SAFE PASSAGE

Financials

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)

63 FEDERAL ST 388, PORTLAND, ME 04101-4222

In care of

% BARBARA DAVIS

Principal officer (990 for 2025)

Santiago Bolanos Torrebia, 63 Federal St 388, Portland, ME 04101

Signed the 990

Santiago Bolanos Torrebiarte, Chair

Phone

(207) 846-1188

Website

www.safepassage.org

Return prepared by

PGM LLC

Mission

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.

Program accomplishments

• 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 PASOS - In 2025, Oportunidades continued to expand and enhance our programs serving young people ages 14 to 21 through academic support, vocational guidance, leadership training, and career and job readiness. 33 Safe Passage affiliates were enrolled in university programs, and many others participated in hands-on learning focused on problem-solving, computational thinking, and English skills development. With new strategic partnerships and plans for additional coaching, services, and scholarships, we are supporting the dreams and pathways that our students are leading forth.NUTRITION, MEDICINE, AND COUNSELING: Our integrated wellness model reached further than ever in 2025. The clinic served 4,813 patients; our team exchanged nearly 270,000 calls and messages with families throughout the year; and 2,321 psychometric and psychological assessments were administered. Forty-eight families participated in the "Nurturing with Love" parenting program. Together with our partner Shared Beat, who brings expertise in community health, we continue weaving preventative health education and social-emotional learning into every corner of campus life ensuring that academic progress and personal wellbeing grow side by side. In 2025 we teamed with Moore Medical to broaden care to community members. Through a partnership with Guatemala Youth Initiative, Safe Passage deepened and expanded Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) education and services in 2025an essential component of our holistic modelso that students from middle school through early adulthood can navigate adolescence and young adulthood with confidence, accurate information, and supportive networks. In 2025, our students and affiliates experienced zero pregnancies, down from an average of 15-18 10 years ago.ENGLISH-LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AT ALL LEVELS: Recognizing the advantages that English-language speakers have in the job market in Guatemala, Safe Passage provides English language instruction from age 3 through high school, using interactive methods consistent with Safe Passage's educational pedagogy. In 2025 Safe Passage partnered with Duolingo to formalize English certification processes for our older students, providing them with a credible certification level for their job-seeking and higher education pathways Additionally in 2025, Safe Passage launched its first English Festival, a week-long celebration of learning through themed activities that engage students, teachers, and staff through language.
  Expenses $2,262,882 · grants $2,184,527 · revenue $2,290
• 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.

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

IRS record

EIN

01-0532835

Tax-exempt status

501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization

Foundation status

Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))

Donations deductible (Pub 78)

Public charity, 50% deduction limit

Exempt since

2001

Accounting year ends

December

Files

Form 990 or 990-EZ

Category (NTEE)

International, foreign affairs and national security (Q33)

Assets (IRS master file)

$3,096,777

Income (IRS master file)

$3,631,876

Filing history

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 01-0532835).

Questions about SAFE PASSAGE

What is the EIN of SAFE PASSAGE?

The employer identification number (EIN) of SAFE PASSAGE is 01-0532835.

Is SAFE PASSAGE tax-exempt?

Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2001.

Are donations to SAFE PASSAGE tax-deductible?

Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).

Which annual return does SAFE PASSAGE file?

Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.

When is the next return of SAFE PASSAGE due?

The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.

When did SAFE PASSAGE last file with the IRS?

The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.

Who is the principal officer of SAFE PASSAGE?

The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Santiago Bolanos Torrebia.

Who are the officers and directors of SAFE PASSAGE?

The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 18 people; 3 received compensation from the organization, the highest $140,121 (Rachel Meyn Ugarte, Development Director).

How much revenue does SAFE PASSAGE have?

On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $2,501,170, expenses of $2,939,547 and total assets of $3,096,777 at year end.

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