• Investing
  • Stock
Round Table Thoughts
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Home Economy Giving thanks for Rosalynn Carter who bettered the lives of millions here and around the world
Economy

Giving thanks for Rosalynn Carter who bettered the lives of millions here and around the world

by November 23, 2023
by November 23, 2023 0 comment
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

In December 1976, Rosalynn Carter and I sat in the elegantly furnished drawing room of Blair House: ‘I need to create a new office to help me with my projects as first lady,’ she told me.

Thus began my almost 50-year relationship with a remarkable woman who devoted her life to helping the most vulnerable among us. She did indeed establish the Office of Projects, Issues and Research, and that rather long title reflected her fierce determination to use her influence as first lady in substantive ways. I became its first director.

Rosalynn Carter’s compassion for the weak, the poor, and the disenfranchised was simply boundless. So was her passion for action. She often reminisced about growing up in a small town during very hard times. Everyone knew everyone else, and when there was trouble, the community always took care of one another. Equally important were the lessons she learned at church as a child: to be kind, love one another, and help those in need.

How many of us heard those same lessons in our childhoods? Yet for Rosalynn Carter, they became the foundation of a lifetime of caring. Years of campaigning exposed her to the staggering problems so many families face in providing for loved ones — including those who are disabled, elderly, or struggling with depression or other serious mental illnesses. She came to the White House with a specific goal of improving mental health services in our country and a broader agenda of building a more caring society.

It was an ambitious – some might even say grandiose – aspiration. Yet this soft-spoken, humble woman, who never sought acclaim for her own work, mobilized significant resources to tackle a host of issues while serving as first lady and later as co-founder of The Carter Center.

I recall being summoned to the White House one weekend in 1979. The images on the nightly news had been horrific – mothers on dirty bamboo mats too weak to lift their heads, emaciated infants and children barely alive, thousands upon thousands of innocent Cambodians sick and dying in squalid refugee camps on the Thai border.  ‘I have to help,’ Rosalynn said. ‘I have to do something.’ 

Within a week, she had visited those same camps, convened a White House meeting to raise funds for the relief effort, and personally asked the secretary-general of the U.N. to appoint a single coordinator for all relief activities. While waiting to address the White House meeting, she brought my attention to a large photograph of her holding a very young girl in her arms. The child’s limbs hung limply from her tiny body; they looked like sticks. ‘She died,’ Rosalynn told me with tears in her eyes, ‘shortly after we left the camp.’

I also cannot forget an afternoon spent in a small village in northern Ghana where the debilitating parasite, Guinea worm, was still prevalent. I had come with a delegation from The Carter Center, including both the Carters, to encourage the local people to redouble their efforts to eradicate the worm. 

One of our staff came to me and said, ‘Mrs. Carter is asking for you.’ I found her with a very small boy who had been infected with the parasite. He was sitting on a little wooden stool, a two-foot-long worm emerging from his foot in a process that could take weeks. ‘You have to see the worm,’ she said to me. ‘You have to see how much pain and suffering it causes.’

A few years later, after a board meeting of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Ga., Rosalynn turned to me and said, ‘Do you have time to come with me to thank a friend who sent some wonderful fresh vegetables to Jimmy and me?’ 

Within minutes, we were at Rudy’s Happy Patch, a combination plant, fruit and vegetable store that is an integral part of the Perry Wellness Center. The founder, Stuart Perry – having recovered from major depressive illness – is now a leader in the peer support movement. ‘This program,’ Rosalynn said to me, ‘can be a model for the nation. It brings hope for a better life to those struggling with mental illness.’

Here, in her beloved Sumter County in southwest Georgia, she continued her 50-year commitment to better mental health services for all, including her friends and neighbors. 

Whether it was people in recovery or the poor family in Plains to whom she took food once a month or the villagers at the end of the road in Ghana, she was there to help … and bettered the lives of millions in our country and around the world.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
You Might Also Like
  • GOP veteran-lawmakers drop scathing ‘stolen valor’ letter to Walz as Trump camp rips ‘Freakish Timothy’
  • Trump courts Libertarians to draw party activists away from RFK Jr.: ‘If we unite, we are unstoppable’
  • House Dems insist primary is ‘open’ despite rushing to coronate Kamala Harris
  • White House corrects record on Biden’s physician, Parkinson’s expert meeting, says it was for president’s care
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

previous post
Manchin says third-party ticket is a ‘long shot’ for potential candidates, including himself
next post
Sen Kennedy’s IQ dig at VP Harris sparks backlash from White House, DNC

You may also like

Nvidia Stock Slumps as Dow Futures Edge Lower

November 26, 2024

Ramaswamy calls for military at US borders to tackle migrant...

July 13, 2023

Hunter Biden’s former business associate has raked in over $500K...

February 6, 2023

National Archives dismissed claims of mishandled Obama-Biden documents weeks before...

January 17, 2023

Racing against the clock: GOP presidential long shots work furiously...

August 21, 2023

SCOTUS to hear arguments in Biden’s lawsuit ‘subverting states’ rights’...

April 24, 2024

FBI Biden bribery doc never made it to IRS investigators,...

June 23, 2023

Biden Cabinet official poses for photo with one of Farrakhan’s...

August 26, 2024

Majority of GOP voters say DeSantis delivered best performance in...

August 25, 2023

GOP senator challenges Biden to clarify Hamas position after State...

March 11, 2024

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • The V Reversal is Impressive, but is it Enough?

      May 9, 2025
    • Krispy Kreme stock plunges after doughnut chain pauses McDonald’s rollout, pulls outlook

      May 8, 2025
    • Don’t Buy Robinhood Stock… Until You See This Chart Setup

      May 8, 2025
    • UnitedHealthcare sued by shareholders over reaction to CEO’s killing

      May 8, 2025
    • The Unpredictable Stock Market: How to Make Sense of It

      May 8, 2025

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be...

      June 27, 2024 2,633 views
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as...

      August 9, 2024 2,339 views
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese...

      June 25, 2024 2,321 views
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful...

      July 10, 2024 2,303 views
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility...

      August 29, 2024 2,186 views

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,066)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,531)

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be revived under new House GOP bill

      June 27, 2024
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as Harris camp blasts ‘lying’ critics

      August 9, 2024
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese businesses to Delaware: ‘Longtime friends’

      June 25, 2024
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful of Chinese spy threats

      July 10, 2024
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility that collaborated with ‘Chinese military company’

      August 29, 2024

    Latest News

    • The V Reversal is Impressive, but is it Enough?

      May 9, 2025
    • Krispy Kreme stock plunges after doughnut chain pauses McDonald’s rollout,...

      May 8, 2025
    • Don’t Buy Robinhood Stock… Until You See This Chart Setup

      May 8, 2025

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,066)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,531)

    Disclaimer: RoundTableThoughts.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 RoundTableThoughts.com. All Rights Reserved.

    Round Table Thoughts
    • Investing
    • Stock
    Round Table Thoughts
    • Economy
    • Editor’s Pick

    Read alsox

    Jack Smith asks judge to block...

    December 28, 2023

    Biden rival proposes ‘no-spoiler pledge’ in...

    May 2, 2024

    Britain could recognize independent Palestinian state...

    February 3, 2024
    Sign In

    Keep me signed in until I sign out

    Forgot your password?

    Password Recovery

    A new password will be emailed to you.

    Have received a new password? Login here