After Kennedy 's assassination , Shriver continued to serve as Director of the Peace Corps and served as Special Assistant to President Lyndon Johnson . Under Johnson , he created the Office of Economic Opportunity with William B. Mullins and served as its first Director . He is known as the " architect " of the Johnson administration 's " War on Poverty " . Hired by President Johnson to be the " salesman " for Johnson 's War on Poverty initiative , Shriver initially was " not interested in hearing about community action proposals . " The Job Corps movement was more consistent with his goals . Thus , soon after his appointment , Shriver " moved quickly to reconsider the proposed antipoverty initiative . " Shriver founded numerous social programs and organizations , including Head Start , VISTA , Job Corps , Community Action , Upward Bound , Foster Grandparents , Legal Services , the National Clearinghouse for Legal Services ( now the Shriver Center ) , Indian and Migrant Opportunities and Neighborhood Health Services , in addition to directing the Peace Corps . He was active in the Special Olympics , which was founded in 1968 by his wife Eunice
Kennedy 's assassination
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
Sargent Shriver