April Newsletter:
A robust, nonpartisan coalition for global peace and partnership
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Dear Supporters,
In a world that seems increasingly divided, our community stands as living proof that connection across differences isn't just possible—it's transformative. Whether that’s connecting with people in other countries in the Peace Corps or connecting with fellow community members through local organizations, we are united in our belief that we are stronger together.
This belief extends well beyond the 240,000 Americans who have served in the Peace Corps and those who have been impacted by their work. It includes values shared by every AmeriCorps alum who has helped improve the lives of the most vulnerable communities in the country; every USAID and Millennium Challenge Corporation employee who has ensured that lives are saved in the places where other aid efforts don’t always reach; every State Department employee that has dedicated themselves to forging relationships with counterparts across every region of the world; every person who, in ways big or small, freely gives of their time and resources to those who have less opportunity.
We all have in common a commitment to friendship - to helping bridge gaps within and among diverse communities, and to helping forge friendships with the rest of the world.
The coalition we are building is robust, nonpartisan, and committed to our values, and now more than ever I am reminded of how important it is that these values are given a permanent home in the landscape of Washington, D.C. to make them part of our national story for generations to come.
Everyone in this big tent can make a difference, whether it’s through a small donation or a large one, and recurring supporters amplify their impact with a monthly contribution to accelerate our shared path to Peace Corps Park. I thank you all for your contributions.
Yours in service,
Glenn A. Blumhorst
Chief Advancement Officer
Peace Corps Foundation
President and CEO, National Peace Corps Association (2013-22)
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Guatemala (1988-91)
GBlumhorst@PeaceCorpsCommemorative.org
Donor recognition plan expands
We're excited to share some wonderful news about donor recognition at Peace Corps Park: The National Park Service has approved the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation's request to adjust the recognition threshold for the park's on-site donor plaque to $250,000—significantly lower than the traditional $1 million requirement typically applied to Washington, D.C. memorials and monuments.
This special accommodation recognizes that Peace Corps Park has a more modest budget than many of the capital's larger memorial projects, and helps ensure that its major contributors are a physical part of its story during the up to 10 years that on-site recognition is permitted.
As you may remember from previous updates, the NPS does not allow any permanent recognition of individual names on federal commemorative works (the reason that there will be no engraved bricks acknowledging donors at Peace Corps Park), so we have taken this principle to the digital side with a virtual donor wall on our website.
Every contribution to Peace Corps Park—whether $25 or $250,000—plays a vital role in bringing this meaningful project to fruition, and every single donor will be recognized through our comprehensive appreciation program, which includes:
The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation remains committed to honoring every supporter who helps create this living tribute to all those who share our values of global peace and partnership, and there are many ways to give, so we encourage everyone in our community to join the effort!
Ron Tschetter joins advisory board
The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation’s Advisory Board serves as a champion for Peace Corps Park and a valuable source of strategic insight. Its members provide their professional expertise, diverse knowledge of community perspectives, connections to local, national, and international resources and many other forms of assistance to further our mission. This month, we are honored to welcome former Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter to our team.
See the full list of Advisory Board members on our website.
A bestseller from a Park advisor
Get a head start on your 2025 tax deductions
Many of us who have just filed our 2025 tax returns might have felt that familiar feeling that we could have contributed more to philanthropic causes, and reduced our tax burden as a result. It’s the best return on investment there is, where your money makes double the impact, both on supporting the causes you care about and in saving you money on your taxes.
Get a head start on next year’s returns with a donation to Peace Corps Park! There are many ways to give, and every contribution makes a difference. One option that many supporters have chosen is to direct the annual required minimum distribution from their IRA to the project through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), which allows them to support our efforts without having to dip into other current accounts.
See details about this and other ways to give on our website.
Fundraising Update
San Diego meets the moment
In February, the Northern California Peace Corps Association, having raised more than $10,000 in its fundraising campaign for Peace Corps Park, saw an opportunity to amplify its impact by advocating for the Park with their neighbors at the San Diego Peace Corps Association.
