SOUTH AMERICAN INITIATIVE INC
Building a Brighter Tomorrow
Mission
To transform lives by providing humanitarian aid in their greatest time of need.
Ruling year
2016
President
Steven Malca
Main address
8211 W Broward Blvd Ste 410
Plantation, FL 33324 USA
EIN
81-1747993
NTEE code
Human Service Organizations (P20)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
What we aim to solve: How would you summarize the problem or need your organization is working to address? The main problem is how to address the needs of all Venezuelans through a high degree of scarcity of all public services and food shortages that have mostly affected the poorest. Inflation is running rampant causing issues of price increases in goods and services. The economic stress is driving the medical system to the brink of collapse. As a result the imminent collapse is causing social welfare systems that are unable to service the most needy people such as orphans, medical patients, zoo programs and in general veterinary care. SAI is currently focusing on medical treatment to the most vulnerable population. Currently we're addressing the lack of medical care for families, including orphans, and pregnant women. Additionally, dogs, cats and zoo animals under SAI's A&G sanctuary have received veterinary care.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Help the Venezuelan Orphans
The main cause of childhood death in Venezuela is complications from malnutrition. Food shortages and uncontrolled inflation have make it impossible for many parents to feed their children. That's why so many parents are dropping their children off at overcrowded local orphanages. South American Initiative (SAI) provides over 1,600 meals weekly to orphans in Venezuela. SAI provides nutritious food, clothing, shoes, medical care and medical supplies and physical fitness to 5 separate orphanages. Our goal is to help an additional 5 orphanages in the coming months. Each meal has the necessary proteins and carbohydrates for the proper mental and physical development of children and adolescents. During the last two years South American Initiative has worked to provide supplies that help children grow, prosper and live healthier lives without the fear of dying from severe malnutrition.
Helping Abandoned Pets in Venezuela
SAI-A&G Sanctuary rescues and rehabilitates abandoned dogs at our facility. Dogs are cared for by our veterinarian and his team and brought back to health, neuteured/spayed, and given life-saving medication and vaccinations. Our facility has a surgery room, over 2 acres of outdoor space, dog cots, automated water fountains, and containment areas for sick rescues and aggressive dogs. We are a no-kill sanctuary. We also provide food and medical services to partner shelters.
SAI-A&G Sanctuary will continue to rescue dogs and provide medical care, food, spaying/neutering, and long-term care with hopeful adoptions. SAI-A&G will expand the number of partner shelters that receive food, medical care and medicine and increase the number of states where we are able to assist.
Venezuelan Refugee Fund
Entire families are forced to leave their homes with only what they can carry on their backs. Already over 660,000 Venezuelans have made the long journey across the Colombian border seeking asylum. The Venezuelan refugees who make it into Colombia are sleeping in refugee camps, unemployed, and without enough food. South American Initiative and its partners work to help Venezuelan refugees adjust to their new homelands in Columbia, Brazil and the United States. SAI is devoted to continuing its effort in helping families transition into their new lives along the bordering cities of Venezuela, Columbia, and Brazil.
This fund supports Venezuelan refugees and works with other organizations on the Colombia-Venezuela border who are committed to providing assistance and support to those in need.
Endangered Venezuelan Zoo Animal Rescue Fund
Because of the current economic crisis in Venezuela and skyrocketing inflation, public zoos are not able to provide adequate care and food for their animals in captivity. Animals in the zoos must be protected and cared for since many of them come from circuses or have been victims of animal trafficking. Without food, care, and protection zoo animals are dying daily. Many die from starvation while others are stolen and then eaten for food. For this reason, South American Initiative is focused on improving the quality of life for these animals and providing the proper food, medicine and professional care to survive and thrive during the current political and economic crisis.
SAI Medical Clinic for Children in Venezuela
Our medical clinic provides free medical care and medicine to children from impoverished families, orphans, expectant mothers and seniors. SAI medical clinic provides the following services: physical examinations, EKG assessment, gynecology services, obstetrics, ultrasounds, newborn wellness monthly examinations, nutrition counseling, and monthly wellness examinations for expectant mothers. We also provide vitamins for expectant mothers, medications, and baby formula for infants.
Help Venezuela
Help Venezuela Orphans & Clinic Patients
SAI has created a medical clinic to provide medical care along with full time doctors on staff. SAI clinic provides life saving medications along with vitamin supplements and baby formula. Our medical clinic provides medical care and medication to children in need.
This includes orphans and children who need medical care for open wounds, gastrointestinal problems from eating rotten food and drinking dirty water, and other medical issues.
The South American Initiative has arrived on the scene at a time when help is desperately needed! SAI has provided food for over 240,000 meals since its conception. In addition, SAI’s team of doctors travel to the orphanages to provide continual medical care and medication. We also provide fitness trainers that go to the orphanages to help with mental and physical fitness of the orphans.
