GERTLER FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Gertler Family Foundation (GFF) works to improve the lives of the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), through direct grants, partnerships, sponsorships and fundraising. GFF has invested millions of dollars, as well as countless hours of human capital, in improving the life of communities throughout this African country. The Foundation was co-founded in 2004 by Dan Gertler, Senior Advisor to the Fleurette Group. Today, GFF’s achievements can be seen in Maniema, Kasai-Orient... al, Kinshasha, Sud Kivu and Katanga among other provinces of the DRC, in the form of new homes, schools, health clinics and hospitals, roads, electric and water infrastructure and farming cooperatives. Focused on the most vulnerable populations, the Foundation develops the country’s remote and poor areas, where there is limited or no access to basic facilities and services. Following Dan Gertler's vision, building a brighter futures for the Congolese people is of paramount importance. Programs GFF’s projects are community-based, and concentrate on local empowerment and sustainability. The organization forms coalitions with local NGOs, governmental bodies, and international organizations, in order to build structures that maximize community impact and outlast GFF’s direct involvement. Its program priorities are: o Education: providing school buildings, curriculum materials, scholarships for college and university studies, and housing for orphans and other at-risk children. o Healthcare: establishing new rural clinics and hospitals, and programs that address the DRC’s most pressing medical issues, such as malaria, tuberculosis, malnutrition, facial deformities, HIV-AIDS and other diseases endemic to the country. o Development of Infrastructure: building and repairing houses, roads, transportation centers, airports, utilities, and water systems. o Agriculture: supporting and establishing farming cooperatives and fish farms. o Culture: supporting sport, music, and cultural programs that will fill the DRC’s people with pride – especially in the more impoverished communities, where it is easy to fall into despair. o Emergency Assistance: being among the first to respond to national emergencies, and coordinating with partner agencies to provide food, shelter, clothing, medicine and other necessities to those suffering from extreme hardship due to natural disasters.More