50 Years: Happy Birthday Peace Corps

View of the full moon through our roof.

On March 1st, 1961, President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10924 establishing a new government organization that had three simply stated goals:

1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

And there you have it, the birth of the Peace Corps! Watch it happen here:

Time line:

October 14, 1960 2am Presidential Candidate John F. Kennedy challenedged students at the University of Michigan to volunteer two years of their lives in developing countries.

March 1st, 1961 Executive order is issued starting the Peace Corps on a temporary basis

March 1961 R. Sargen Shiver is appointed the first director of Peace Corps. 11,000 applications were received during just the first few months. Over his five year service he developed programs in 55 countries where 14,500 volunteers served.

August 30, 1961 The first group of Peace Corps Volunteers (51 of them) arrive in Ghana to serve as teachers

September 22, 1961 (Our anniversary!!!) Congress approves legislations for the Peace Corps and gives it the mandate "to promote world peace and friendship"

1964 National Geographic features PCVs on the cover

1966 15,000 PCVs serve in the field, historically the highest number to serve at once

September 1985 For the first time more women are entering Peace Corps than men

1988 Barbara Jo White a PCV in the Dominican Republic creates the first World Map Project (Which continues today and my village is a part of)

World map project in Silver Creek

December 1995 Peace Corps Response is born, a short term humanitarian aid service

September 2005 Volunteers are deployed domestically for the first time as PC-Response to the Gulf Coast following both Hurricane Katrina and Rita

2010 The total number of Americans who have served in the Peace Corps surpasses 200,00

Fast Facts:

History

Peace Corps officially established:

March 1, 1961

Total number of Volunteers and trainees to date:

200,000+

Total number of countries served:

139

Volunteers

Current number of Volunteers and Trainees:

8,655

Gender:

60% female, 40% male

Marital Status:

93% single, 7% married

Minorities:

19% of Peace Corps Volunteers

Average Age:

28

Volunteers over age 50:

7%

Education:

90% have at least an undergraduate degree

Countries and Projects

Current number of countries served:

77 countries

Volunteers by Work Area

1. Education: 37%
2. Health & HIV/AIDS: 22%
3. Business Development: 14%
4. Environment: 13%
5. Agriculture: 4%
6. Youth Development: 5%
7. Other: 5%

Where Volunteers Serve

1. Africa: 37%
2. Latin America: 24%
3. Eastern Europe/Central Asia: 21%
4. Asia: 7%
5. The Caribbean: 5%
6. North Africa/Middle East: 4%
7. Pacific Islands: 3%

Budget

Fiscal year 2010 budget:

$400 million

Fiscal year 2011 budget:

$400 million*

Peace Corps Director

Aaron S. Williams (Dominican Republic 1967-70)

Peace Corps Deputy Director

Carrie Hessler-Radelet (Western Samoa 1981-1983)

Proud to be a part of the Peace Corps

Coming soon: Peace Corps Family Tree

A spotlight on my Great Uncle George Cooper who served in Malasia in the 60's and my Cousin Linda Zietlow who served in Ecuador from 84-86!