Refuge International
Refuge International is a Longview, Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 that delivers medical missions, dental care, nutrition, and community development programs to indigenous Mayan communities across multiple sites in rural Guatemala.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersLongview, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Refuge International does
Refuge International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2000 and operating since 2003, headquartered in Longview, Texas, that delivers medical missions and community development programs to rural indigenous Mayan communities in Guatemala. Its service footprint spans at least four Guatemalan municipalities — San Raymundo, Sarstún (operating 24/7), Santo Tomás Milpas Altas (added September 2025), and Purulhá — plus a domestic base of operations in Longview, TX. Programs cover primary healthcare, surgery, dental care, school-based deworming (4 million cumulative doses administered in partnership with Rotary International), education, nutrition, and clean water infrastructure, serving populations speaking Q'eqchi', Kaqchikel, K'iche', and Pocomchi'.
The organization runs a recurring short-term medical mission model in which volunteer clinicians and dentists travel to Guatemala, supplemented by a centralized warehouse operation that has redistributed more than $2 million of medical equipment to Guatemala and Kenya. Notable service design includes a colored pictogram prescription system built for low-literacy patients. A Mobile Dental Trailer launched in January 2026 extends the dental program beyond fixed clinic sites. The organization reports treating more than 10,000 patients and performing more than 350 surgeries per year.
Refuge International's revenue model combines tax-deductible donations with a $1,500 per-volunteer mission trip fee, supported by an institutional partner network that includes Rotary International, Kiwanis International, Faith in Practice, the University of Texas at Tyler, Vine International, Orphan Grain Train, and Hiway 80 Rescue Mission. Operations are volunteer-driven with 1-10 paid employees, and leadership rests with Executive Director Renea Schott (appointed December 2024) and Board President Carroll Greenwaldt. The organization is structurally and operationally a humanitarian NGO; conventional for-profit revenue mechanics such as ARR, pricing tiers, and customer logos do not apply.
Refuge International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Refuge International
- Legal name
- Refuge International
- Website
- https://refugeinternational.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Refuge International is a Longview, Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 that delivers medical missions, dental care, nutrition, and community development programs to indigenous Mayan communities across multiple sites in rural Guatemala.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Refuge International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Medical and Community Development Services
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Health & Medical Volunteering Programs (EDAIAGAC), Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO)
Keywords
Where Refuge International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Longview
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Refuge International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Refuge International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies primarily on donations from individuals, organizations, and foundations to fund medical missions, purchase supplies, support education programs, and provide clean water initiatives in Guatemala.
- Mission Trip Volunteer Fees: Volunteers pay a $1,500 mission trip fee which covers in-country transportation, meals, housing, insurance, translators, medical supplies, team t-shirt, and hotel stay in Antigua. A $200 non-refundable deposit is required with applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time | Mission Trip Volunteer Fee - $1,500 |
| Other | One-time | Volunteer Scholarship - up to $750 |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donation Examples |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Refuge International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Refuge International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that organizes week-long medical mission trips to rural Guatemala, deploying volunteer medical professionals (physicians, surgeons, nurses, dentists, pharmacists) to deliver surgical, dental, vision, and general healthcare services to underserved indigenous communities. The organization also runs sustained community development programs including deworming initiatives, vitamin supplementation, clean water projects (well drilling and filtration), teacher funding and school construction, and operates a local clinic for the homeless in Longview, Texas.
Product overview
Refuge International operates as a single unified humanitarian mission organization offering medical mission trips and sustained community development programs in Guatemala. The core offering consists of Guatemala Medical Mission Trips providing surgical, dental, and general healthcare services, complemented by foundational programs in education (teacher funding, school construction, supplies), nutrition (vitamin distribution, deworming), and clean water (well drilling, filtration systems). The organization also runs local programs including the Hiway 80 Rescue Mission clinic serving Longview, Texas homeless population. Recent additions include a Mobile Dental Trailer to enhance dental care delivery. Services are delivered through trained medical volunteers with support from interpretation services spanning multiple indigenous Mayan languages and Spanish.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Guatemala Medical Mission Trips Week-long medical mission trips to rural Guatemala providing surgical care, dental care, vision exams, OB/GYN services, child wellness exams, and distribution of medications for indigenous populations in remote areas.
- Sarstún Medical Clinic Full-time 24/7 medical clinic serving nearly 10,000 people annually in the isolated Sarstún community in Guatemala, constructed in collaboration with Faith in Practice.
- Hiway 80 Rescue Mission Clinic Bi-monthly healthcare clinic serving the homeless population in Longview, Texas, in partnership with Leading Edge Medical Associates (LEMA) and University of Texas at Tyler.
- Adiós Lombrices (Deworming Program)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 10,000 patients treated annually including dental and vision services
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Refuge International
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Refuge International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Refuge International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Leading Edge Medical Associates (LEMA)corePartnership since 2009 with physicians at LEMA to provide medical assistance to homeless population at Hiway 80 Rescue Mission in Longview, Texas.
- University of Texas at TylercoreNursing faculty and students from UT Tyler School of Nursing participate in the Hiway 80 Rescue Mission clinic, providing medical assistance and training opportunities.
- Christus Good Shepherd Medical CenterminorCollaborates with Refuge International and Hiway 80 to provide laboratory services for the homeless clinic in Longview.
- Faith in PracticecoreFaith in Practice collaborated with Refuge International to construct the medical clinic in Sarstún, Guatemala. The clinic operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, serving nearly 10,000 people annually.
