Who We Are

“Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Who We Are & What We Do

By committing to “Nurturing Communities,” the focus is placed on creating a foundation where everyone can contribute, succeed, and flourish together, ensuring a brighter and more harmonious future for all.

Empowerment and Support

Nurturing involves creating an environment where people are valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. This includes providing resources, guidance, and opportunities for personal and communal growth.

Building Relationships

Strong, healthy communities are built on meaningful relationships. This mission emphasizes fostering collaboration, inclusivity, and trust among members, ensuring everyone has a sense of belonging.

Sustainability and Growth

Nurturing also implies cultivating long-term growth and sustainability, whether it is through education, economic development, or social programs that address the unique needs of the community.

Compassion and Care

At its core, nurturing embodies compassion – actively listening, understanding, and addressing the needs of the community with empathy and care.

In essence, “Nurturing Communities” is the hands-on work of care and cultivation, while “Sowing Potential” is the aspirational goal of unlocking what is possible. Together, they create a powerful framework for growth, development, and meaningful change.

Cultivating Growth

The vision symbolizes planting the seeds of possibility – whether through education, resources, or opportunities – within individuals and communities.

Empowering Individuals

The vision of Sowing Potential focuses on identifying and activating the unique talents, skills, and capabilities of every individual.

Creating a Cycle of Impact

Sowing Potential begins the process by laying a foundation for future possibilities. Together with Nurturing Communities, they create a ripple effect: as individuals flourish, they, in turn, nurture others, fostering a stronger, more vibrant community.

Rosa Foundation Co-Founders

“Giving back by paying it forward.”

The origins of this story manifested through a moment where I could have lost my wife. Our whirlwind romance led to marriage after a 3-month courtship. I fell in love with an avid runner and luckily she slowed down enough for me to catch her.

After experiencing some strange symptoms, my wife was initially misdiagnosed until she convinced a doctor to give her another test. Within a matter of hours, we learned that she could die at any time from a massive stroke or heart attack. Waiting was not an option – angioplasty and a stent were scheduled within two days.

As newlyweds we didn’t plan a honeymoon, but spoke about the possibilities of planning a funeral. In that instance, we discussed the legacy we wanted to leave. In that moment, the ideas of a foundation took flight.

Following my wife’s procedure and rehab, ideas were flooding my mind but I was too afraid to share out of fear that I would be dismissed.

I was overjoyed when my wife encouraged me to follow the vision of giving back to the community. While working for Parks & Recreation, I saw there was a chance to teach children about gardening, and after reaching out to some contacts we developed a collaboration with the local YMCA. Along with the NC Cooperative Extension and other stakeholders, we demonstrated best practices in agriculture to the youth. The pilot program was so successful that there were two classes taught the following year.

This program was the catalyst to grow our foundation and keep moving forward.