The result was a potluck dinner and presentation from our team on the vision for Peace Corps Park, and a unanimous vote for the San Diego PCA to launch a fundraising campaign of its own. The group quickly met its goal of individual contributions to secure a matching contribution from the group, raising almost $2,000 and growing.
We send them our thanks and invite other groups to follow their lead by setting up a partner fundraising campaign (it’s easy!) to
share with your network. Please reach out to Ari Richard at arichard@peacecorpscommemorative.org to discuss details.
The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation gratefully acknowledges these fundraising partners and the following donors who have made generous new contributions or pledges since
March 26, 2025:
See our digital donor wall showing all cumulative gifts to Peace Corps Park!
* New gift in addition to prior gift
$20,000 - $49,999
Sara and Bill Morgan
Philip Ruppe
$10,000 - $19,999
Thomas L. Birch
Anthony M. Lofaso*
Jack and Angene Wilson*
$5,000 - $9,999
Steven Graham*
Deborah G. Moskovitz*
$1,000 - $4,999
Anderson Family Donor Fund*
Juliana and James Bancroft*
Jane L. and Charles A. Beach*
Thomas Cutler
Ed Demerly
Charles L. and Nancy T. Donahue*
William and Frances Irwin*
Susan Malick*
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Niskanen*
Jerri Rush*
San Diego PCA*
Other gifts to $999
Thomas Appel*
RoseAnn Aronin
Deidre Barnwell
Keith Beck*
Terri Bergman
Sue Boucher
Margaret Byrne
Kyle Carter
Mary Christopherson*
Michael Coulson*
Peter Cross
James and Joyce De Deo*
H. Jesse and Gloria Dubin*
Frederick Eisenbud*
John Evans
Brad Favor
David Foster
Ryan Gladysiewicz
Luigi Guarino
Bryce Hamilton*
Robert Heinrich
Linda Howat
Kevin Kennett
Stephen Kottmeier
Andrea Kruse*
Joseph Lipari
Lawrence Miller
Turalu Brady Murdock
Peter Nerone*
Arthur Orr
Richard Pfau
*John and Eileen Quigley
Beverley Rannow
Catherine Raymond
Ross Royster*
Doris S. Rubenstein*
Michael A. Santarelli
Charles D. Smith
Reuben Snipper
David Snyder*
Victoria Tunba
Helen Wand*
Michael Wanigasekera
Dana Weimar
Karl Whitney
Stephen Wingert
Gail Yates*
Anthony Zola
PEACE CORPS PARK AMBASSADORS
(Donors making recurring monthly contributions of any size)
Sue Aiken
Linda Barnett
Matthew Baysden
Rick Bird
Anthony Carroll
Ellen Davis-Zapata
Elizabeth Downes
Greg Emerson
John Feighery
Luis Garzon-Negreiros
G David Hicks
Peter Hofman
Ann Hopkins
Laura Kettel Khan
Roni Lerner Love
Deborah Manget
Cynda McMahon
Marty Mueller
Bill Piatt
Richard Pyle
Jessica Rogers
Robert Smythe
John Sommerhauser
Peter J. Stubben
Kathleen Williams-Ging
Chuck Wolf
Darrell Young
Where is Glenn?
Chief Advancement Officer Glenn Blumhorst continues to travel the country – sometimes in his own airplane – meeting with Peace Corps community stakeholders across all 50 states. Whether you (or your group) are visiting our nation’s capital or hosting a meeting in your area, he is always happy to share the vision for Peace Corps Park in person and would love to connect. Reply to this email and let Glenn know if you’d like to arrange a meetup! Up next:
May 2-4 Albuquerque, NM: Peace Corps Bolivia Reunion (More info here)
June 1-4
New York City
June 11-15
Seattle
June 21*
Washington, D.C.: Donor Recognition Reception (date to be confirmed)
PeaceCorpsCommemorative.org
PEACE CORPS COMMEMORATIVE FOUNDATION
Compassion Generosity Perseverance
Please note our new preferred mailing address:
5636 Connecticut Avenue, NW Ste 42143
Washington, DC 20015
The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation is the trade name of the Peace Corps Foundation,
a District of Columbia 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
EIN: 01-0554700
