Butterflies are important pollinators for some species of plants. Although they do not carry as much pollen as bees, they move pollen over greater distances. Though the butterfly’s capabilities are likely not why Dr. Carla Russo and Regina Bruce named their nonprofit Lone Star Monarchs, the two have certainly disseminated something of value across the metroplex: the gift of giving.
The nonprofit has contributed to over twenty-three organizations in two years.
Russo and Bruce tapped into their love of community service during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with their small group of friends, the women set out to make a difference by delivering food to the Dallas Police Department and organizing school supply drives for DISD.
After regular routines were re-established, some group members disbanded; however, Russo and Bruce still had a burning desire to serve. Eventually, they set up their 501(c)3 organization, Lone Star Monarchs, to continue to fill the void.
“I come from very humble beginnings,” says Russo. “My story includes a rough start, so I know what it is to overcome adversity. I know what it is to struggle and try to rise above and pave the way for myself. No one does it alone. I had a lot of help along the way. I was always very grateful for that, and I always swore that if and when I grew up and made it, I would do my best to pay it forward with gratitude.”
Russo explained that while in 2020 the world stopped, the needs of the vulnerable did not.
“Nothing halted on the end of the underserved and underprivileged; if anything, it was made worse. And so I think that’s why we took off in the middle of [the pandemic] when no one else would dare, and everyone was too afraid to go out. We thought, ‘We have to do this.'”
So, the Lone Star Monarchs teamed with sponsors to donate $100,000 worth of pajamas to the elderly at local state-owned nursing homes.
In Regina Bruce’s absence, Russo says Bruce’s commitment to giving back is her passion.
“Truly, if she had nothing but bread and water and could just be of service 24/7, that is what the woman would do,” laughs Russo.
Bruce, a CPA by trade, now dedicates all of her time to her husband and the Lone Star Monarchs.
Living by the code, “to whom much is given, much is expected,” Bruce has focused her energies on giving rather than asking.
Russo explains Bruce has “turned all of her pain into something purposeful and beautiful.”
While non-profit work is Bruce’s calling, Russo is a professor of integrative and functional wellness and a quantum transformational life coach at Zen Wellness Academy.
Russo coaches people through struggles with addiction, weight loss, and relationships. Her work has helped prepare her tremendously for her service as a Monarch.
The life coach explains that, having the background knowledge from her career, she often leans on her understanding of issues such as addiction, trauma, and what it means to heal as the Monarchs choose the causes they will support.
“We can discern the different causes. When it comes to abuse and domestic violence areas, I’m very strong in behavioral studies, so it serves me well and helps me feel 100% certain and confident in the organization,” says Russo.
The two women believe in conducting their operation with not only the utmost altruism but also the utmost integrity.
“We didn’t want just to buy tables or attend charity events then walk away wondering how much of the $10,000 or $25,000 went to the cause versus how much went on the party,” Russo says. “Lone Star Monarchs is 100% self-funded, and we cover all of our admin expenses. We don’t draw a penny at all. We don’t even have a bank account; everything we do, and everyone involved, including our checks, are made payable directly to said charity. So that sets us apart in a very, very big way because very few charities can say they are self-funded and have no overhead, and no one draws a penny out of anything.”
Setting themselves apart is the by-product of the Lone Star Monarchs’ mission. As of press time, the nonprofit is working its magic to touch as many causes as possible.
So far in 2022, the Lone Star Monarchs have signed on as title sponsor for “Art in Bloom” at the Dallas Museum of Art and as chairs for this year’s Kidney Texas Runway Report Luncheon and Fashion Show.
After successful back-to-school events in 2021, the Lone Star Monarchs were selected by the Josh Howard Foundation as partners for its 2022 initiatives.
They are also presenting sponsors for the Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer Gala, which helps fund research for children with cancer. The thirty-five Monarchs will also serve on various projects during the upcoming Easter, Halloween, and Christmas holidays.
“We have a lot on our plate that we’re very excited about, but we are so blessed [to accomplish it all with] all the amazing [individuals that make up the] Lone Star Monarchs. We have the most influential, wonderful, and warm-hearted men and women, who are influential not just by means — some have no means, but there is a passion and a drive that can just deliver like no tomorrow. And so, we have such a great balance across the board. And we plan to hit it out of the ballpark this year to top everything we’ve already done in the last 2 years,” says Russo.
Russo looks at her work with the Lone Star Monarchs as a part of a life cycle. Like butterflies that hatch as caterpillars and must go through a cocoon stage before emerging with wings, she sees her work as an essential step in a bigger mission.
“How many times have you walked through a cemetery, and there’s just name after name, date after date, but really, you don’t know anything about that person?” asks Russo.
“For Regina and I, this is our legacy, the Lone Star Monarchs. When we die, we may be mourned for a while, maybe even mourned for a long time by some, but we become a name on a headstone,” she says.
Rather than let their mission die with them, they plan to ensure their legacy lives on.
“Our goal is to start bringing in the younger generation so that the millennials, and then the generation after, can see how we do it, and they can learn how philanthropy can be effective. It’s not just the galas and the parties; it’s [about] what can you do to affect change so that long after our husbands and Regina and I are gone, the Lone Star Monarchs [continue]. Yes, we started it, but it has become something so much bigger and better that is here long after we’re not. Although it is daunting, we’re doing it very intentionally and with a plan of passing it on so that it prevails and continues to help throughout the ages.”
Just as the butterfly in some cultures represents rebirth, the service of the Lone Star Monarchs will continue to transform the Dallas-Fort Worth community for many years to come.