From the earliest days of his presidential campaign, the late Jimmy Carter seemed to be intertwined in local history in a way that no other president since Grover Cleveland was.
Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, who died on Dec. 29 was no stranger to the Buffalo Niagara region. Including his 1976 run to the White House, while in office and his post-presidential years.
Carter, who was 100, visited Buffalo in March 1976 to introduce himself as a presidential candidate.
Carter, in his first days in office, had to designate Buffalo as a natural disaster zone because of the Blizzard of '77. That action led to the National Guard being activated to help with the clean up and release federal funds to aid small businesses and some homeowners impacted by the storm.
Few people in the Buffalo-Niagara region had an up close relationship with former President Jimmy Carter as one-time State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt. Hoyt, then an aide for Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, met Carter when the 39th President spoke at the University at Buffalo.
"He struck me as as such an approachable, such a kind gentleman," Hoyt told WBFO. "And you know, I was in my late 20s and in awe of standing next to a former president of the United States, but it felt like I was standing next to a great-uncle or something. Just a really kind and genteel man.
Carter also freed up federal funds that led to Superfund allocations of more than $20 million in 1979 to assist with the Love Canal cleanup efforts in Niagara Falls. And during the 1980 campaign, Carter made several Buffalo area stops, including meeting with then Governor Hugh Carey and also with union leaders who backed him.
"I think his time in office, he was under appreciated at the time, but as years passed, I think the nation and the world became, you know, more aware of what an incredible man he was," said Hoyt. "He was only in office for four years, but he spent some quality time here."
After losing the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan, Carter and his wife Roslyn, became long time volunteers nationally for Habitat for Humanity. This included supporting some of the efforts here in the Buffalo area.
"The man was building homes for Habitat for Humanity and not showing up for the photo ops as most politicians do, or would," Hoyt said. "He would put on his coveralls and be there from start to finish to build that home, that was something he believed strongly in. [Carter was] someone we should all look back on."
Christopher Kennedy, Habitat for Humanity Buffalo executive director, called the Carter's a beacon of hope for millions. Carter and his late wife Roslyn, also spent their 50th wedding anniversary in Niagara Falls, again, another sign of their love for this region.
