Our History
In 1956, the first Jesuit volunteers began their service to the native people of Alaska in Copper Valley. The small nucleus of volunteers expanded through the sponsorship of the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) to become JVC Northwest.
These volunteers so inspired others across the country that regional organizations began to form across the country: JVC East in 1975, JVC Midwest in 1975, JVC Southwest in 1977, JVC South in 1980, and JV International in 1983.
In 2009, five of the six Jesuit Volunteer Corps organizations merged to form JVC. With shared resources directed toward one common mission, JVC is building upon its grassroots history and strives to strengthen and improve the organization. Today there are two Jesuit Volunteer Corps organizations in the U.S., united by a shared history and foundational values.
As in decades past, volunteers still venture forth to serve others across four continents through JVC. They can be found in inner-city neighborhoods of Brooklyn, NY and the Rosebud Indian Reservation of South Dakota and about 40 other sites throughout the U.S. They serve in developing countries, often alongside Jesuits, in South America, Asia, and Africa.
