The Guatemalan Student Support Group is a charitable organization incorporated in the state of North Carolina and granted tax-exempt status as a Section 501(c)(3) charity. Its Board of Directors consists of the following members: Peter E. Davis, President; Patricia Yesulaitis, Secretary; Francis Coyle, Treasurer; John Bodoh, Executive Director; Noreen Ordronneau; Marguerite Coyle; Lois Macgillivray; Margaret Johnson, Sandra Trejos, Thomas Bonds, Kirk Orr, Richard Conlow, Kelli Conlow, Charles Kafoure, and Kelly Lewis.

The organizational meeting took place on August 28, 2003, after John Bodoh returned from Guatemalan, having taught in the school system there. As a life-long educator, John was convinced that the only solution to the poverty which grips Guatemala lay in an education to First World standards. His experience taught him that the impoverished Guatemalan school system could not deliver the requisite academic experience. John talked with his neighbor, John McKee, about bringing some Guatemalan youngsters to the United States for part of their education. McKee heartily endorsed the concept, offered financial support and business acumen. Other friends — Marguerite and Francis Coyle, Noreen Ordronneau, John and Pat Yesulaitis, and Peter Davis — volunteered to participate either as host families or financial contributors and before John returned again to Guatemala arrangements had been made for him to bring back with him two students and a Guatemalan English teacher (see GSSG news, Volume I, #1).

Over the next several months, a mission statement and a program of implementation were developed and approved, incorporation effected, and tax-exempt status obtained. Meanwhile, the organization mourned the death of John McKee, whose kindness and generosity had led him to treat the first students with great affection. Subsequently John Yesulitis, who also treated the children with great kindness, also died.

In March of 2004, two new members were welcomed on the Board of Directors, Lois Macgillivray and Margaret Johnson. In 2005, Sandra Trejos, Thomas Bonds, and Kirk Orr also joined the board, in 2006, Kelli and Richard Conlow, and in 2007 Charles Kafoure and Kelly Lewis.