By: C. Michelle Bryant, as told by Bridget Stahl
Bridget Stahl, an Air Force veteran and beautiful, young woman in her mid-thirties is truly passionate and driven. The founder and executive director of the Charleston-based non-profit charity RosaLuz, Bridget has known she wanted to work with children and give back in some way since she was a child herself. She used to listen to the stories, adventures and street escapades her mother would tell of growing up as one of nine children. Bridget’s mother grew up in a very poor family in Peru with her mom and siblings. As one of the eldest children, she assisted with the family’s daily survival needs by selling food or merchandise on the neighboring streets of Peru. As a little girl, listening to her mother’s tales, Bridget informed her mother on numerous occasions that she would one day go back to Peru and help those children who work or live on the street.
RosaLuz was named after Bridget’s grandmother, Luzmila Rosas. “Rosa” is Spanish for “rose,” which is the symbol for love, and “luz” is the Spanish word for “light,” which is the symbol of hope. Combined they created the love and hope Bridget strives to bring to the charity on a day-to-day basis.
In addition to running RosaLuz, Bridget has a graduate degree and holds a full-time job in occupational health and safety. This allows her the freedom and potential to focus on global issues. After her graduation, Bridget took her training, education and vision and recruited like-minded people with the same passion to begin her charity. On March 3, 2014, RosaLuz received its 501(c)(3) with the mission to improve the lives of underprivileged youth globally beginning within the country of Peru. RosaLuz focused on the basic needs of the children, such as providing food, transportation, chickens and livestock, with a strong need for education, keeping children in school, offering uniforms, books and supplies.
This non-profit receives no government assistance and is totally funded on private donations. One of their primary giving is currently to support a children’s home, which houses 33 children, called Remar. They have been supporting Remar since the very start of RosaLuz and have watched the children there grow and blossom. Before RosaLuz intervened, the facility was falling apart and needed extensive repairs and safety measures. The children were sleeping on the floor on thin mats that were covered in feces and urine. They are now sleeping on mattresses and able to get education, which, although it is a top priority among Peruvians, is often a luxury.
Recently RosaLuz started a very affordable child sponsorship program offering two levels of support to provide income every month. The basic level is twenty dollars a month and provides basic needs for the children. Thirty-five dollars a month provides the full basic needs, plus the additional $15 is reserved for the education, uniform, books, supplies, etc. Bridget hopes to bring digital technology to these children so that the organization will be able to provide personal video messages to sponsors each year, which is only one of several other rewarding factors received by giving back. Bridget goes on to say, “Education is our main focus among the children here.” “The children look to their sponsors almost like godparents,” Bridget says. “In fact, they call them god mom and, god dad.” Bridget tells the story of Gustavo, a child she met and asked, “Tell me about yourself. If you could have anything what would you want?” Gustavo began crying and said, “No one has ever asked me before what I wanted.” As she finished the touching story, she informed us that soccer shoes were what he said he wanted more than anything. (Soccer is very big in their country.) Bridget continued by saying, “The things we take for granted are huge to them. They just want to know someone cares. There is an immense need for shoes among these children, and they do not care the brand, color or type. They are just so happy to have their feet covered.” Bridget went on to say how something so small can make a big difference. “Like chap-stick. They all have these dry, chapped, sometimes bleeding lips.”
RosaLuz introduced its giving board in 2016. Its board is composed of four board members and prides itself on being a giving board. Although no one on the board is paid or has a paid position in the charity, the majority, more than half, of the organization’s funding currently comes from the board. Ninety-five percent of the overhead goes to the organization and its mission. The website and general overhead still consists of less than 5% of the overhead. The board is currently seeking new board members. Financial giving levels for board members start as low as $120 per year. There is an application and interview process as the board elects additional members. Bridget says, “When it comes to our board, while the giving component is something we are proud of and is important to us, we are more concerned with having the right people on the board. We need people who align with our vision and are truly dedicated to make a change in these kids’ lives. They count on us.”
RosaLuz, with less than three years behind them, is changing the world through the eyes of a child, a community and a country and has plans to continue that mission by going to Gambia, Africa, this year to add 100 children to their roster among other things in the future planning stages.
If you would like to donate to RosaLuz, sponsor a child, become a corporate sponsor or be a part of a charity supply drive in early fall, contact Bridget at bstahl@rosaluz.org or visit their website at www.rosaluz.org. RosaLuz also has a Facebook page (facebook.com/rosaluz.org) and Instagram (@rosaluzkids) where you can follow the kids and all the great work this charity is doing. RosaLuz plans to use both of these social media platforms as a major component of their child sponsorship program to connect sponsors with their child.
Bridget Stahl is the Founder and Executive Director of RosaLuz, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged children across the globe. RosaLuz was founded in Mount Pleasant, SC area in March 2014. As the Executive Director, Bridget is responsible for the overall agency direction, fundraising, program management, and managing external relationships and collaborations. She holds an undergraduate degree in Environmental Health and Policy from the University of South Florida and a graduate degree in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts. Bridget is a proud veteran of the United States Air Force having served from 1999-2002 as a Bio-Environmental Engineer. She currently works as an Occupational Health, Safety, and Environmental Leader for Honeywell and also as a part-time actress for Coastal Talent. In her spare time, Bridget enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and dance. To reach Bridget, get more information on RosaLuz, sponsor a child or donate visit the website at: http://www.rosaluz.org/