RICK RUSCH

Humanitarian Visual Storyteller & Communications Advisor Specializing in Donor Communications and Mission Storytelling

Phoenix, Arizona • Rusch.Enterprises@gmail.com • www.RickRusch.com

Professional Summary

Rick Rusch is an emerging Humanitarian Visual Storyteller and Communications Advisor whose work blends photography, writing, and creative strategy to help nonprofits and faith-based organizations communicate their mission with clarity and heart.

After a successful career in education and leadership, Rick has turned his focus toward humanitarian storytelling—drawing on his experience with Casa Franciscana Outreach in Mexico and Penda Trust in South Africa. Though early in this professional path, his work already demonstrates the empathy, discipline, and visual craftsmanship needed to make a lasting impact in donor communications and mission storytelling.

His future vision is to continue developing his storytelling work globally, learning through new collaborations, refining his humanitarian practice, and creating multimedia narratives that connect generosity with lived impact.

Profile

Richard “Rick” Rusch is a humanitarian visual storyteller, writer, and communications consultant whose work bridges art, faith, and service. With a career that spans the U.S. Marine Corps, higher education leadership, and international nonprofit work, Rick brings a rare blend of discipline, empathy, and creative strategy to every project he undertakes.

His lens—both photographic and reflective—has been shaped by decades of observing lives marked by quiet dignity and resilience, starting with his time in Japan, and most recently in Mexico.

After a long and successful tenure as Director of Career Services and Internship Programs in the education sector, Rick retired from corporate life to pursue a more mission-driven path. Today, he channels his experience in communication, mentorship, and storytelling into supporting nonprofit and faith-based organizations that serve the poor and marginalized. His focus is on transforming visual and written stories into catalysts for generosity and change.

Skills & Capabilities

• Donor & Mission Communications Strategy

• Visual Story Development (Photo + Narrative)

• Bilingual Newsletter & Publication Design

• Nonprofit Branding & Messaging Alignment

• Field Photography & Humanitarian Documentation

• Volunteer & Donor Engagement Campaigns

• Creative Strategy: Designing and aligning visual and written storytelling to communicate mission impact in ways that inspire trust, generosity, and engagement.

Examples include:

 - Developing bilingual donor newsletters for Casa Franciscana Outreach that link images and narratives to inspire giving.

 - Structuring the “Voices of Friendship” ESL collaboration to foster cross-border connection through letters and shared media.

- Helping the Casa ESL Ministry articulate its mission with inclusive, relationship-centered language and visuals.

  - Documenting Penda Trust’s youth programs to emphasize empowerment and dignity in international fundraising.

Professional Portfolio Overview

Rick’s body of work reflects a deep commitment to visual storytelling that inspires generosity and strengthens the bond between missions and their supporters. Each project he undertakes is guided by faith, empathy, and a disciplined sense of craft—transforming images and words into living narratives that help donors see, feel, and respond.

Casa Franciscana Outreach – Scottsdale, AZ, USA & Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico

Board of Directors

Lead Photographer & Donor Communications Consultant (2023–Present)

Develops bilingual newsletters, donor appeals, and impact campaigns that convey the dignity and daily reality of those served by the Mission.

- Creates bilingual visual and written content for quarterly print newsletters mailed to U.S. donors.

- Designs messaging and layouts that integrate photography, translation, and story flow.

- Collaborates with Mission leadership to align storytelling with fundraising priorities.

- Photographs of fieldwork: food distribution, diabetic care, home gardens, children’s programs, and parish life.

Matthew 25 Ministries – Franciscan Renewal Center, Scottsdale, AZ

Communications & Visual Strategy Partner (2023–Present)

Supports the ministry’s mission to engage parishioners in cross-border solidarity through storytelling, education, and advocacy.

- Develops volunteer communications and educational visuals under the “Salt & Light” framework.

- Creates promotional materials and reflective stories for parish-wide engagement.

- Co-developing the “Voices of Friendship” bilingual letter-writing and ESL collaboration between U.S. volunteers and Guaymas students.

Casa ESL Ministry – Franciscan Renewal Center, Scottsdale, AZ

Team Member & Program Storyteller (2024–Present)

The Casa ESL Ministry teaches basic English skills to all who seek to learn, welcoming individuals from any language background. While students come from diverse cultures, most are Spanish-speaking members of the community whom the ministry is called to serve. Through English instruction and relationship-building, the ministry empowers students to communicate with confidence, navigate daily life, and participate more fully in the community.

- Assists in developing communications and documentation for the ESL Ministry’s collaboration with Casa Franciscana Outreach.