- Rotary InternationalcoreRotary International has been a major partner supporting the Adiós Lombrices deworming program and other initiatives. A Global Grant provided 4 million doses of Albendazole distributed throughout Guatemala through the Ministry of Education. Another grant delivered over $100,000 of Nursery/NICU equipment to Hospital National de San Benito.
- Kiwanis InternationalminorPartnered with Refuge International on the Adiós Lombrices deworming program to treat millions of children in Guatemala.
- The Worm ProjectminorCollaborated on the Adiós Lombrices deworming program to implement nationwide school-based deworming in Guatemala.
- Planting PeaceminorPartnered on the Adiós Lombrices deworming initiative supporting millions of children in rural Guatemala.
- Vine InternationalcorePartnership to source donated medical equipment for redistribution to developing countries. Refuge International has helped redirect over $2 million worth of equipment to Guatemala and Kenya.
- Orphan Grain TraincorePartnership for sourcing and distributing donated medical supplies and equipment to Guatemala and Kenya.
- Transitions FoundationminorGuatemala-based nonprofit that provides prosthetic limbs at reduced costs. Helped provide prosthetic legs for patients like Abner Cordova ($4,447) and Katarina Morales Tambiz ($2,086).
- Madre y NinominorOrganization led by Kimberly Garcia that has been educating midwives in Guatemala for over 15 years and conducted studies during Refuge International mission trips, producing multiple published research papers.
- UT Southwestern Medical SchoolminorMedical students and residents from UT Southwestern participate in mission trips and conduct research projects documented in academic publications.
- First Baptist Church of TexarkanaminorRaised funds to construct the hospital in Llano de la Virgen near San Raymundo, which opened in 2000.
- Guatemala National Ministries of Health and EducationcoreGovernment partnerships enabled the Adiós Lombrices program to distribute deworming medication through schools nationwide, reaching millions of children.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Refuge International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Partners In Health: Partners In Health operates a global network of health clinics serving the poor in multiple countries with a focus on long-term, integrated care. Comparable on mission of serving underserved populations with sustained clinical infrastructure, though materially larger and broader.
- Medical Teams International: Medical Teams International is a larger, established humanitarian health organization running volunteer medical teams globally with a broader portfolio of programs and geographies than Refuge. Comparable on volunteer-driven medical delivery, broader in scale and scope.
- Project HOPE: Project HOPE is a large, established global health NGO delivering health services and training in low- and middle-income countries. Comparable on global health mission and humanitarian health delivery, though broader in scale, geography, and program portfolio.
Emerging players
- DOCS (Dental Community Outreach Services): DOCS provides volunteer dental care to underserved communities in Latin America through short-term mission trips, with a particular emphasis on portable dental equipment. Highly comparable on volunteer dental mission focus and Latin America footprint, especially given Refuge's new Mobile Dental Trailer.
- Global Medical Brigades: Global Medical Brigades mobilizes student and professional volunteers on short-term medical mission trips to underserved communities in Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, and other countries. Comparable on volunteer mobilization, fee-based participation, and community-clinic model.
Direct peers
- International Medical Relief: International Medical Relief organizes short-term medical mission trips staffed by volunteer clinicians to underserved communities in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Closely comparable on volunteer model, fee-based participation, and broad clinical scope.
- HELPS International: HELPS International runs short-term volunteer medical and surgical mission trips to rural Guatemala and has operated there for decades. Directly comparable on geography (Guatemala), volunteer-driven surgical mission model, and indigenous rural patient base.
- Faith in Practice: Faith in Practice is Refuge's direct co-development partner for the Sarst\u00fan 24/7 medical clinic, operates medical mission teams to Guatemala, and serves overlapping indigenous rural communities with surgical and general healthcare. Most comparable on mission geography, model, and beneficiary base.
- Esperan\u00e7a: Esperan\u00e7a runs volunteer medical mission trips to Latin America (including Guatemala) focused on surgical, dental, and community health services. Directly comparable on volunteer-based medical mission model targeting underserved Latin American communities.
- Floating Doctors: Floating Doctors deploys volunteer medical teams by boat to remote coastal communities, including in Central America, and operates on a small staff with mission-driven healthcare delivery. Comparable on remote-area access, volunteer mobilization, and small-NGO scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Refuge International social profiles
Digital presenceRefuge International compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Refuge International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Refuge International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Refuge International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Refuge International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Refuge International
What does Refuge International do?
Refuge International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that organizes week-long medical mission trips to rural Guatemala, deploying volunteer medical professionals (physicians, surgeons, nurses, dentists, pharmacists) to deliver surgical, dental, vision, and general healthcare services to underserved indigenous communities. The organization also runs sustained community development programs including deworming initiatives, vitamin supplementation, clean water projects (well drilling and filtration), teacher funding and school construction, and operates a local clinic for the homeless in Longview, Texas.
Is Refuge International a public or private company?
Refuge International is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Refuge International founded?
Refuge International was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Refuge International based?
Refuge International is headquartered in Longview, United States, in the North America region.
How does Refuge International make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are mission Trip Volunteer Fees.
Who are Refuge International's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Partners In Health, Medical Teams International and Project HOPE. Emerging players are DOCS (Dental Community Outreach Services) and Global Medical Brigades. Direct peers are International Medical Relief, HELPS International, Faith in Practice, Esperan\u00e7a and Floating Doctors.
Does Refuge International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Refuge International.
What industry is Refuge International in?
Refuge International's product category is Humanitarian Medical and Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAD, International & Local Implementing NGOs, with a secondary code of EDAIAGAC, Public Health & Medical Volunteering Programs. Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8300.