WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR COLLECTION OF PEACE CORPS MATERIALS?
The Answer is: You can donate them to the Friends of the Dominican Republic (FDR) Section of the Peace Corps Community Archives at American University.

WHAT ARE THE PEACE CORPS COMMUNITY ARCHIVES?
The Peace Corps Community Archives (PCCA) is a collection of materials that were created and acquired by Peace Corps Volunteers from around the world that are being preserved to support research, create exhibits and provide information for educational and public programs that document the experiences and impact of individual Volunteers that served in the Peace Corps.

WHY SHOULD YOU DONATE TO THE FRIENDS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SECTION OF THE PEACE CORPS COMMUNITY ARCHIVES?
Your personal materials from your Peace Corps service in the Dominican Republic (DR) will help create a living history of Peace Corps in the DR: what your life was like; who you met and worked with; where you served; what your projects were; and, what you accomplished. By donating to the FDR Section of the PC Community Archives, you will ensure that your personal legacy of Peace Corps service in the DR will not be forgotten; instead, your service will continue to have a positive impact for generations to come.

WHY DID AMERICAN UNIVERSITY CREATE THE PC COMMUNITY ARCHIVES?
American University has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the Peace Corps, including John Kennedy’s commencement speech on peace in 1963. The PC Community Archives were created in cooperation with RPCVs from several countries that wanted a place to donate their PC service materials for safe-keeping and posterity. American University’s location in Washington DC, near the National Archives and Peace Corps Headquarters, makes it a very convenient location for RPCVs and future students and scholars to visit for information about the history of Peace Corps.

HOW CAN I DONATE TO THE PC COMMUNITY ARCHIVES?
Just send an email to president@fotdr.org and ask for the information about how to donate your collection of PC materials to the FDR Section of the PC Community Archives. You will receive the donation materials electronically by return email. Not only will your collection be available for your children, your family, and your heirs, it will be shared with generations of researchers and authors for years to come! 
Opportunities to Become Involved with Friends of the Dominican Republic (FDR)
In addition to FDR’s two grant programs, FDR offers a variety of services for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and staff members who served in the DR. These include a database of former DR Volunteers and PC staff members ; La Voz, a regular electronic newsletter; assistance with Professional Development-Networking for Volunteers leaving the DR at the end of their service; and opportunities to work on several FDR projects such as the Community Challenge Fund; the DR In-Country Committee/Program Support Fund; Third Goal Program; the Communications-Website-Social Media Committee; the History Committee; the Membership Committee; the Growth Committee; and, the Fundraising Committee. For more information about these projects and committees, contact the president@fotdr.org.
 
2020 - A YEAR WE WILL NEVER FORGET 

As we close out 2020, a year like no-one expected, FDR is working hard to help impoverished Dominicans survive the Covid19 Pandemic we are all experiencing. We have provided help to Dominicans with the cooperation of several Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), two created by former Volunteers, operating in the DR. We have also worked to help evacuated Volunteers (eRPCVs) get resettled in the US. While we expect to add more projects prior to the end of the year, here is what we have accomplished in 2020 so far:

