called, started construction at 7:30 am on Monday, July 27 and concluded with a Dedication and Moving-In Ceremony at each of the homes constructed, finishing at 4:15 pm on Friday, July 31. Members of the St John’s Habitat siding and framing crews worked on the home constructed by President Carter and his wife, Rosalyn, along with the family of Dallas Brand, the owners of the new house. St. John’s members also helped with tool distribution and medical services.

The church voted to raise $25,000 for the construction of a house, but actually raised $33,181, including money raised by the children from bake sales. Not only did church members participate in the building, members also assisted in daily food preparation for lunches for the workers. At the beginning of the week, the church hosted a dinner for the 425 workers. Harriet Lasater was given a certificate and a hammer signed by Jimmy Carter in appreciation of her work in organizing the food for the workers during the week. At the end of the week, the Family News reported on the success of the project and included the following- “The memory of people working together for the good of the homeless will not soon fade. . . Although it was extremely hot and tiring, what a tremendous experience it was to complete these houses as projected. What a thrill to watch the families as they moved to their new home; to speak with the children who proudly showed each of us “their” own room, to speak with the homeowners as they saw this miracle unfold, trying out their new stoves and other appliances, to see the excitement as our work crew presented the homeowners with a new dinette set. All of these things contributed to the most personally rewarding week I have ever experienced.”

Both Harriet Lasater and Helen Moore of St. John’s, were recognized by Julia Maulden, the Director of Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte in a letter to Finance Chair, Ken Benton, dated September 17, 1987:

“. . . [thanks for] the bounteous and beautiful supper you served to all of us – more than 400, right? – at the very first meal on the evening of July 26. My hat is off to Helen Moore and Harriett Lasater, not only for that meal in their own church, but for supervising all the lunches and dinners of that week.”