Members | Rotary Club of Freeport-Merrick

Comfort H. Itoka

President

Comfort Keah Itoka was born in Garraway, South Eastern Liberia, West Africa. As a child and first and only survivor of her late parents, Comfort was taught the importance of education and empathy for the less fortunate. She is an Administrator by career, a humanitarian, and an Activist and Organizer by calling. Comfort graduated from High School and College in Liberia. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Liberia. Upon graduation, she worked as a Budget Analyst at the Bureau of the Budget, Republic of Liberia. Then, she traveled to the United States for graduate studies and obtained a Master's Degree in Public Administration from New York University.

Comfort has been married to her high school friend for over 43 years. Their union is blessed with two children and one grandson.

Comfort served as a delegate on the UN Fifth Committee, which is the Budgetary and Administrative Committee of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York. In addition, Comfort served as Assistant Director of Budget, Republic of Liberia, until the Civil war, when she returned to the United States in 1990.

Upon returning to the United States, Comfort became involved in several organizations, including "Liberian United for Peace and Democracy," seeking to rally Liberians to stand with "one voice" calling on War Lords" to end the civil war and undue suffering to the Liberian people. In addition, she continuously organized peaceful protests at the United Nations, Washington DC, and other spaces where Liberians gathered to have their voices heard about the brutal war that was ravaging their place of birth.

Comfort believed the suffering people in Liberia and anywhere outside of Liberia, and those whose blood spilled, including her immediate family, needed others to speak on their behalf. Therefore, she repeatedly and consistently participated in any movement and cause that spoke to injustice in Liberia and sought a path to bring justice to those who were massacred during the Civil War in Liberia. As founder and Co-chair of "Liberia Advocacy for Change (LAFC)," Comfort traveled to Liberia several times with other partners to meet with the National Legislatures and lobbied for the passing of a Dual Citizenship Bill in Liberia to encourage Liberians in the Diaspora to become active in the development of the country. The Bill was passed and signed into law in May 2022.

Because of her strong belief in giving back, she engaged in Charity work to provide relief to the impoverished. Her passion is giving back. As a result, she rallied friends and family and formed an organization called "Gyabolanders & Friends-US, In., a 501 C3" non-profit organization that she heads at www.gyaboland.org. The organization targeted an impoverished community in Liberia. Gyaboland continues to focus on literacy and women's empowerment through entrepreneurship. In addition to consistently purchasing and distributing school supplies, the organization constructed and furnished an early-grade school. They also built and furnished a Women's Resource Center. The organization partnered with The Moon Catcher Project, Inc and acquired 500 kits of reusable menstrual hygiene supplies. This project aims to keep girls in school during their period. The supplies were shipped and distributed to girls in seven schools in various communities in Gyaboland. Her humanitarian work is not only her distant native Liberia but also the community where she resides through her active involvement in church charity work, the Rosedale Civic Association, and the Liberian Community Association of New York.

Comfort served as a Volunteer at the United Nations Organization for Women –UNIFEM and later joined the New York City Civil Service System, starting with the New York City Housing Authority as a Housing Assistant. Next, she joined the New York City Department of Education as an Education/Budget Analyst in the Strategic Planning Unit of the Division of Capital Planning. She later became a Budget Director until her retirement in 2020.

Comfort is currently the Board Chairman of "The National Alumni Association of Laboratory/Tubman High School in the Americas," An organization that consistently works to meet an established goal of giving back to its Alma Mater, the largest High school in Liberia.

In early 2019, Comfort became a member of the Freeport/Merrick Rotary Club, New York, where She strives to live the motto of Rotary, "Service Above Self." She actively participates in community project implementation. She is a Paul Harris Fellow, Vice President of the club, and serves as Chair of the Special Project Committee.

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Club Officers President Comfort Itoka Vice-President Ari Case Secretary Kerry Esmay Treasurer Marc Rigueur	Address The Rotary Club of Freeport Merrick 294 W Merrick Rd, Freeport, NY 11520	Contact Marc Rigueur info@freeportmerrickrotary.org 516-378-0562 Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn