Garth Brooks and Trish Yearwood fist bump while working at the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Entertainers join hundreds of volunteers for Habitat for Humanity building project in Mishawaka
Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, survey the Habitat for Humanity building site in Mishawaka. (Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity International)
MISHAWAKA – Hundreds of volunteers the week of Aug. 27 were joined by country music stars Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and Eric Paslay, as well as talk show host Dave Letterman to build new homes for Habitat for Humanity as part of the 35th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
Brooks and Yearwood are longtime supporters of Habitat for Humanity, and in 2016, were named as the first-ever Habitat Humanitarians, alongside former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.
Letterman also first began volunteering with Habitat following Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and has sponsored and helped build more than 24 homes since then. Letterman is a native of Indiana, the host state of this year's Carter Work Project.
Country music singer and songwriter Eric Paslay and his wife Natalie Paslay also joined the Carter Work Project for their second year, having volunteered in Edmonton, Alberta, during the 2017 work project. The Paslays also support Habitat's annual Home is the Key campaign.
Garth Brooks and Trish Yearwood fist bump while working at the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana. (Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity International)
The entertainers, volunteers and the Carters spent the week of Aug. 27 on what will become an all-Habitat neighborhood in Mishawaka. Twenty-two new homes are being built in the neighborhood and an additional 19 homes in Mishawaka and South Bend will be built, renovated or repaired as part of the overall project this year.
Since 1984, the Carters have traveled around the world with Habitat to build and improve homes. In Carters previous 34 work projects, they have worked alongside more than 100,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair 4,290 homes.
Scenes from the 35th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity in Mishawaka.
Scenes from the 35th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity in Mishawaka.
Scenes from the 35th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity in Mishawaka.
Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter, Jonathan Reckford, at a press conference at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
Ted Klee hands a level to one of his building partners during the Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Work Project.
Megan Meserve, Lexington, KY, and Deora Novell, from New York City, cut siding for the outside of one of the homes being built as part of the 35th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter build with volunteers at the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Garth Brooks and Trish Yearwood fist bump while working at the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford begins building on one of the homes being constructed as part of the 35th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
Volunteers from all over the U.S. raise a wall on one of the homes being built as part of the 35th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. The annual build draws people from around the world.
Future Homeowner Kaniece works on her future home, House #9, as part of the 35th Jimmy and Roasalynn Carter Work Project.
Garth Brooks works at the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Volunteers Debbie Ladyga-Block and Debra Gregg hug homeowner Raven Boston during the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Notre Dame student Emma Erwin volunteers at the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford charts with volunteers at the2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Home owner John Townsell greets arriving volunteers at the start of the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Volunteers at the start of the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
President Jimmy Carter starts work at 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Home owner Jhunixa Salazar thanks volunteers greets volunteers at the start of the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Volunteers Don Fozo, left, and Dale Freeman start work 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Home owner John Townsell greets arriving volunteers at the start of the 2018 Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Larry is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years of experience working with daily newspapers and business-to-business publications around the Midwest. Avila is a Michigan native and a graduate of Central Michigan University.
