Safe Passage
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Through quality education and comprehensive wellness services, Safe Passage offers a transformative experience for our students within a loving and supportive environment. Our educational community co-creates learning experiences that support students in developing the character, knowledge, and skills to reach their maximum potential. This cultivates positive and lasting change for themselves, their families, their community, and for Guatemala.
- Income
- $2.5 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 5.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $142,643, development director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $2.3 million spent. See Schedule OSafe Passage offers innovative educational programs, holistic health services, and family support to children from families living in extreme poverty in the communities surrounding Central America's largest landfill, located in Guatemala City. It is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) organization that provides financial, fundraising, and support services for the Guatemala-registered Camino Seguro non-profit association.OUR VISION: Our vision is to catalyze a positive, transformative, and lasting impact by educating and inspiring youth leaders to build an equitable, strong, and just society.OUR HISTORY: Safe Passage was founded on the principle that every child possesses dignity and the right to define their own future. It started in 1999 when educator and social worker Hanley Denning visited the garbage dump in Guatemala City and felt called to act after witnessing the harsh realities faced by families living in the area. Local leaders worked side by side with Hanley to recruit and maintain children in the program, build community trust, and lay the foundation for a safe and supportive learning environment.Today, Safe Passage supports 530 students and affiliates each year, representing 350 families and more than 3,000 individuals in Zones 3 & 7 of Guatemala City, an area with about 60,000 total residents who face extreme poverty, food insecurity, limited access to quality education, and violence. In response to this reality, our model addresses the systemic barriers of abject poverty and economic exploitation through holistic, trauma-informed education and wellness services, including nutrition, mental health, and family engagement, keeping students in school and fostering long-term opportunities. Through our Expeditionary Learning model, students engage in a trauma-informed, interdisciplinary approach where they learn by doingconnecting academic content to their environment and experiences while strengthening critical thinking, collaboration, and resilience.After 26 years of evolving and implementing our model in the community, our alumni demonstrate high levels of academic achievement, employability, leadership, and community engagement. OUR CORE PROGRAMS:EARLY CHILDHOOD The early childhood program offers a unique curriculum for children aged 3-6, incorporating mindfulness and emotional health through play and discovery, while fostering self-esteem and laying the groundwork for educational foundations. El COLEGIO - The elementary school serves grades 1-6 based on project-based Expeditionary Learning (EL). "Expeditions" are 6 to 12 weeks long, collaborative, interdisciplinary research projects that help students apply knowledge to real-world scenarios in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. BASICO - Basico serves middle school students in grades 7-9. Curriculum takes the next step in EL, engaging students in in-depth projects that apply knowledge directly to relevant, real-world scenarios. Basico couples this curriculum with socio-emotional learning and presentation skills, empowering students to be strong agents of change in their own future. OPORTUNIDADES & PRXIMO PASO - Safe Passage continues to support 9th-grade graduates as they attend external high schools and provides half-day supplemental education in computer technology and bilingual proficiency, along with internships, university, and career preparation. They continue to have access to mental health services and family social workers.INTEGRATED HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES - Safe Passage cares for the well-being of students through its integrative health services, which include a nutrition program that provides four healthy meals and daily snacks, SRH education, socio-emotional and ethical learning throughout our programs, health education, an on-site clinic, social services, and a robust psychology department.PROGRAM PARTICIPATION: In 2025, our educational program supported nearly 530 students, ranging from preschool to high school. Safe Passage also provides various services to other family members (over 350 families). At the community level, family engagement sessions and student expedition presentations ensure that what students learn through expeditions and special activities is shared with the broader community. LOCATION: Program facilities are located on four sites in the community surrounding the municipal garbage dump, between zones 3 and 7, in Guatemala City. These sites include the early childhood education center and preschool, with a kitchen and athletic facilities (for students ages 3 to 6). The primary school and middle school (full-day grades 1 to 6, plus a library, kitchen, and playground). A new Basico - Middle School Facility completed in 2025 will open in 2026 to 120 middle schoolers (for students grades 7-9), it includes STEM, Computer, Art and Music Labs, and a full rooftop gymnasium. Safe Passage houses its health clinic and administrative offices at the Middle School location. "El Centro", located adjacent to the entrance of the dump, is home to the high school programs, Oportunidades & Proximo Pasos. Safe Passage currently rents space to a partner organization, Creamos, which shares land with El Centro and offers complimentary adult and family programs to amplify intergenerational community impact Safe Passage also has a small team of U.S.-based staff working in finance, fundraising, and communications, each of whom works remotely. STAFF: In 2025, 120 staff were employed by Camino Seguro and Safe Passage. The majority of staff are Guatemalan and lead and carry out the day-to-day operations of Camino Seguro. The U.S. office underwent restructuring in 2024 and transitioned to a more remote and nimble model. In 2025 there were two full-time and one part-time employees in the U.S. and a part-time contracted agency that supports communications. We also receive national and international volunteers to support our mission in Guatemala. 2025 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: OPORTUNIDADES & PRXIMO P
- See Schedule O
- See Schedule O
- THE EXPANSION OF OUR ARTS PROGRAM: Art is now a permanent thread in the fabric of our educational model a space to experiment, reflect, heal, and express. Safe Passage hosted its inaugural Festival de Arte "Creciendo Juntos: 25 aos de transformacin y esperanza." Over four days, students across all grade levels participated in artistic workshops led by teachers and guest artists. From our Early Childhood through highest grades students explored music, visual art, and movement. The festival culminated in student exhibitions showcasing the remarkable range of creative work produced throughout the week. Beyond the yearly festival, arts programming is integrated into our educational curriculum. NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDING AND COMPLEX (BASICO): After seven years of planning, fundraising, and dreaming, Safe Passage inaugurated its new Middle School building in the Fall of 2025 a $1 million milestone made possible by an extraordinary community. The space offers more than 120 students dedicated classrooms, a gymnasium and sports courts, and arts, music, and STEM areas. For the first time, middle schoolers have an age-appropriate home designed specifically for how they learn, create, and grow. The middle school officially opens for students in July 2026.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.