Richard W. Reuter, 86; Former Head of CARE and Food for Peace
Richard W. Reuter, 86, executive director of CARE International from 1954 to 1962, died Friday of cardiac arrest at his home in Lake Bluff, Ill., the humanitarian organization announced.
During his tenure, the focus of CARE’s mission changed from postwar Europe to developing areas of the world, including Asia and Latin America.
While at CARE, Reuter worked with President Kennedy and Sargent Shriver to start the Peace Corps. CARE trained some of the early Peace Corps volunteers in 1961 and established the first program in Colombia that year
After leaving CARE in 1962, Reuter was director of Food for Peace, a federal program started by Kennedy. He stayed on in the Johnson administration and served as an assistant secretary of State when the Food for Peace program was placed under State Department control.
After leaving government service in 1967, he worked for Kraft Foods in Chicago as vice president and director of purchasing. He retired in 1984.
A native of Brooklyn, Reuter attended Amherst College. He was a conscientious objector during World War II and began working for CARE when it started in 1945.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
