Change Lives in Central America | The Foundation for the Higher Good

Our Central American Nonprofit Delivers Life-Changing Aid to Families & Individuals

The Foundation for the Higher Good Has Served Communities in Central America Since 2003

Become a Part of Something Incredible When You Give to Our Central American Nonprofit Organization. We Provide Healthcare, Nutritional Resources, Education & Eco-Friendly Homes

The Foundation for the Higher Good by the Numbers

The Foundation for the Higher Good is a nonprofit dedicated to improving personal, social & environmental wellness in Central America

The Foundation for the Higher Good began as an idea from our founder, Charles Worstell, better known as Chuck. Chuck had a mission: to help people in third-world countries through a variety of social projects. His work began and is still primarily based in Guatemala. The Foundation for the Higher Good is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to the personal, social, and environmental wellness of the communities we serve.

The Foundation for the Higher Good is powered by generous volunteers who donate their time and skills at our Columbia, Missouri headquarters and abroad. They innovate construction material design, build homes, feed families, foster communities, and provide medical aid to Central American families. We couldn’t provide the resources we do without them, and The Foundation for the Higher Good is made better thanks to their devotion to our mission. Learn more about what The Foundation for the Higher Good and our volunteers are accomplishing in Guatemala and around the world.

The Foundation for the Higher Good is building homes, feeding communities, & educating women & children in Guatemala & beyond

The Foundation for The Higher Good's Eco-Friendly Homes Are Helping Communities Across Central America.

Our eco-friendly home building process introduces job opportunities & safer housing in Central America

In addition to helping locals enhance their physical health, we also strive to make homes safer and healthier for families. This begins with our Eco-Homes. The Foundation for the Higher Good’s Eco-Homes are designed with a unique concrete and plastic mix that utilizes pollutants found in the area. We teach builders and underemployed locals how to gather plastic bags, bottles, and more from their community, incorporate it into a concrete mixture, and create bricks, pavers, and more. This Eco-Mix allows us to solve two problems at once: decreasing local pollutants and building economically friendly and safe homes for families and single women living in poverty. Teaching locals to build in their own community gives them a sense of ownership and can introduce them to a new trade, thus opening them up to future employment opportunities in their community.

Building Homes

Want to Help Feed Families in Central America? Learn More at The Foundation for the Higher Good

Eradicating food insecurity & improving the health of Central Americans is the mission of The Foundation for the Higher Good

Through our volunteers, The Foundation for the Higher Good is able to feed impoverished families across Central America and provide free healthcare to 10 communities surrounding our medical clinic. The clinic, located in El Sitio, Guatemala, provides essential care to families, women, and orphaned children who would not otherwise have access to this level of care due to financial hardships and the distance to the next closest clinic. In addition to ongoing medical care, The Foundation for the Higher Good also makes regular visits to the clinic with volunteer ophthalmologists who provide vision care and eyeglasses.

The Foundation for the Higher Good also provides nutritious enhancements to the common daily meals, which typically consist of simple grains like rice and beans. With dried vegetables and fruits, we can do more for those we serve thanks to the extended time dry goods can stay on the shelf. We also work with communities to provide seeds for government-funded gardens where locals can grow fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. These additional nutrients are vital to improving the health of rural and impoverished communities in Central America, and we will continue to provide aid until food insecurity and malnutrition have been eradicated.

Feed Families

The Foundation for the Higher Good is Educating Communities in Guatemala & Surrounding Areas.

Education unlocks so many opportunities for women & children in Guatemala & other Central American communities

In Guatemala, public education is free, but that doesn’t mean every child can attend. School supplies, transportation, uniforms, and internet access cost money, and most families can’t afford to give their children an education. Young girls, in particular, are less likely to receive an education because boys are more likely to have jobs in the future, while girls are kept home to care for their siblings and perform chores. The Foundation for the Higher Good is working to provide children with the resources they need to attend school and earn a diploma, giving them better job opportunities in the future no matter their gender.

Another one of our goals is to educate women through skill and relationship building. When women learn new skills, like beading, sewing, and jewelry making, they can turn those skills into entrepreneurial opportunities. With an income, women in Guatemala can lift themselves out of poverty and better provide for their families and communities. Donate to The Foundation for the Higher Good to give educational and empowerment opportunities to women and children in Central America.

Educating People

2003

The Foundation for the Higher Good is founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

2005

We visit Guatemala for the first time. Our volunteers help roof homes, provide food and nutritional tools, and more.

2010

Construction begins at our a medical clinic and school in Guatemala.

2015

Construction on the medical clinic is complete. We begin building a social complex for the local Mayan community.

2018

The social complex is complete. We begin building homes for the houseless and families affected by the eruption of the El Fuego volcano in Guatemala.

2019

Our education fund and scholarship program begins for impoverished Mayan children.

2020

Through the Covid-19 pandemic, we assisted 25,000 people address food insecurity.

2021

Development of our prototype eco-friendly homes begins. The homes are built with The Higher Good Eco-Mix, a combination of volcanic ash, water, and recycled plastic that eliminates local pollution. The eco-homes are built for houseless Guatemalans and those living in unsafe homes. We also begin a variety of food security programs in Mayan villages across Guatemala.

2022

Construction begins on a medical clinic in south Guatemala. A well is built to provide clean water for villages across north Guatemala. “Eye Mission” begins, a mobile clinic of eye doctors who travel from the US to provide free eye exams and new glasses to Guatemalans.

2023

The south Guatemalan medical clinic is complete. Our USA and European partners work together to raise funds for projects all over Central America.

2024

Our Higher Good Eco-Mix is modified to incorporate even more recycled plastic into the mixture, solving larger housing and pollution problems.

The People Behind the Foundation for the Higher Good

Chuck Worstell, President

Chuck Worstell is the president and founder of The Foundation for the Higher Good. It all started with a desire to make a real difference. We saw the struggles of families in Central America, and knew there had to be a better way to support them than just throwing money at the problem. That's why we created The Center for the Higher Good. It wasn't just about charity, it was about building something sustainable, something that could reach more people and have a lasting impact.

We started small, working with local governments, churches, and aid centers. We focused on the essentials: food, shelter, healthcare, and education. But we also knew we needed to be smart about it. That's why we began developing eco-friendly and cost-effective solutions. Every dollar counts, and we wanted to make sure it went as far as possible.

Today, The Foundation for the Higher Good has a network of volunteers around the world, all dedicated to serving with compassion. We've seen incredible progress, and we're not stopping there. Our reach is growing, and with it, our ability to make a positive difference in the lives of families in need.

Ron Smith

Ron is a dedicated educator with a passion for service. For the past 27 years, he has been inspiring young minds as a 7th and 8th grade teacher at Southern Boone Middle School. Beyond the classroom, Ron has coached middle school track for 18 years and even led the high school cross country team for 4 years.

At home, Ron is a happily married family man. He and his wife Erin have been together for 29 years and have two children. Their son is currently serving in the US Army, while their daughter attends college in Kansas.

For the past decade, Ron has found deep fulfillment in mission trips to Guatemala. He has participated in these trips for 10 years and has even led them for the past 3 years. For Ron, these trips are a chance to build relationships, serve others, and grow closer to his faith. He finds each trip to be a unique experience, a testament to God's work in the world.

The Foundation for the Higher Good | Ron & Sally Widbin

Help The Foundation for the Higher Good make a larger impact when you donate to one of our vital causes in Central America

When you give to The Foundation for the Higher Good, you are giving healthcare and better nutrition to families, education to women and children, and homes to deserving communities. Donate today to positively impact the lives of people in Central America.

Donate Today