- Creates narratives, visuals, and materials for the ministry’s online and community engagement.

- Supports teaching teams that use a total-immersion approach, speaking English in the classroom. Lesson materials, classroom handouts, and teaching aids consist of a combination of purchased texts and donated materials, funded by cash grants and services from the Casa.

- Helps expand the ministry’s outreach to additional ESL classrooms under the Matthew 25 initiative.

Penda Trust – Village of Capri, South of Cape Town, South Africa (UK-based Organization)

Documentary Photographer (2021)

Collaborated with the UK-based nonprofit Penda Trust while staying in the Village of Capri, south of Cape Town, and working in the nearby communities of Ocean View and Masiphumelele.

- Photographed and documented grassroots youth programs in these communities, working closely with local youth organizations in post-apartheid South Africa.

- Produced professional images used for international fundraising to support youth centers and after-school programs.

- Helped local partners strengthen donor engagement through authentic visual documentation.

- This experience marked Rick’s first international humanitarian photography project, shaping the direction of his later work in mission and donor communications.

Early Life and Formative Influence

Born in Buffalo, New York, to an American family of German and Sicilian descent, Rick grew up surrounded by post–World War II ideals and the deep traditions of his Sicilian ancestors. Among those was the Feast of St. Joseph—a community celebration of gratitude and charity that left a lifelong impression on him. It instilled a belief that faith is best lived out through service to others.

That formative worldview, grounded in the Roman Catholic faith, continues to guide his life and work. When the Franciscans left St. Mary’s Basilica in Phoenix, Rick followed their spirit of humility and action to the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he remains an active volunteer and member.

A Life Reoriented Toward Purpose

In 2020, during the isolation of the global pandemic, Rick felt called to a profound life change. He sold his home and most of his possessions to gain the freedom to travel, document, and tell stories about people—their lives, challenges, and faith. He describes this as a turning point where he could serve most meaningfully.

That new direction led him into a close partnership with the Casa Franciscana Outreach (CFO) Mission in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, and with Matthew 25 Ministries at the Franciscan Renewal Center. Through these collaborations, Rick has photographed, written, and designed bilingual communications that highlight how small acts of compassion—such as food boxes, shoes for children, diabetic care, and home gardens—translate into lasting dignity for hundreds of families.

Recognition and Media

Rick’s evolving body of work has received international recognition. His editorial photography was first published in 2016 by Cool Nederland’s Magazine in Europe, but his humanitarian direction came into full focus in 2022, when Éclair Magazine—a Paris- and New York–based publication—profiled him as a Photographer, Filmmaker, and Humanitarian.

Military Service

United States Marine Corps (1973–1979)

Sergeant (E-5), Honorable Discharge

Top Secret Clearance | Military Intelligence

Rick served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1973 to 1979, assigned to military intelligence and granted a Top-Secret clearance. While in boot camp, he was approached by the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis to apply for officer training. After a two-week evaluation process, he qualified academically but was ultimately disqualified due to wearing glasses.

Following his service, Rick completed a year-long interview and evaluation process with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), based on his intelligence background and strong aptitude scores. Though hired, he chose instead to pursue higher education after being advised that advancement would be limited without a college degree.

Education

Empire State College (SUNY), Buffalo, New York – Psychology and Hospice Counseling

Erie Community College North, Buffalo, New York – Business Administration

Chaminade College, Honolulu, Hawaii – Business Law

United States Air Force School, - Misawa, Japan – Psychology

Creative Philosophy

At the heart of Rick’s work is the belief that art can be an act of service. His photographs are not merely aesthetic records—they are windows into relationship, dignity, and resilience. He often describes his role as a bridge between those who give and those who receive, helping communities and donors see each other more clearly.

For Rick, artistry is not about recognition; it is about revelation. Every photograph, story, and project is an extension of his calling—to show the world how compassion takes shape, one frame, one word, one act at a time.

Looking Ahead

Rick’s next chapter centers on expanding his humanitarian storytelling and supporting the continued development of Matthew 25 Ministries’ 2026 vision—an initiative he has helped shape as part of its core development team. This new phase emphasizes building sustainable connections between U.S. parish volunteers and the communities served by Casa Franciscana Outreach, fostering deeper faith-based engagement and global solidarity.

Always on a journey of discovery, Rick continues to follow the path where art, service, and purpose meet.

Verified References

·       rickrusch.com/whoami

·       shoutoutarizona.com/meet-rick-rusch-editorial-lifestyle-humanitarian-photographer

·       facebook.com/rick.rusch.766

·       rickrusch.com

·       boldjourney.com/news/meet-rick-rusch

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