About us - History of JVC Northwest

Jesuit Volunteer Corps started in 1956 with just a few committed volunteers who built and taught in the newly formed Copper Valley School for Alaska Native and non-Native children. Under the sponsorship of the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), the Jesuit Volunteers expanded out of Alaska in the 1960s. They began living and working with Native American communities throughout the Northwest region, as well as serving in inner city placements in Washington and Oregon and beyond. From its roots in the Northwest, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps has spread throughout the United States and abroad.

Over the past 50 years, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps has grown to include a wide variety of service and advocacy opportunities, including teaching, nursing, legal aid work and many positions related to the concerns and needs of people who are marginalized by society. Jesuit Volunteers in the Northwest region have served in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, where local cultures reflect the beauty and challenges of the landscapes. Throughout its history, JVC Northwest has walked with Native Alaskan and Native American populations, rural Latino and Hispanic families, and urban populations.

JVC Northwest made a decision in December 2006 to remain an independent region when the East, Midwest, South and Southwest regions, along with Jesuit Volunteers International, made a decision to form one, centralized structure. Before that, all regions worked in partnership in a variety of ways, but especially in marketing and recruiting volunteers. We continue to collaborate with all regions, united in the shared foundational values of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. JVC Northwest is committed to providing well-supported volunteers to address the most urgent needs in the Northwest.