Dear Supporters,

For as long as I have served this diverse community that we all are building around the values of service and partnership, I never cease to be impressed and energized by the continued support — in all forms — that you have given Peace Corps Park.

That support means even more now that we are in sight of final design approvals for Peace Corps Park, which we expect to be wrapped up at the end of this summer. Working closely with our partners at the National Park Service and other stakeholders, we are now focusing on the many small details that will ensure that the Park meets the highest standards of inclusion and accessibility, and that its design is optimized for the long-term maintenance of the site no matter what seasonal and environmental conditions are thrown at it. We’ll be sharing more about these considerations over the coming weeks as we iron out the details.

As we approach the final design approvals, our collective efforts to meet our fundraising goals will be the last thing standing between us and breaking ground. To recognize the particular commitment made by our recurring monthly donors, we are excited to launch our Ambassadors program this month. See the fundraising update below for more information.

Some of you may also remember a survey we shared to get your input on our plans for the interactive companion app that will serve as a guide, docent and storyteller to our visitors, both in-person and digitally from all over the world. We are delighted at how many of our supporters have shared your thoughts with us, and we invite anyone interested in this component of Peace Corps Park to take five minutes to answer the survey if you haven’t already. We will follow up in the coming weeks with those who volunteered to share your thoughts in more detail and together we will ensure that the digital experience is as engaging as the physical one!

Finally, we wanted to clear up a point of confusion between our project and an effort to build a “Peace Corps Plaza” in Minnesota: Donations to Peace Corps Park do not include engraved pavers. While you won’t see your name on a brick, your contribution to making the Park a reality will have an amplified impact with the profile granted by its federal status and its presence in our nation’s capital.

All supporters – no matter the size of their contributions – will be recognized in perpetuity on our website.

Yours in service,

Finalizing Peace Corps Park’s Design

It took more than 10 years for Peace Corps Park to advance from the point of congressional authorization in 2014, to site selection in 2015, to design concept approvals in 2021 and 2022, to the final design acceptance by the U.S. Commission for Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the National Park Service – anticipated at the end of this summer. We’re now in the final stages of design development, as the remaining details are reviewed and revised to perfection in a collaborative approach with these federal agencies. So, what’s in a design?

One of the most salient features of Peace Corps Park’s design is compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For example, the textured surfaces depicting land and water masses on the park’s central plaza must avoid materials or construction methods that create bumpy and uneven surfaces. The surface design of the plaza has a texture intended to create an uncomfortable surface for the two-inch diameter wheels most common to skateboards, while larger diameter wheels common to wheelchairs will sense only a very subtle vibration from our Virginia Mist pavers.

We’ll be sharing details of these and other design considerations as we iron out the remaining details on our website in the coming weeks!

Peace Corps Park Stands Alone

We’ve heard from many of you that recent promotions of an envisioned “Peace Corps Plaza” in Plainview, Minnesota, issued by the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) and the Peace Corps Legacy Association (PCLA), have caused confusion about whether donations to the Peace Corps Foundation include personalized brick pavers for Peace Corps Park in Washington, D.C.

To clarify, the NPCA/PCLA campaign has nothing to do with Peace Corps Park, whose unique status as a federally (or more accurately Congressionally) recognized federal commemorative work comes with some limitations: The National Park Service does not permit any form of permanently inscribed donor recognition at any of its federally owned and maintained commemorative works.

As a result, we recognize donors at all levels on Peace Corps Park’s digital donor wall, where they may be viewed in perpetuity by visitors from around the world. For our most significant supporters, the National Park Service permits the Foundation to honor lead gifts by affixing the donor’s name to a plaque installed for 10 years at Peace Corps Park.

Introducing our Ambassadors Program

Peace Corps Park relies on the generosity of our donor base, and we’d like to recognize the particular contributions of monthly recurring donors. Unlike one-time contributors, those who commit to monthly support represent a multiplier effect that amplifies their impact immensely. By making Peace Corps Park part of your regular charitable giving – at any amount – you become an ongoing advocate for the project.

That’s why this month we are happy to introduce our Peace Corps Park Ambassadors program, which will highlight recurring donors separately from our other generous supporters in the monthly fundraising update (see below) and on the Supporters page of our website.

Please consider turning your donation into a monthly recurring gift and multiply your impact on this ambitious and inspiring project!

Fundraising Update

We continue to make progress toward our campaign goal of $10 million, with nearly $4 million raised since our campaign began. The Peace Corps Foundation gratefully acknowledges the following donors, who have made generous new contributions and/or pledges since May 23, 2024:

See the full list of cumulative gifts here.

$50,000 - $99,999

Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation

$5,000 - $9,999

Joseph P. Kennedy*
Alex Quattlebaum

$2,500 - $4,999

Albert and Signe Lewis*

$1,000 - $2,499

Jeff Fletcher*
Bonnie S. Gottlieb*
Marcia A. Grubb in memory of Dennis Grubb
Peter von Christierson

Other gifts to $999

America's Charities*
Terry Applegate
Michael Blumhorst
Elinore Boeke
Charities Aid Foundation*
Dave Edwards
Cindy Foley
David Goldenberg
Mattie Harms
James Hill
Christi Murray
Tyler Posey
Ronald A. Schwartz
Sachiko Stark
Gail Yates

* New gift in addition to prior gift

PEACE CORPS PARK AMBASSADORS

(Donors making recurring monthly contributions of any size)

Anthony Carroll
Linda Barnett
Ellen Davis-Zapata
Elizabeth Downes
John Feighery
Ann Hopkins
Nancy Kelly
Laura Kettel Khan
Phil Lopes
Marty Mueller
Jessica Rogers
Kathleen Williams-Ging
Darrel Young

IRA Distribution | Qualified Charitable Distribution

A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) is a distribution of funds from your IRA (other than a SEP or SIMPLE IRA) directly to a qualified charitable organization like the Peace Corps Foundation. Because the gift goes directly to the charity without passing through your hands, the dollar amount of the gift may be excluded from your taxable income up to a maximum of $100,000 annually (with some exceptions).

QCDs can be made by IRA owners who are 70 1/2 or older. QCDs made prior to the age you are required to take a minimum distribution from your retirement assets will not reduce or otherwise impact future Required Minimum Distribution. Your tax advisor can provide additional information on your particular situation.

Many who are required to withdraw from their IRA but who do not need the money for living expenses have chosen to make QCDs to support the work of the Peace Corps Foundation, and it may make sense for you too – contact the custodian of the retirement account to start the process and find more details on our website.

Connect with us on social media

Whether or not you’ve been able to support the project with a donation, an easy way to amplify your impact is to give us a boost on your social media platform of choice!

Follow us on any of the following networks, and re-share our posts to help raise awareness among your own community.

@PeaceCorpsPark on Instagram
@PeaceCorpsPark on Facebook 
@PeaceCorpsPark on LinkedIn
@PeaceCorpsPark on Twitter / X 

Connect with us in person

I continue to host small gatherings and meetings with key stakeholders around the country to build awareness of Peace Corps Park, and I’d love to connect with you or your group to let you know about the project and our vision for how it will bring our community together. Let me know if you’d like to arrange a meetup!

July 16-22    Colorado
July 26-27   Washington, DC: Friends of Sierra Leone meeting
Aug. 15         Friends of Nigeria (Virtual Presentation)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 3  Quebec City: Sierra Leone I Reunion