the gyift foundation

GYIFT is proud to be a facilitator for the Stephen V. Pearce Scholarship Fund at the University of Virginia.

For more information about Stephen and the scholarship click here.

To donate to the scholarship fund click here.

mission

Global Youth Initiatives for Transformation (Gyift Foundation) is a 501(c)3 youth development organization established in 2015. We are based in Long Beach, California, with operations in California, the Eastern Seaboard States and Southern Africa. Our mission is to promote the socioeconomic and emotional wellbeing of youth living in minoritized communities.

Our focus is on breaking cycles of poverty, promoting equality and developing the overall physical, mental and spiritual talents of youth living in under-resourced communities.

initiatives

Through our 5 BRAVE Initiatives, we achieve the widest impact by offering a multifaceted approach to youth development.

Bread of Life

Through the Bread of Life Initiative, we provide food assistance to families and children experiencing homelessness or transitioning out of homelessness.

Re-Gyift

Under the Re-Gift Initiative we redistribute donated clothing, shoes, books, furniture, cars etc. to families in need.

Aspire

Through the Aspire Initiative, we provide motivational and aspirational programs focused on leadership, mental health, and fitness. For this Initiative we are currently partnered with the Boys & Girls Club at Petrolane in Long Beach, California and Dimphonyana Tsa Lapeng children’s shelter in South Africa.

Vusani

Vusani means to Awaken in the Southern African Bantu languages of siSwati, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, etc. Through our Vusani Initiative we offer experiential field trips to places of interest such as children’s museums, science museums, sporting events, Disneyland, etc. aimed to spark the creativity and imagination of youth in minoritized communities.

Elevate

Under the Elevate Initiative, we provide scholarship opportunities and infrastructure development assistance. Examples of achievements for this Initiative include establishing the SVP memorial scholarship at University of Virginia (UVA) for undergraduate students in need and providing assistance to an orphanage in South Africa for the complete renovation of their facilities and Learning Resource Center.

We work with local authorities and select sponsors and donors to obtain needed supplies to support our programs. To identify recipients for these programs, we work with local and international distribution partners from church missionary initiatives, orphanages, schools, hospitals, women & children’s shelters, and community centers.

inspiration

GYIFT Co-founder, Myke Scholl, was introduced to volunteerism and community service at an early age by his grandparents, Charlotte and Titus Scholl, who were extensively involved in social service endeavors throughout their lives. Inspired by the intrinsic joy and value of giving back to the community, Myke has devoted most of his adult life to elevating the lives of young people on a global scale.

While attending the University of Maryland School of Law, Myke observed the extreme poverty experienced by many children in the Baltimore area. As a two-term President of the Student Bar Association at the university, he convinced his fellow officers to devote the SBA annual budget to hands-on programs for homeless and near homeless children.

Myke moved to South Africa in 2000. One of his many endeavors while there was helping create and implement grassroots programs for loveLife, the internationally acclaimed HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention program. Funded by the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, loveLife was voted the most creative and innovative program of its kind in the world by the United Nations.

In addition, Myke’s wide-ranging work in Africa extended to helping child-soldiers in Uganda reintegrate with their communities; running life skills, motivation, and basketball programs in Uganda, Zambia and Kenya; and, working with UNICEF and local sport federations in Lesotho, Botswana, and Swaziland. Other youth support programs took him to Mozambique, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Angola, and Senegal.

It was in South Africa that Myke met and married his soulmate, Sheenagh Litchfield, who was born and raised in Swaziland. A mutual love of nature and adventure took them to many regions in Africa. In their extensive travels throughout the continent, Myke and Sheenagh experienced the beauty of the land but also witnessed the ravages of extreme poverty among many population groups, especially children.

Myke’s career trajectory brought him back to the United States in 2008. However, he and Sheenagh have kept a special place in their hearts for Africa and its people, especially the children. Myke’s brush with some very serious health issues over the past few years—including surviving cancer and, most recently, needing a kidney transplant (for which Sheenagh was the donor)—led to some major revelations about life priorities.

Myke and Sheenagh share a passion for volunteering and giving hope to those in need. They felt compelled to do more and together founded the GYIFT Foundation.

The GYIFT Foundation is dedicated to Charlotte and Titus Scholl.

international

The GYIFT Foundation currently has two international projects that we support.

South Africa

We have partnered with Dimphonyana Tsa Lapeng (“Little Gifts of Home”), a faith based women and children’s home in Olievenhoutbosch, South Africa (outside of Johannesburg). The home creates a safe sanctuary for abused / orphaned children as well as destitute women within the community. The home provides psychological, educational and health care assistance. They also provide meals to the homeless and vulnerable in the community.

In 2021, through the incredible generosity of our donors, we were able to fund the complete renovation of the Learning Resource Center at the shelter. Before, during, and after photos of the renovation can be viewed by clicking here.

eSwatini (formerly Swaziland)

We also support Heart for Africa, an orphanage in eSwatini. Project Canaan is Heart for Africa’s 2,500-acre large-scale land development project bringing HOPE to the tiny Kingdom. The Project Canaan Children (PCC) program provides a safe haven for over 300+ abandoned/orphaned children living at Project Canaan and employs 320+ people from the surrounding community.

directors

Find out more about our GYIFT Foundation Directors here. To quickly jump to an individual Director's biography just click on that Director's name below.

CEO  |  Long Beach, CA

Chair  |  Durban, South Africa

Vice Chair  |  New York, NY

Vice Chair  |  Geneva, Switzerland

Treasurer  |  Agoura Hills, CA

Co-Founder & Secretary  |  Long Beach, CA

Director  |  Geneva, Switzerland

Director  |  Johannesburg, South Africa

Director  |  Washington, D.C.

donate

Global Youth Initiatives for Transformation (GYIFT Foundation) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization headquartered in Long Beach, California. In order to meet our mission and provide services in the communities we serve, we rely on the generosity of individuals and businesses for support. We accept monetary and in-kind donations (gently used children's clothing, shoes, toys; books and school supplies; sports and playground supplies).

It is your generosity that allows us to serve and give back. Every bit helps, so thank you so much for your contribution. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law, Tax ID: 47-4268937.

Contributions by credit card may be made through our GYIFT Foundation PayPal account by clicking the donate button below and following the provided prompts. It is not necessary for you to have a PayPal account to donate using this method.

Donation by check or money order may be made at the address below. In-kind donations may be made by contacting us at the address below or by calling +1.310.490.6243.