News
NPCA Capitol Hill Advocates: Key Issues and Resources for July 21
More than 150 supporters of the Peace Corps are expected to be on Capitol Hill on Monday, July 21st to stand up for service in meetings with their elected representatives. In the lead up to Capitol Hill Day, National Peace Corps Association's (NPCA) advocacy program has been sending a series of updates to help our advocates prepare. If you are among those joining us on Capitol Hill, this news post will provide you with links to all the background information, meeting "leave behind" materials, and other resources to help you prepare. (NOTE: These materials are also available for NPCA advocates...
Peace Corps Connect Scholarship Recipients!
Peace Corps Connect Scholarship Recipients Went Live! Read Here to Learn More About the Recipients! By Hayden Johnson (NPCA Communications Intern) Missed our last Instagram Live with RPCVs and NPCA staff? Watch it HERE. Watch @nikkibanzzzzz (Nicole Banister, NPCA's Peace Corps Connect Emcee and international superstar host) as she went live with five guests to talk all things Peace Corps. This live was particularly special as Nicole went live with NPCA's four Peace Corps Connect scholarship recipients. NPCA created these scholarships to focus on giving opportunities to voices heard less often in the community. NPCA was searching for younger RPCVs, in...
Across the Waters: Juneteenth and the Ties That Bind the Black Diaspora
By Erin Fallen On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth was officially recognized as a holiday in the United States. While the Fourth of July celebrates American independence, Juneteenth holds deeper significance for Black Americans—it marks the true end of slavery, when the last enslaved people in Texas were finally freed in 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. In simple terms, Juneteenth is our Fourth of July. As a Peace Corps volunteer serving in Dominica, I’ve found new meaning in Juneteenth. Being in the Eastern Caribbean has allowed me, as a Black American, to witness another perspective on the...
The Peace Corps Legacy: NPCA’s Carla Brown Visits New Mexico to Elevate Voices of RPCVs
The Peace Corps Legacy: Carla Brown Visits New Mexico to Elevate Voices of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers By Hayden Johnson (NPCA Communications Intern) June 16, 2025 Santa Fe, NM—The enduring ideal of Americans serving overseas through the Peace Corps remains one of President John F. Kennedy’s most admired legacies. Since its founding in 1961, more than 240,000 volunteers have served in over 140 countries, building cross-cultural understanding and advancing development at the grassroots level. But today, amid looming federal budget cuts and administrative restructuring, the Peace Corps faces an uncertain future. In a special edition of The Forum on KSFR,...
RPCVs Going Live: Join The Virtual Hangout!
RPCVs Going Live: Join The Virtual Hangout! Ask Questions & Get In On The Convo Date: Sunday, June 15 Time: 10:00–11:00 AM Eastern (U.S.) Where: Visit the Instagram page @nikkibanzzzzz to watch it live! Can't make this Live? We have another featuring our Peace Corps Connect Scholarship Recipients. Get more details HERE. MISSED THIS LIVE? YOU CAN REWATCH IT HERE. Join @nikkibanzzzzz (Nicole Banister, NPCA's dynamic PCC25 Emcee and international superstar host) as she goes live with three guests to talk all things Peace Corps: Nicole Banister, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, South Africa (13-16). The Peace Corps was her first full-time...
We Thank Our NPCA Advocates: Peace Corps Budget Holding Firm—But Our Work Has Just Begun
National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) congratulates the tens of thousands of Peace Corps supporters who joined us in expressing their support for the agency and its volunteers. Together, we demonstrated how the Peace Corps helps make our country stronger, safer, and better. Our collective efforts contributed to the preservation of current Peace Corps funding levels in the President’s budget request to Congress. On May 30, the Trump administration released additional details about its proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget, including a request to maintain the Peace Corps’ $430.5 million appropriation. In light of recent concerns within our community, NPCA applauds this...
Pride in Service: An LGBTQI+ Peace Corps Story
By LGBTQI+ RPCVs Serving in the Peace Corps is often described as a transformative experience, but for LGBTQ+ volunteers, it can be a journey marked by deep connection and complex identity navigation. For many, the Peace Corps becomes not only a site of service but also of self-discovery and resilience. Donald Gardenier, who served in Paraguay from 1983 to 1985, reflects, “There was no acceptance among locals, and we were warned that reactions from host-country counterparts and others were likely to be hostile. But acceptance from fellow volunteers was the best I had experienced in my life to that point....
A Volunteer’s Reflection from Cuenca, Ecuador
Immersing myself in Ecuadorian culture has given me a new perspective on priorities, balance, and communication as I experience different interpretations of time, courtesies, and welcome. By Caroline Williams (PCV Ecuador 2023—present) Since taking an extended volunteer trip in a completely new culture far from home six years ago, I have been curious about a long-term, service-based cultural exchange program. The Peace Corps was the perfect opportunity to merge my love for service with a passion for cultural immersion and community building—all while representing my country. Little did I know how much my time serving as a Health and Wellbeing...
Peace Corps to Close Country Program in Ethiopia
Peace Corps to Close Country Program in Ethiopia Due to ongoing security concerns, the Peace Corps will close its country program in Ethiopia, with no plans to return Volunteers in the foreseeable future. There are currently no Volunteers serving in the country; however, since 2021, 129 Americans have participated virtually with Ethiopian partner organizations. Since 1962, more than 4,000 Americans have served in Ethiopia, leaving behind a powerful legacy of service, friendship, and shared progress. Read more from the Peace Corps Press Release below. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Peace Corps to Close Country Program in Ethiopia The...
Cancellation of Incoming Cohorts to Cameroon and Kyrgyz Republic
Cancellation of Incoming Cohorts to Cameroon and Kyrgyz Republic Due to agency-wide restructuring and recommendations from the Department of Government Efficiency, the Peace Corps has cancelled the June 2025 volunteer cohorts for Cameroon and the Kyrgyz Republic. While current operations remain active, new Volunteers will not depart as scheduled. The Peace Corps remains committed to its partnerships in both countries and to supporting Volunteers through continued collaboration and connection. Read more from the Peace Corps Press Release below. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Cancellation of Incoming Cohorts to Cameroon and Kyrgyz Republic As part of agency’s restructuring of...