Peter Carter recipient of Support Service Award
April 11, 2008
 Shirley
Carter (left) and Willis Williams. |
(Raleigh, NC) - The first Support Service Award was presented
posthumously to Peter Carter (former staff
attorney, Legal Aid of North Carolina - New Bern Office) on April 2,
2008 at the 2008 North Carolina Legal Services Statewide Conference.
Mrs. Shirley Carter (the wife of Peter Carter) accepted the award on
his behalf. Williams E. Williams, Chair of the LANC
Clients Council, made the presentation.
"Peter Carter provided invaluable support for the LANC Clients
Council," said Williams. "It is very deserving of this award.
Peter was an asset to our efforts and to the entire state, and
he made significant efforts to encourage community
partnerships, empower low-income people and remove legal barriers to
economic opportunity in North Carolina"
Peter Carter first joined legal aid as an advocate in the
Wilmington
office and was an instrumental part of a project that successfully
saved the land of many minority farmers from foreclosure.
While working in the Wilmington office, and even after he came to
work in New Bern, Carter worked with faith-based and other groups in
the Wilmington area to help meet the needs of the poor – needs like
affordable housing, daycare, employment and health care – both has
an advocate and as a non-profit board officer.
Carter joined the New Bern office as a
community economic development specialist in 1997. Others
there quickly learned that he was a loyal and competent advocate who
always placed the best interest of his clients first. Peter
had a broad range of knowledge of and experience in CED activities,
was a trusted advisor on legal and other issues to community
development corporations and other groups throughout Eastern North Carolina -- and throughout the entire state.
Peter Carter served as chair of the LANC CED Task Force
for several years, and enjoyed sharing his knowledge of CED issues
with others. He even traveled to LANC offices in western North Carolina to train interested staff on
the intricacies of establishing a CED practice.
After the floods from Hurricane Floyd devastated Eastern North
Carolina, he rolled up his sleeves and represented literally
hundreds of flood victims – obtaining for them many FEMA and other
benefits, as well as significant mortgage foreclosure relief.
"Peter always had an extremely pleasant and cordial manner and was a
joy to work with," said Evan Lewis, senior managing attorney in the
LANC-New Bern Office. "He was a person of high integrity, and
a good friend to everyone in both offices. He worked long hours to
get tasks done promptly. He always spoke kindly to all, and always,
always took the time to help everyone in any way he could. No
matter the problem, the question, the situation, he would be there
for you. Peter was a fine gentleman, a devoted husband and
grandfather, and a zealous advocate for the poor -- and he is sorely
missed."
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Mission Statement
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm
that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income
people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove
legal barriers to economic opportunity.