The Community Challenge Fund has funded eight projects, including:
  • Building a community Court for Kids in Las Rosas by providing materials, equipment, and professional masons worth $3,327.
  • Helping NGO, Wine to Water, supply 75 handwashing stations and 50 home water filters in Espaillat Province, worth $5,000.
  • Helping NGO, Puente International, add bathrooms through two separate grants to 35 houses in El Canal and Arroyo Arriba barrios worth $9,993
  • Helping Wine to Water provide 51 handwashing stations at health facilities in Santiago, La Vega, San Cristobal, and Mao, worth $3,336
  • Helping Puente International provide 380 handwashing stations through two separate grants in Constanza, worth $2,072
The Program Support Fund has funded the following projects in 2020:
  • Provided $1,000 towards the yearly college scholarship for a selected graduate from the National Environmental College, in cooperation with Fondo Quisqueya, who provided the other $1,000.
  • At the request of Peace Corps/DR, provided $3,000 for Youth Business Development Awards in the Construye Tus Suenos Youth program in cooperation with Fondo Quisqueya, who also contributed $3,000.
  • Provided $3,000 for food and health kits for 250 poor Dominican families in cooperation with our NGO partner, TECHO.
  • In cooperation with our NGO partner Rustic Pathways Foundation, provided community pandemic relief to 100 poor Dominican families in six Bateyes near Consuelo, San Pedro de Marcoris, worth $3,000.
  • Supported the printing and distribution of the last edition of AplataNow, the Volunteer magazine, for evacuated Volunteers, worth $725.
The FDR Growth-Professional Development Committee has produced six webinars for evacuated Volunteers and our members since June of 2018. These included:
For information about upcoming webinars, watch the FDR Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/138204071776. In addition, the Growth-Professional Development Committee is re-establishing a Mentoring Program for evacuated RPCVs to help them get re-established in a new career in the US. If you are interested in becoming a Mentor or working with a mentor, please send an email to: growthandprofessionaldev@fotdr.org

We could not have accomplished all of this without your support!
We fundraise only once each year and now is the time for you to continue your support for Friends of the Dominican Republic. Please go to our webpage at: www.fotdr.org/Donate and make your donation to continue FDR’s important work.

FRIENDS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
“We connect our Peace corps community to promote appreciation of and service to the people of the Dominican Republic”


Friends of the Dominican Republic (FDR), is a non-profit group made up primarily of former Peace Corps Volunteers who have served in the Dominican Republic. Through two of our primary programs we provide small grants to support projects and programs involving current Peace Corps Volunteers and the Dominican people with whom they work. We do this through two FDR program funds- the Community Challenge Fund and the Program Support Fund- supported with donations from our members and others. Each fund has a different emphasis and they are designed to complement each other. A description of each program can be found under the “Programs” drop down tab above.
Read 2019 report here

Read 2018 report here

Read 2017 report here

Global Reentry for Peace Corps Volunteers

If you are a Peace Corps Volunteer that returned to the United States because of termination of Peace Corps operations world-wide, here is where you can go to find information and help from the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) and organizations of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) around the US, that will be willing to help you get re-settled, look for work or find other assistance:

https://support.peacecorpsconnect.org/info

If you are returning from the Dominican Republic, you can contact Friends of the Dominican Republic for help at:

growthandprofessionaldev@fotdr.org

We’re Here for You!

FRIENDS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC’S STATEMENT ON GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH

We are Friends of the Dominican Republic, an organization of former Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff who served in communities of color and poverty there, and we are appalled by the tragic and preventable death of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis policemen.  This dangerous form of restraint should never be used on any American, no matter their color or position, and police officers that use it should be held accountable for their actions to the full extent of the law.

We fully support the peaceful demonstrations against police violence on people of color and the racial motivations that cause it. This is a time to listen to the protesters, be open to learning from their experiences, which are different from ours, and be prepared to understand where the pain and anguish which causes them to demonstrate, comes from. The fact that unwarranted and deadly force continues to be used during the arrests of people of color at rates that are much greater than during the arrests of white people, is a national shame. As Americans, we need to act strongly to recognize and remove the racial inequities in our society and promote equitable treatment for all Americans, no matter what their background.

Finally, we urge everyone demonstrating to be careful about their health, wear face-masks and try to keep a healthy distance from other protesters, if possible.

Make a gift

Please consider aiding development projects in the Dominican Republic.



​For other ways to contribute, see our Make a Gift page.


FDR is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Your donation is tax deductible. 

Renew Membership
Consider renewing your membership with FDR and supporting our mission and programs. If you are registered, login and go to the "FDR Members" (which will appear on the top of this page once you login). You will be able to make a secure online payment.  If you have not registered, you may do so here.

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