For the past 40 years. PPEP has been working diligently for rural communities. improving the lives and futures of the people it serves. PPEP has been steadfast in its service to the rural poor. the disenfranchised. the developmentally disabled. atrisk youth. and the migrant and seasonal farm workers and their families. The founding philosophy of Project PPEP is to involve those who are less fortunate in carrying out meaningful programs to eliminate rural povertyto help overcome the problems faced by rural people by mobilizing public and private resources in support of these programs. Armed with their first grant of $19.000 from the Office of Economic Opportunity. Project PPEP and La Tortuga became a reality. On August 24. 1967 John David Arnold. founder and current chief administrative officer. embarked on PPEPs first outreach trip to provide training by touring in a converted 1957 Chevrolet school bus named "La Tortuga"the Tortoise. This portable classroom allowed PPEP to teach English to migrant workers and taught many people the value of learning vocational and technical skills like driving a car. and improving sanitation and nutrition. La Tortuga was driven all over southern Arizona. taking PPEPs resources to the cotton and vegetable fields and providing educational preparation to African Americans and "Braceros" and their families. In November 1967. the Arizona Daily Star summarized PPEP as. "a practical education which is brought almost to the doorstep of unskilled and povertystricken people in Southern Arizona." As Project PPEP celebrates 40 years of success. these words still ring true.