CHARLOTTE, N.C. (NewsNation) — Country superstars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are hosting the 2023 Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Work Project in North Carolina, which gathers volunteers together to repair and build homes for those who need shelter most.
“Though we could never fill their shoes, we are so incredibly honored to be given the opportunity to carry President and Mrs. Carter’s legacy forward through the continuation of the Carter Work Project,” Brooks said.
Brooks and Yearwood both started with Habitat for Humanity after Hurricane Katrina hit back in 2005. They thought that they were being called for the social marketing aspect of the project, specifically when celebrities are called on to get others on board to help through advertising.
However, Brooks explained that the moment they arrived, the Carters put a hammer in their hands and put them to work.
That’s when they both fell in love with volunteering for the nonprofit organization.
Brooks said Habitat for Humanity is about human rights, providing for others and ensuring that no human is left behind.
“We can differ all we want, but the one thing is we are all humans,” Brooks said.
Yearwood said people are not just given their homes for free, either. The homeowners who will receive these homes work alongside everyone in building them.
“They are not given these homes, they earn them and they paid for them,” Yearwood said. “They have a low mortgage so they can afford the houses that are subsidized by donorship.”
She said volunteerism is a system that just works.
“We’ve seen it work and we’re honored to be a part of it,” Yearwood said.
Jonathan Reckford, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, said the volunteers move fast, too. Yesterday, houses that already have a sturdy base were just slabs of wood.
But he emphasized the importance of having Brooks and Yearwood there to help bring attention to the housing crisis in America, specifically in Charlotte, where they are currently hosting the project.