Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

South-East Asia Center

EIN 36-3168093 · Chicago, IL

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SOUTH-EAST ASIA CENTER OFFERS ESSENTIAL SOCIAL SERVICES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TARGETING LOW-INCOME LIMITED-ENGLISH SPEAKING IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES.

Income
$2.7 million
Spending
$2.5 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
25.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 76%
Employees
75
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$80,223, executive dir.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 25.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (1)
  1. $2.0 million spent. SOUTH-EAST ASIA CENTER ("SEAC") OFFERS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, SENIOR PROGRAMS AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, SEAC OFFERS THE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES. MAJORITY OF SEACS CLIENTS ARE CULTURALLY DIVERSE IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN CHICAGO AND COOK COUNTY.1) THE CHILD CARE PROGRAMS SERVICE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FROM 6 WEEKS OLD TO 13YEARS OLD. FOR CHILDREN AGED 6 WEEKS TO PRE-SCHOOL, SEAC OPERATES CLASSROOMS FULL-TIME M-F. FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN, SEAC OPERATES AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM WITH FULLDAYS ON SCHOOL HOLIDAYS AS WELL AS IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. THE PROGRAMS ARE CLOSED FOR THE SEVEN HOLIDAYS. SEACS UNIQUE CURRICULUM IS BASED ON THE ORGANIZATIONS MISSION TO BUILD BRIDGES BETWEEN CULTURES. SEAC OPERATES FOUR SITES: 1124-1138 W. AINSLIE, 5120 N. BROADWAY, 4901-4915 N. BROADWAY AND 1112 W. FOSTER IN CHICAGO. ALL ARE LICENSED BY THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. SEAC OPERATES PRE-SCHOOL FOR ALL AT-RISK CHILDREN FUNDED BY THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES. THE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES ARE SUBSIDIZED BY CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES AND THE ILLINOIS ACTION FOR CHILDREN. MEALS AND SNACKS ARE FUNDED BY THE CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP) PROVIDED BY THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA). IN FY2025 CHILD CARE PROGRAM POSTED A TOTAL ENROLLMENT OF 11742) SEAC OFFERS ADULT DAY SERVICES (ADS), IN-HOME CARE (INH) AND CONGREGATE DINING PROGRAMS TO SENIORS. SEAC PICKS UP ADS PARTICIPANTS IN THE MORNING AND RETURNS THEM IN THE LATE AFTERNOON. THE VAN FOR TRANSPORTING ADS PARTICIPANTS ARE SUPPLIED BY THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THE ADS AND INH PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED AND MONITORED BY THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF AGING, COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM.THE CONGREGATE DINING LUNCH PROGRAM (M-F) IS FUNDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES. MEALS AND SNACKS ARE FUNDED THROUGH CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP), ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF AGING. IN FY 25, SEAC SERVED 17,037 HOT LUNCHES TO SENIORS.3) SEAC ADMINISTERS THE FEDERALLY FUNDED LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANT PROGRAM (LIHEAP) UNDER THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (CEDA) FUNDED THROUGH ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. LIHEAP SERVES LOW INCOME CLIENTS OF MANY ETHNICITIES LIVING IN COOK COUNTY SINCE 1984. SEAC IS ONE OF THE OLDEST PROVIDERS OF THIS ESSENTIAL SERVICE IN CHICAGO. FOLLOWING THE COVID PANDEMIC OUTBREAK IN 2019, THE APPLICATIONS WERE PROCESSED BOTH IN-PERSON AND ON-LINE. IN THE PROGRAM YEAR OCTOBER 2024 TO MAY 2025, SEAC LIHEAP PROGRAM PROCESSED 2684 APPLICATIONS.4) SEAC PARTNERED WITH ILLINOIS COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS (ICIRR) TO HELP LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AND OTHER ENGLISH-LIMITED SPEAKING PERSONS ACCESS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS SUCH AS SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANT PROGRAM(SNAP) AND IMMIGRANT FAMILY RESOURCE PROGRAM (IFRP). SEAC IS STAFFED WITH MULTI-LINGUAL CASE WORKERS WHO COULD CONNECT AND HELP THE LIMITED OR NON-ENLIGH SPEAKING IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES.5) SEACS LITERACY PROGRAM, ESL IS FUNDED BY ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE. SEAC HELPED LEARNERS FROM OVER 36 COUNTRIES WHO SPEAK OVER 30 LANGUAGES. IN FY2025, SEAC ESL TAUGHT 105 LEARNERS WITH THE HELP OF CROSS-CULTURALLY ORIENTED TUTORS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1982.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.