Gertrude Atongi Foundation helps communities in Ghana and New York — MyJoyOnline

In Ghana and the United States, the Atongi Family and Friends Basic Needs Foundation, founded by Gertrude Atongi and her father, supports educational, healthcare and social initiatives. The organization assists residents of Pusiga in Ghana’s Upper East Region, as well as families living in shelters in Brooklyn and Queens, MyJoyOnline reports.

Support for Pusiga

Gertrude Atongi, who now lives in Brooklyn, founded the foundation in 2003 together with her father, Anthony Atongi. Following Anthony Atongi’s death in December 2021, the organization continued its work. In Ghana, the foundation donated beds, mattresses, bedding, clothing, toys, school supplies and medical equipment to healthcare facilities and vulnerable communities.

The foundation also took over and renovated an Islamic school in Pusiga, providing its pupils with uniforms, shoes and learning materials. According to the organization, about 150 vulnerable people were enrolled in Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme, while 50 students received support to pursue secondary education.

In July 2023, the foundation launched a community feeding program in Pusiga. It reached more than 150 people, who received prepared meals, while some families were given financial assistance. In May 2025, the foundation held a free medical outreach and toy distribution together with Amazing Grace Children's Charity, and in August it collaborated with the International Pentecostal Mission feeding program, providing food aid and school supplies.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Assistance in New York

In New York, the foundation provides hot meals, hygiene products, clothing and other essential items to families living in shelters in Brooklyn and Queens. In November 2024, the organization held a Thanksgiving event at a family shelter in Brooklyn.

In 2025, the foundation distributed school supplies and farmers’ market vouchers to low-income families jointly with Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation. Later, the organization held its fourth annual Thanksgiving celebration at a Brooklyn family shelter and took part in a December toy drive.

Atongi works as a program manager at a Brooklyn hospital, where she coordinates areas related to maternal and child health and family well-being. She is also a reviewer for Healthy Families America and helps assess home-visiting programs against national best-practice standards.