Where we work
Awards
Top Rated 2018 2018
Great Nonprofits
Top Rated 2019
Great Nonprofits
Top Ranked 2018
Global Giving
Effective organization 2018
Global Giving
Top Rated 2021 2021
Great Nonprofits
Effective organization 2020
Global Giving
Top Ranked 2020
Global Giving
Effective organization 2020
Global Giving
Top Ranked 2021
Global Giving
Effective organization 2021
Global Giving
Top Rated 2022 2022
Great Nonprofits
Effective organization 2022
Global Giving
Top Ranked 2022
Global Giving
Affiliations & memberships
Great nonprofits 2022
Global Giving 2022
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of orphanages supported
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Help the Venezuelan Orphans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Orphanages often struggle to meet the needs of the children they shelter. SAI steps in providing a range of support including food, supplies, hygiene products, medical care, clothes and shoes.
Number of Orphans in our Care
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Non-adult children
Related Program
Help the Venezuelan Orphans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
SAI is presently offering assistance to a number of orphanages in Venezuela, which collectively house a substantial number of children.
Number of Animal Care Facilities
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Helping Abandoned Pets in Venezuela
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
As the country grapples with the ongoing crisis, numerous dogs are abandoned on the streets. The partner shelters, backed by SAI, provides dogs with love, medical attention, a secure shelter, as well
Number of children receiving medical services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
SAI children's clinic provides life saving medical care to pregnant women, orphans, and impoverished children.
SAI accomplishes this by its team of medical doctors through preventive examinations including ultra sounds, and other necessary tests.
Our organization provides care for several thousand people yearly. Through the A&G animal sanctuary we intend to expand and increase the number of animals in our care. We currently provide over 500 dogs with shelter and health care.
SAI intends to increase the program by 20-30% if funding goals are achieved.
The goal is to expand the social and medical programs as necessary given the economic situation in Venezuela.
Expand program to 6,000 meals weekly to orphanages in Venezuela.
Increase the number of orphanages.
Incorporating additional doctors into our team.
Provide additional medicines and vitamins.
Add MRI Services and add x-ray services
Build a larger medical facility to provide surgeries and intensive care.
Incorporate more orphans into our physical and recreational activities program.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The following strategies planned to help reach each of the Venezuelans most in need are:
1. Visit public hospitals and orphanages.
2. Make an estimated list of the number of people who are in these places.
3. Know the main needs of each person.
4. Carry out a work plan together with the directors of hospitals and orphanages.
5. Record data and numbers of each person.
6. Know if there is any other need than what can be seen at a glance.
7. Obtain the necessary funds to cover the needs of the people. 8. Purchase of food, medicine, clothing or any other necessary items.
9. Go to the facilities to deliver the collected items.
10. Mission accomplished.
Our focus is to provide aid to those who desperately need a helping hand. SAI is committed to helping as many people as possible. We function as protagonists, not spectators.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have an experienced and well prepared work team. Among our staff and volunteers we have engineers, medical doctors, nurses, veterinarians, caretakers, cooks, support team, project managers, fitness trainers for orphan children, writers and drivers from Venezuela. We have higher level management with experience working in Venezuela and United States.
1. SAI has provided food for over 240,000 meals since its conception to orphans and hospital patients. In addition, SAI’s team of doctors travel to the orphanages to provide continual medical care and medication. We also provide fitness trainers that go to the orphanages to help with mental and physical fitness of the orphans.
2. SAI has converted available first-floor office space at our headquarters into a critically needed medical clinic specializing in care for children and pregnant woman. Our medical clinic provides free medical care and medicine to children from impoverished families, orphans, expectant mothers and seniors. SAI medical clinic provides the following services: physical examinations, EKG assessment, gynecology services, obstetrics, ultrasounds, newborn wellness monthly examinations, nutrition counseling, and monthly wellness examinations for expectant mothers. We also provide vitamins for expectant mothers, medications, and baby formula for infants.
3.
4. South American Initiative will step in to fill this gap providing food and medical care to neglected animals that are suffering in these zoos. We are presently working with two zoos and one animal refuge in providing food and medical care to these animals, and plan to work with many more.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
As a well-formed and established organization, SAI has managed to achieve and exceed all the objectives mentioned in our mission.
We have assisted a large number of people in need in the state of Carabobo, and Caracas, Venezuela. Many of them have benefited from each of our campaigns by delivering desperately needed food, medicine and clothing.
Through SAI’s efforts thousands of people have received aid and more than 120,000 nutritious meals distributed. Our goal for the end of 2020-2021 is to reach more than 48,000 people by providing food, medicine, clothing, and clean drinking water.
Right now thousands of women and children depend on SAI for their living essentials, especially the most vulnerable like orphan children and hospital patients. We are committed to continuing this needed support for the desperate people of Venezuela.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
SOUTH AMERICAN INITIATIVE INC
Board of directorsas of 12/30/2023
Steven Malca
Fernando Ortiz
JONATHAN ROBERSON
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 09/22/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
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