Multiplying Good joins the nation in mourning the loss of Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. She dedicated her life to improving the quality of life for people across the globe.
In 1996, Rosalynn Carter received the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged in recognition of her work as a tireless advocate for improving and addressing mental health needs.
From 1977 to 1981, Mrs. Carter was an active and passionate First Lady; taking an interest in programs to aid mental health and the community. She was the Honorary Chairperson of the President’s Commission on Mental Health, which resulted in the passage of the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980.
Mrs. Carter founded The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband in 1982. As a member of the Board of Trustees for the private, nonprofit institution, she created and chaired its Mental Health Task Force, which brought together experts, consumers, and advocates to promote positive change in the field of mental health.
Her steadfast commitment to service was evident in the causes and organizations she was involved in, including the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, the Vaccinate Your Family campaign, Habitat for Humanity, 3Keys, which provides permanent, supportive housing for homeless individuals while living with and treating their mental illness, and The Atlanta Project (TAP), which addressed poverty and quality of life in the city.
Mrs. Carter was a deacon at Maranatha Baptist Church and wrote five books, including the 1999 American Society of Journalists and Authors Outstanding Book Award winner in the service category: Helping Someone with Mental Illness: A Compassionate Guide for Family, Friends, and Caregivers (with Susan K. Golant).
