BARPCV - About Us

History

The Boston Area Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (BARPCV) is a non-profit organization established in 1978. We are about 600 members concentrated in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Our $12,000 annual budget is funded by membership dues and fund raising efforts. We have an 11-person Board of Directors and four person executive committee. In addition to connecting with and supporting returned and prospective volunteers, the BARPCV seeks to carry out the third goal of the Peace Corps, as stated in the 1961 Peace Corps Act: "To promote a better understanding of other people on the part of American people."

Mission

BARPCV's mission is to support our communities by sharing our skills and knowledge gained through Peace Corps, life, and professional experiences.

Goals

BARPCV has 4 guiding goals-

1. Supporting returned Peace Corps Volunteers
2. Assisting prospective and new Peace Corps Volunteers
3. Bringing the World Back Home (the Peace Corps Third Goal "To promote a better understanding of other people on the part of the American people")
4. Collaborating with Like Minded Organizations

Contact Information:

Boston Area Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, Inc.
P.O. Box 391618
Cambridge, MA 02139

Email Addresses:
For information about BARPCV and its programs, contact BARPCV: members@barpcv.org

Organizational Structure

These arms support BARPCV's activities :

• Board of Directors - up to 18 members who provide direction and run many of the activities for the group. We are always looking for RPCVs who are interested in getting more involved, participate in events, and helping sustain and grow the group.  Contact the president of the BARPCV board, Kendra Gray at Kendrainfo@yahoo.com if you'd like to learn more about the Board.
  View a list of the current board members
• Programs - support one of BARPCV's four guiding goals.Activities are run by board members, associate board members, or returned volunteers who wish to run projects they are interested in and which support BARPCV's goals. (See BARPCV Programs for program descriptions.)
• Media Relations - maintains contact and relationships with local news media outlets (print, radio, television) to advertise BARPCV events.
  • Newsletter - publishes 6 newsletters a year reporting of BARPCV activities, international news, and issues of concern for returned volunteers.
  • Bulletin - publishes monthly postcard Bulletin of activities for postal patrons and twice-monthly eBulletin for members choosing email distribution.
  • Web Site - maintains www.barpcv.org.
• Fundraising - develops new fundraising projects and identifies sources of funds to support BARPCV initiatives and projects.
• Membership - maintains the membership database, produces the Annual Membership Directory, provides mailing labels for other committees to promote events, manages emailings to members, supports activity heads in increasing member involvement, manages the member renewal process, works with NPCA on membership issues, hosts a party or two a year, and generally tries to help out where it can. If you would like to help out with this committee or have ideas on ways to increase membership without turning us into telemarketers, contact members@barpcv.org.
• Regional Groups in New England - Regional groups throughout New England put on local events for members, using the BARPCV non-profit organization umbrella. BARPCV supports these groups through publicity to RPCVs, mailings, and information sharing.

  Current groups and contact information are:

  Cape Cod & the Islands
  John and Joan Grant, 508.255.0303, grant@cape.com
  Judith Whitney, 508.240.1209, jwhitney@gis.net

  North of Boston & New Hampshire
  Allison & Brian Ristola, allison@ristolawebdesign.com, brian@ristolawebdesign.com
  Laura Bonk, 603.485.9720, bonk@alumni.mit.edu

  Western Massachusetts/Berkshires
  Doane Perry, office 413.698.2817, mobile 617.240.9883, doaneperry@yahoo.com
  Sherwood and Carol Guernsey, office 413.499.3520, home 413.458.9701, mobile 413.822.5894, sherwood1@sglawoffice.com
  

  Worcester Area Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
  Heather Souare, 508.886.2221, overlook.farm@heifer.org
  Virginia Swain, 508.753.4172,vswain@global-leader.org