FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, May 2, 2002

Peace Corps Receives Grant from AOL Time Warner Foundation for Technology “Peace Packs” Program

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 2, 2002—The Peace Corps has received the third installment of a $1 million grant from the AOL Time Warner Foundation to support its Peace Packs initiative. The Peace Packs program originated two years ago with a grant from the AOL Time Warner Foundation and awards cash grants to Peace Corps Volunteers, who have proposed innovative ways to use technology to improve the communities in which they are volunteering. The Peace Pack grants are used to purchase computers, software, printers, Internet connectivity and various peripherals such as digital cameras, scanners and PDAs.

Gaddi H. Vasquez, Director of the Peace Corps, said: “This generous grant from the AOL Time Warner Foundation will have a major impact during the next several years as increasing numbers of teachers, students and community members are trained using this new equipment and new information technologies. Already, we are encouraged by the results we have seen from this program.”

	B. Keith Fulton, VP of the AOL Time Warner Foundation (right) recently presented Peace Packs funding to Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez.

B. Keith Fulton, Vice President of the AOL Time Warner Foundation, said: “AOL Time Warner is proud to be working with the Peace Corps to bring this innovative and inspiring program to Peace Corps initiatives in underserved communities around the world. These funds will help the Peace Corps continue to bring about meaningful change by helping their volunteers introduce communication technologies that will advance education, enrich lives and improve the communities in which they serve.”

By the close of 2002, the Peace Corps partnership with the AOL Time Warner Foundation will have awarded more than 120 Peace Packs valued at approximately $1,000,000 in the aggregate. More than 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers serve in 70 countries working to teach children, helping to improve health and nutrition of families, bringing safe drinking water to communities, preventing the spread of AIDS and assisting small businesses and non-governmental organizations to improve management techniques.

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