On March 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy, just beginning his presidency, realized his vision to create an international volunteer organization that would promote world peace and friendship. With his signature on Executive Order 10924, the Peace Corps was born, creating a new opportunity for Americans to help the people of interested countries meet their need for trained men and women.
As the Peace Corps arrives at its 60th anniversary this year, it celebrates the more than 240,000 Americans who have volunteered with the agency in 142 countries, but also looks toward the opportunities and challenges of the next decades. Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peace Corps enacted, for the first time in its history, a global evacuation of all its volunteers in March 2020. The agency is now planning for an eventual return to service, actively recruiting Americans for its next chapter.
“As the Peace Corps celebrates our 60th anniversary, I am reminded of how far we have come and what an unprecedented time we are in now. The past 60 years have truly prepared us for this historic moment. During a pandemic that has touched every corner of the globe, it’s clear that we are all in this together,” says Acting Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn. “As we look to the next 60 years, I know the Peace Corps will continue to be a community of people—all over the world—willing to do the hard work of promoting peace and friendship.”
Once fully operational again, the agency will be active in more than 60 host countries. Peace Corps opportunities run a wide gamut across six general sectors: agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health and youth in development. Projected opportunities are posted on the agency’s Volunteer Openings webpage.
“I enjoy working with Maine schools and communities, because the people are so often interested in giving back here and abroad,” said Megan Keil, the state’s local Peace Corps recruiter and returned volunteer (Tanzania, 2015–18). “There’s a noteworthy service mindset in Maine, and it is exciting to be able to offer them the opportunity to reestablish Peace Corps’ relationships with communities around the world.”
Maine has a proud history of supporting the Peace Corps. In 2020, prior to the evacuation, the state was the eighth highest producer of Peace Corps volunteers per capita. One Mainer volunteering at the time was Portland resident Beth Bordowitz, who served in North Macedonia, working on community economic development projects.
“If Peace Corps service interests you, do it. It’s such a unique opportunity to settle in a community and stretch yourself,” said Bordowitz.
Mainers are encouraged to connect with Keil for up-to-date information regarding applications and timelines at https://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/connect-with-a-recruiter/.
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