At a time when thousands of new Jersey families were left devastated by Superstorm Sandy, it was quite a sight to see.

Former President Jimmy Carter, at 80 years old, pick up a hammer and start helping people rebuild their homes in Union Beach.

In 2013, Carter came here to support the work of habitat for humanity, an organization he partnered with to, in his words, remove the stigma of charity by substituting it with a sense of partnership.

Carter was there for the opening of a habitat location in Salem County in 1985, where Sue Ann Leighty now serves as executive director.

She had the chance to meet the former president, and is here to share the impact he had on habitat.

Suzanne, so great to have you on the show with us tonight.

I know we featured you in our 21 series for for the work that you do with habitat for Humanity in Salem County.

I want to understand, when you take a look at the impact that former President Jimmy Carter had on your organization as a whole.

What did it mean to have a former president, partner with habitat in the way that he did?

We believe we're very blessed to have had him participate in our first dedication, and that was in 1985.

He was here spent the night locally, met with people.

I have run into so many people that have told me that they were little children, and they were there to meet the president, and it was a big deal for Salem County to to have a president come.

Absolutely.

That was a ribbon cutting for the opening of habitat.

Before your time.

Right before your time as executive director.

We saw after Superstorm Sandy, the former president not just come to shake hands, but to actually pick up a hammer, do the work of helping to rebuild homes.

And that seemed to be the life that he lived after his presidency, a life of service.

Not many actually do that.

Right.

Do the work.

Correct.

He was someone you could work alongside with.

He was actually there to dedicate the first home.

But his life was a life of service.

The home was important to him.

He had come from humble beginnings.

He didn't mind sleeping in a church on a cot.

He was just a real down to earth guy.

And when we met with him in Plains, Georgia, during his Bible study, he couldn't have been more warm and welcoming and appreciative of our work for habitat.

You know, thanking us for what we've done.

Yeah.

Your both your work and and the president himself, shared a Christian faith and a Christian commitment to serving others.

When you look more broadly at how his impact what was the impact of of a president really kind of elevating this organization to be able perhaps to do more work to serve more people?

I truly believe that that was a catalyst for us.

And launching, our habitat is something special.

We're the 23rd affiliate, but we're the first in new Jersey.

Very grassroots habitat.

So to have a president show up, I believe, really lends some credibility to the program and to what we're all about, and not just giving away homes like some people think we're putting a roof over their head.

We're giving them hope.

Well, and as you say, not just giving it away.

And the president had said himself that it was taking away the stigma of charity by building partnership.

How do you partner with the folks who are going to live in those homes, so that it's not just charity, but it truly is working together?

Well, we have to find ways to accommodate them.

Work schedules, abilities, you know, their skills.

But it's amazing to see, how at the end of the process, they have accomplished things that they would have never dreamed they could have possibly done.

So I believe that our construction manager, to the people that procure and order things.

Everybody's involved and everybody can contribute, and they see how many people it takes to help provide a home to them, and they are putting in their own sweat equity.

Is that right?

Absolutely, yes.

Yeah.

With joy.

With joy.

That's an important part.

What would you say the former President Jimmy Carter's legacy is here in new Jersey and across the country?

I believe that he set a Christian example by living it, working it, doing it every day.

I know that through all the Carter work projects, the people that I know that we're blessed to be able to work alongside him said that you didn't sit down or you didn't rest when President Carter was on the site because he just kept moving.

And, even Roslyn, I mean, what a tremendous woman and partner she was.

And I'm positive that, they're together right now.

And, you know, in a much better place and getting the reward he deserves for a life well-lived.

Beautifully said, Sue Ann Leighty, executive director of habitat for humanity, Salem County.

Thanks for being with us tonight.

Thank you so much.