Jane E. Toussaint Foundation
A legacy of service—building resilient communities in Antigua & Barbuda. Rooted in family history and guided by dignity, we invest in youth potential through education, health, sports, and the arts—making space for opportunity to endure.
Legacy
The Underwood Family’s Caribbean roots began in Montserrat and Dominica. This branch of the family came to Antigua from Dominica via Jane E. Toussaint, our late matriarch who migrated to Antigua in 1942. She was later joined in 1944 by her only child, Joan. Our oldest maternal ancestors have been traced to the Tikar people of northwestern Cameroon. Joan met George Underwood of Montserrat in the late 1950’s. They married in 1959 and had five children: Gerard, Jerome, Joan Jr., Jasmin and James. George also had three other sons, Lincoln, Trevor, and Jose. Our family refers to these eight as “Gen 3” to indicate our third generation in Antigua. We are now on our fifth generation. This foundation is named to honor the legacy of Jane E. Toussaint, affectionately known to the family as Granny or Granny Janie.
Granny made her living as a street vendor buying and selling fruits and vegetables. So prominent a vendor was she that when eventually the Antigua Public Market was built, she earned the coveted placement of stall number one, just off the main entrance. Granny was very well known and built a reputation for being a reliable supplier to many families and hotels in Antigua and Barbuda who relied on her for fresh produce on a weekly basis. She was photographed by locals and tourists alike and has been featured in several publications including the first edition of the photographic essay “A Little Bit of Paradise”. Granny is the foundation of our family’s growth and development.
Granny Janie was an amazing woman who taught us more than we could retain. Although she did not have any formal education, she was a disciplined entrepreneur. She taught us about love; a “look out for people” kind of love. It’s not a coincidence that several of us in Gen 3 and 4 work in various “looking out for people” fields. A foundation focused on looking out for people is consistent with her legacy.
The Jane E. Toussaint Foundation is our formal and deliberate action to perpetuate her legacy. Working in service of others is something that our family has done informally for decades. Establishing this foundation is the institutionalization of our habit and passion for walking the talk.
The Foundation’s story is grounded in everyday enterprise and care—values that continue to shape how we show up in service.
Continuing a Legacy of Service
Your support strengthens youth opportunity and community resilience across Antigua & Barbuda—through programmes designed to be practical, culturally grounded, and built for lasting outcomes.
Our Work
Four pillars designed to translate care into fndable, community-centered programming—ready for grants, and measurable learning over time.
Education
Expanding access to learning and achievement through mentorship, hands-on development, and pathways that help youth sustain progress.
Health
Wellness initiatives that reduce barriers to care and support holistic physical and mental well-being for young people and families.
Sports
Sports as a structured environment for discipline, character, and belonging—strengthening community cohesion over time.
Arts
Investing in cultural heritage and creative expression with platforms that help emerging talent build confidence and opportunity.
Trust is built through clarity.
We prioritize community-centered development—listening first, designing with local context, and reporting what we learn. Our impact story is not only what we do, but how we do it: with dignity, partnership, and long-term outcomes in view.
We honor Jane E. Toussaint’s example of practical care—showing up consistently, supplying what is needed, and building trust over time. That same spirit informs how we support youth today: through structured programmes, mentorship, and partnerships that make opportunity more reachable and resilient.
Support the Foundation
Philanthropy is most powerful when it is clear, consistent, and grounded in community. Support can be individual, corporate, institutional, or diaspora-led—and always aligned with respect and stewardship.
- Invest in youth potential across education, wellness, sport, and cultural expression.
- Support community-centered programmes designed with local context in view.
- Honor a legacy of service through practical, sustained partnership.
- Individual contributions and recurring giving
- CSR partnerships and in-kind programme support
- Foundation grants and project collaboration
- Diaspora-led support and convening
A clear path for Grants
We welcome collaboration that respects local context and strengthens systems around youth development. Partners can support a pillar, a cohort, or a shared initiative that aligns with community needs and sustainable outcomes.
About Us
Mission and vision grounded in service—expressed through four pillars that support youth and strengthen community resilience.
