The voice of Las Obras in the United States.
Perpetuating the works of Saint Hermano Pedro in Guatemala.
Hermano Pedro Foundation USA seeks to improve the health and well-being of Guatemalan people through partnership with our parent organization, Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro, (Las Obras) in Guatemala.
Las Obras relieves suffering, restores health, and saves lives by providing medical and surgical care, preventive care, and residential care for the orphaned and abandoned children and adults in Guatemala.
The mission of Las Obras is managed locally in Guatemala by Franciscan Friars (OFM). The Hermano Pedro Foundation USA, with our principal office in New York, came together in 2001 to support the work of the Friars and visiting volunteer teams from around the world who come to help.
Following in the steps of Saint Hermano Pedro.
Saint Hermano Pedro, “the man who was charity.”
Pedro de San Jose Betancur, a colonial-era Spanish missionary and Franciscan brother, arrived in Guatemala in 1651, dedicating his life in service of the poor and vulnerable. He is credited with building a small convalescent hospital, chapel, school for the children, and an inn for passing priests¹.
Canonized in 2002, he is often called the “Saint Francis of the Americas” for his tireless work of charity in Guatemala. Remembering the poverty of Jesus’s first inn on Earth, he called his work “Betlemme” (Bethlehem)¹.
Our bell is symbolic of his mission: he was known to walk through the streets, ringing a bell as a call to prayer and to collect food and alms for the poor. More than 350 years later, Fray Guillermo Bonilla founded Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro, inspired by the mission of “Brother Pedro,” as he is known still today.
Core Values
We are guided by the core values of Las Obras: Compassion. Humility. Authenticity.
We support their mission to transform lives by serving those most in need with the mercy and tenderness inspired by the Franciscan spirit of Saint Hermano Pedro.
Founded in faith.
Hermano Pedro Foundation USA was founded in 2001 by Joe and Vera Wiatt, Joe Lucciola, and Carolyn Thompson, in connection with Fr. José Contrán, Franciscan priest and director of Las Obras at that time.
Since 1992, Joe and Vera Wiatt have worked tirelessly in support of Las Obras, driven by a vision of compassionate and sustainable patient-centered care, enabled by collaboration between North American and Guatemalan healthcare professionals.
Joe and Vera founded Faith In Practice in 1994 to promote visiting medical missions from North America to Guatemala. The Wiatts have made a lasting impact that continues to shape our mission today.
Joe and Vera Wiatt have entrusted the foundation’s leadership to Jane and Ken Page, while remaining active on the board of Hermano Pedro Foundation USA. Jane and Ken serve as co-executive directors.
Providing care for the most vulnerable, in the spirit of Brother Pedro.
In 2024, an estimated 57% of Guatemalans lived in poverty, with an average income of only $6.85 USD per day. Access to healthcare is both limited and unequal: more than 6 million people lack essential health and nutrition services, and many rural and indigenous communities face severe shortages of medical professionals and facilities.¹
Access to essential surgical care remains severely limited: while nearly 80% of the population lives within two hours of a surgical hospital, surgical workforce availability is only 3 providers per 100,000 population—far below the acceptable target of 20 per 100,000. Guatemalans often travel long distances to receive surgical care.²
Compounding effect of lifelong disabilities, while living in poverty.
About 10% of Guatemalans live with a disability, and nearly one-third of households include at least one person with a disability. This combination of pervasive chronic disability with severe poverty makes care at home unsustainable.
These families are in desperate need of support and institutional alternatives for those unable to receive care at home.³
Focused mission on the greatest need.
Hermano Pedro Foundation USA focuses our giving where it can make the greatest impact. By closing the gap in access to care, better health empowers employment and support for working people promotes economic growth.
Hermano Pedro Foundation USA is highly rated by Charity Navigator and Candid, demonstrating our commitment to transparency and accountability. Over 97% of donations are transferred directly to Las Obras, with only nominal costs for foundation operations.
¹ World Bank
² Lancet
³ ISSD
