FORWARD TWP — It's a long way from Butler County to El Salvador, but that hasn't stopped Rodney Gasch from spreading his love and cheer there.

Gasch, a Wisconsin native who's lived here for more than 20 years, is president of the Latin American Children's Fund, a nonprofit charity aimed at improving the lives of strangers thousands of miles away.

His group raises nearly $30,000 annually for those in need, an impressive figure given that the organization has no paid staff members and relies mainly on a network of people around Western Pennsylvania.

The group's latest initiative was to open a rural medical clinic in El Salvador that will serve 1,000 adults and at least 400 children. The new clinic is an upgrade from a former makeshift facility that operated out of a dirt-floored garden shed.

Gasch said the new clinic is only one example of the charitable work being done by the fund. Work made possible by the unselfishness of complete strangers, he said.

“We've really been blessed with the generosity of people in Western Pennsylvania, people who want to have an impact on those who are less fortunate,” Gasch said. “Every little bit makes a huge impact on people's lives.”

Started in 1997 by Pittsburgh resident and El Salvador native Florence Mediate, the group has expanded to tackling projects in other countries such as Guatemala.

It also isn't limited to medical issues. The group routinely provides scholarships for students and equipment for dozens of orphanages across Central America.

Gasch, 60, a self-employed freelance writer, has only been involved with the group since 2006, but his ties to Central America go back much further.

His interest in the area began more than 20 years ago when he and his wife Laurie, a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh, adopted their first son William, a native of El Salvador.

Their second son Noah, who was adopted from Guatemala, came a few years later.

“I immediately felt a really personal connection to the countries my boys are from,” Gasch said. “Adoption brings a whole new set of interests into your life. We became more aware and more interested in Central America and the cultures of the countries there.”

However, his involvement with the Latin American Children's Fund didn't begin until a tragedy hit the area in 2001.

That's when an earthquake decimated El Salvador, leveling homes and schools and killing hundreds.

At the time, Gasch's sons were students at Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School in Zelienople when he decided to start a food and clothing drive there to help those in need.

When investigating how to get his supplies to El Salvador, Gasch came across Mediate and her organization. The two have worked together ever since.

“Florence had a lot of connections in El Salvador's government,” Gasch said. “She could get free shipping, and we knew our items were getting directly to the right people, to the people in need.”

Since then, the group has switched its focus toward raising money for affected areas rather than sending material goods there.

“Instead of collecting a used blanket to be used under a leaky roof, we get the money for them to fix the roof and fix the problem, not just to patch it up,” Gasch said.

Norma Nieto is one of several people who have traveled to El Salvador with Gasch to inspect firsthand the organization's work there.

A native of El Salvador, Nieto said Gasch has worked tirelessly to help people he's never met, a trait not often seen today.

“He is a very dynamic leader,” Nieto said. “He's always coming up with new ideas, and he's very dedicated.”

For now, Gasch said he's focusing on expanding the group's network of donors and supporters.

Gasch said that 100 percent of donations to the fund go directly to helping those in need. Anyone interested in donating can visit the group's website at www.lacfund.org.