“Throughout the adoption of his baby sister Zoie in 2007, Raymond Fuentes witnessed the absence of nurture and affection for children growing up in foster care. Through a desire to recognize these deserving youths, Raymond created Rosa Packs: a philanthropic backpack company whose mission is to create eco-friendly backpacks for the public, while channeling profits to programs that reward foster youths in our own backyard with field trips, mentoring services, and extracurricular experiences.”
-- Excerpt from the ‘About’ page of Rosa Packs
Graduation commencement has just taken
place at Cal State Fullerton. One graduate has already started his career, a
career that he has dreamed about since he was 11. Raymond Fuentes, 24, is the
founder of Rosa Packs. Rosa Packs is a for-profit organization that sells eco-friendly
backpacks to help support its cause. Rosa Packs mission is to enrich the lives
of youths that had not so-fortunate up-bringings.
In 2006, Fuentes’s parents adopted a
young girl named Zoie. Zoie’s upbringing lacked nurture and affection and that
affected him. That experience reemerged in his business class at Cal State
Fullerton in 2010 when the teacher asked the class to come up with a business
plan.
For every backpack sold, a foster
child is granted an opportunity. Opportunities like field trips, boat rides and
mentoring services. The biggest payback so far has been when Rosa Packs was
able to take a group of foster kids to a Kings Hockey game and hit pucks on the
ice.
“I was blessed on having a good
childhood. I played baseball which taught me teamwork. I got my black belt at
12, which taught me discipline. I have traveled to places all over the world.
All of these experiences in my youth have driven me where I am today…graduating
from college and starting a company,” said Fuentes.
Taking children to places all over
the world isn’t the future for Rosa Packs. The long term goal is to establish
enough social credibility and responsibility in the community to open a youth
center. An environment that fosters creativity while at the same time teaching
kids to give back to their community. Education, individuality, and goodwill
are the three values at the center of Rosa Pack’s Foundation.
“I want to help these kids become
productive citizens,” added Fuentes.
The most meaningful achievement for
Rosa Packs was selling a backpack. Rosa Packs backpacks are sold in Tillys and
OC based stores. Fuentes’s goal this year is to head south and spread the brand
in the San Diego area. His feelings every time a store decides to carry his
brand are ones of humbleness and pride. Pride that his dream is being
recognized.
“It feels like their joining the
effort and campaign to help provide these opportunities,” stated Fuentes. “My other goal this year is to have Eva
Longoria carry a Rosa Pack.”
Mary Bernal, Fuentes’s grandmother
is the face of Rosa Packs. She inspired him because like a rose she represents
true love. He chose to translate the word to Rosa because of his Latino
background. If it wasn’t for his loving family, Zoie might have not come into
their home, and without Zoie would Raymond ever created his business plan in class that day?
CONTACT INFO:
https://www.facebook.com/RosaPacks
Twitter: RosaPacks
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