"To ignite the potential of Antigua & Barbuda’s youth by delivering transformative programmes in education, health, sports, and the arts. Inspired by the legacy of Jane E. Toussaint, we build resilient communities through service, opportunity, and the nurturing of exceptional talent."
"A thriving Antigua & Barbuda where compassion and integrity drive systemic progress, and every citizen is empowered to lead a life of creativity, good health, and service."
Four pillars, one commitment
The Foundation is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, including but not limited to:
Our Work (Donor Overview)
We structure programming across four pillars to support youth development and community resilience. Each pillar can be funded as a standalone stream or integrated into cross-cutting initiatives designed with community input, practical delivery, and responsible stewardship.
Education
Fundable priorities may include learning access supports, mentorship structures, practical skill-building, leadership development, and community-based projects that strengthen readiness for opportunity. We aim for programmes that are supportive, structured, and rooted in real pathways—helping young people progress with confidence and continuity.
Health
We support wellness initiatives that strengthen protective factors for youth and families. Fundable approaches may include health education, mental well-being supports, referral partnerships, and community-based activities that reduce barriers to care and encourage sustainable habits.
Sport
Sport can be a consistent, structured environment where youth practice discipline, teamwork, and leadership. Fundable priorities may include safe participation, coaching support, equipment access, and program designs that intentionally connect sport to character development and community cohesion.
Arts
The arts preserve cultural heritage while creating real avenues for confidence, identity, and economic participation. Fundable priorities may include training, showcases, mentorship, and platforms that allow young creatives to develop their craft with dignity and professional standards.
We can align scope, timelines, and reporting expectations to support responsible giving and shared learning—whether you fund one pillar or collaborate across several.
Impact & Accountability
We lead with responsible practice: community-centered design,transformational outcomes, thinking, and qualitative storytelling that reflects lived experience with dignity.
Community-centered development
We approach programming as a partnership with community: listening to priorities, designing interventions that fit local realities, and learning continuously. This supports relevance, trust, and sustainability—especially when serving youth whose needs are shaped by home, school, health, and opportunity structures.
-listening first, designing with local context
- Improved opportunity readiness and sustained engagement for youth.
- Stronger protective factors through mentorship, wellness, and positive belonging.
- Community resilience built through practical support systems and partnerships.
- Preserved and advancing cultural expression as a source of identity and possibility.
A narrative arc that respects truth
We hold the Foundation’s legacy with care—recognizing that history is not a marketing device. Our storytelling is grounded, consent-aware when applicable, and focused on dignity. The goal is to connect legacy to future: how practical service today creates durable opportunity tomorrow.
Accountability in practice
- Clear descriptions of supported activities and implementation approach.
- Partnership clarity: roles, responsibilities, and scope alignment.
- Learning-oriented updates—what is working, what is improving, and why.
Support the Foundation (Donor Information)
This page is designed for individual donors, CSR teams, institutional partners, and the diaspora. We welcome support that is aligned, respectful, and focused on sustainable outcomes for youth and community resilience.
Why Give
Giving is a way to carry forward a legacy of “looking out for people” through programming that supports youth, strengthens protective factors, and builds community resilience.
What Your Support Enables
- Programme delivery across education, health, sport, and the arts.
- Safe, structured environments for mentorship and talent development.
- Partnership-based implementation that respects local context.
- Learning-oriented updates for donors and partners.
Ways to Support
Stewardship & Transparency Commitment
We commit to responsible stewardship of contributions and clear communication with donors and partners. We do not present fabricated metrics. We share progress through practical updates, learning, and respectful storytelling.
How to start
If you are exploring support, we recommend starting with a brief conversation: your priorities, the pillar alignment, and the kind of partnership that best fits your organization or family giving plan.
Historical legacy, handled with care
We treat historical photography as heritage. Captions, tone, and context are designed to honor dignity and avoid sensationalism.
Contact Us
For donor inquiries, partnership conversations, or to request a Foundation brief, please reach out using the details below or the form.
Send a message
Please share the nature of your inquiry. We will respond as soon as possible.