When Cornell alum Cory Hofman and his wife visited Ghana in 2012, they were simply exploring adoption. What they returned with was far more than two children — they came back with a mission that would grow into a nonprofit to impact lives across Ghana.
Their organization, Ghana Make a Difference, blossomed on the plane home.
“My wife turned to me on the plane and said, ‘If we don’t act now, we’ll get swallowed up in our busy lives,’” he said.
The couple sent an email to friends and family describing what they had seen — an overcrowded orphanage with 50 children and no functioning bathroom. The response was swift and generous, propelling them to launch GMAD as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit later that year, which is a tax-exempt organization.
Cory Hofman ’91 is a founder of Ghana Make a Difference, a shelter for children who have been rescued from forced labor trafficking, abandonment or have special needs until they are able to be reintegrated into their family or live independently. The foundation recently partnered with Mr Beast’s, a Youtube influencer, Beast Philanthropy to create a new surgical center offering free medical services in West Africa.
Initially focused on providing better shelter for vulnerable children, GMAD grew into a major rescue and rehabilitation hub for victims of child trafficking and abandonment in Ghana. Today, the organization runs a children’s shelter in partnership with local agencies.
As their work expanded, so did the scope of the challenges they encountered. Many of the children arrived with serious health issues.
“If you're born with a medical problem, it can be perceived as a curse, and you're rejected by your community and society,” Hofman said. “People can’t afford basic care. A simple toothache becomes a terrible abscess. A small hernia becomes huge. Little things become very debilitating.”
Recognizing the gap, GMAD launched intensive surgical missions, flying in volunteer teams of 40 to 70 healthcare professionals from the U.S. twice a year. They later added dental and vision care, even building their own dental and optometry clinic on GMAD’s campus.
The most recent milestone in GMAD’s evolution came thanks to an unexpected partnership with YouTuber philanthropist MrBeast. Through his philanthropy branch, the social media star funded the construction of a state-of-the-art surgical center in Ghana.
“It has three operating rooms, locker rooms, and recovery areas — it is truly one of the nicest buildings I’ve seen in Ghana,” Hofman said.
The connection came through a volunteer during one of GMAD’s medical missions, who had a personal tie to someone at MrBeast Philanthropy. From there, the organization’s Executive Director Austin Johnson, helped secure support for the surgical center. GMAD also now operates its school to help children who have never attended class experience education.
As an Asian Studies and Anthropology major, Hofman recalled that Cornell broadened his worldview and laid the foundation for his humanitarian work.
"When you go to a school like Cornell, your eyes are opened to see more of what the world really looks like," he said. "At Cornell, I was able to get a good education and realize the many things I could do."
He and his family later combined this global perspective with hands-on service. His studies, along with early exposure to international service, helped shape the mission and growth of GMAD.
Reflecting on his journey, Hofman encourages Cornell students to follow similar paths into global service.
“I would encourage anyone to take advantage of an opportunity like this. It is life-changing,” he said.
While many assume nonprofit work isn’t financially sustainable, Hofman challenges that notion.
“Although my wife and I are volunteers, there are many opportunities to make a living while doing charitable work. There’s often a misconception that nonprofits are not a good career path. I don’t think that is true,” Hofman said.
Most importantly, he reminds students that working with vulnerable communities, especially children, can be both eye-opening and deeply meaningful.
Gillian White can be reached at ghw52@cornell.edu.
