Peace Corps Announces Highest Number of Volunteers The agency says 8,079 volunteers are serving in 74 countries around the world. Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter says the figure is a reflection of what he calls the "great American spirit of volunteerism." The agency was founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy as part of a global initiative to fight poverty, disease and war. Since its founding, more than 190,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in fields such as education, health, environment, agriculture and business development. |