

Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Nesbit.
I am a local photographer, originally based in NYC, who uses his skills to promote two nonprofits. The first is Carolina Human Reinvestment, SC. a Georgetown County mentoring and educational program that created a successful community garden in Pawleys Island during the Covid epidemic. I was instrumental in attracting volunteers and donors at the very beginning of the community garden. I also do hands-on physical labor, plus the majority of their social media, some public relations and event coordination.
In starting a nonprofit, there are more doubters than encouragers. Most people try to leave you with you the feeling that what you’re doing is useless, unnecessary; and also with the feeling you are incapable of accomplishing it. Sadly, much of this comes from people in positions of authority in the nonprofit world, mutual church members and clergy, friends, and family. So this is where my faith came strongly into play. A force greater than me has kept me focused, confident, and persistent. Eight years later, we are changing (and have changed) the lives of 21 poverty-stricken young adults who would be living in a cycle of poverty without us. Many of these young adults return home after graduation, using their success to help lift their communities out of that cycle of poverty.
I received a BA in theater arts from Hofstra University in 1978. I am an accomplished singer and have dabbled in the acting world all my adult life. I’m a member of Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity, and AFTRA .
However, a more profound phase of my life came in 2005 when I discovered my photography gift on a Habitat for Humanity trip in Romania. Returning to the US with a huge Eastern European body of work, my images caught the eye of the CEO at Carl Zeiss Lens in Pleasantville, New York. They hired me to decorate their walls, hallways, offices, and conference rooms with my photography. This somewhat instant success allowed me to upgrade my life, getting me into the cyber world, an online presence (something I had resisted), and an opportunity to hone my photography skills.
For many photographers, the final objective is the photography itself. For me, it is about creating something larger than my photos. So I have been shooting for the past three years with my iPhone 13 and now 14. The convenience of having a computer in your pocket and instantly communicating on social media has been an important element in raising awareness and my nonprofit fundraising. People can argue the quality differences in shooting with an iPhone, as opposed to a DSLR, but I have sold quite a few large prints of my work with no apparent compromise in quality.
What’s next?
Being in Africa now, and seeing the struggles of the Ugandan people, I envision different ways of helping. One thing I am considering is bringing small groups of Americans over to perform mission work. I feel it’s important for Americans to witness the joy and happiness that is part of Ugandan life; joy and happiness despite their hardships, and in many cases, dire situations. We take our creature comforts for granted in the Western World; in most instances we rely on buying our fun, buying our comfort. Most Ugandan people don’t have that luxury. Their joy comes from a higher place and an inner place; their relationship with God. I also have aspirations to get into public speaking, using my photographic images and stories to raise awareness. I’ve recently been approached by a local publisher interested in me doing a book on my photography.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.LSTKTS.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/richartpix?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letssendthesekidstoschool?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Other: https://instagram.com/chrgeorgetown?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw==