OUR TEAM
Meet the Founder: Leroy Griffith Jr.
CEO and Founder, A Time to Give Back to Africa, Inc.
The mission of A Time to Give Back to Africa, Inc. is not just a philanthropic goal; it is a promise rooted in the childhood experience of its founder, Leroy Griffith Jr.
Leroy’s commitment began on the unforgiving streets of Trinidad and Tobago. Growing up, the sport he loved—football (soccer)—was an unattainable dream. As a child, he was forced to watch games from the sidelines because his single mother, prioritizing shelter and food, could not afford the basic gear: cleats, shin guards, and socks. This experience—the desire to play coupled with the acute pain of exclusion—instilled in Leroy a lifelong understanding of how small resource deficits create massive barriers to a child's potential.
The Spark of the Mission
After migrating to the United States in 1988, where he went on to play soccer in high school and college, Leroy maintained his passion for the sport and his deep connection to his African roots. This connection led him to travel to Africa in 2011 to perform with his band at a desert festival in Timbuktu.
It was in Bamako, watching children play barefoot on a dirt field in conditions that mirrored, and often exceeded, the hardship of his own early years, that the mission was born. It was an immediate realization: he had to act. He began immediately, initially funding all donations himself, and eventually formalized this passion in 2016 by establishing A Time to Give Back to Africa, Inc.
Leveraging Expertise for Impact
As CEO and Founder, Leroy leverages his professional background to ensure the organization's work is not only heartfelt but strategically effective. He holds a degree in Business Management and is trained in Project Management, applying a rigorous, results-driven approach to every campaign.
For Leroy, the dual focus on the Caribbean and Africa is a deeply personal endeavor: a fulfillment of his promise to his community in Trinidad and a heartfelt connection to his ancestral heritage. Through the unifying language of education and sports, Leroy Griffith Jr. is ensuring that no child is ever forced to watch from the sidelines again.
