Let's break the cycle!

939-606-5673

Overcoming Adversities

Overcoming AdversitiesOvercoming AdversitiesOvercoming Adversities
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • My Account

  • Signed in as:

  • filler@godaddy.com

  • My Account

  • Sign out

  • Home
  • About us
  • Contribute
  • Blog
  • More
    • Home
    • About us
    • Contribute
    • Blog

939-606-5673

Overcoming Adversities

Overcoming AdversitiesOvercoming AdversitiesOvercoming Adversities

Signed in as:

filler@godaddy.com

  • Home
  • About us
  • Contribute
  • Blog

Account

  • My Account

  • Sign out

  • Sign In
  • My Account

By Foster Youth For Foster Youth

Adversity greatly impacts development and life outcomes. Help us give foster youth in Puerto Rico the tools and support they need to heal and succeed. 

Contribute
They created OCA as to share alternative tools with peers.

OCA exists because

Yalanis, Valeria & Alana realized young people in foster care needed a wide range skills to be prepared to navigate their circumstances successfully. 

OCA catalyzes socioeconomic growth and well-being for foster youth through:

  • positive social connections & 1-1 mentoring
  • direct support from peers with lived experience 
  • access to social learning opportunities and cultural activities 
  • leveraging local community support and developing social capital 
  • workforce development and preparation for higher education 
  • facilitating alternatives to support mental and physical health 
  • experience based-strategies for self-management 
  • stable and engaging environments
  • support in daily life and emergency situations

Examples of how mentoring can look like:

  • co-creating an intervention plan with youth 
  • provide transportation
  • help set up living space 
  • celebrate important events 
  • help navigate community support 
  • helping youth apply for jobs and prepare for interviews
  • teaching youth how to draft letters and documents 
  • accompanying youth to doctor's visits, shopping, errands 
  • conversations about how humans and the mind works
  • researching housing and rental assistance programs 
  • coordination of mental and physical health services
  • small cash grants and financial planning
  • conversations about developing healthy habits
  • home visits 
  • coordinate and participate in social activities such as going to the movies, having dinner, going to the beach, taking a road trip, concerts, and others
  • and more

In the end, being a mentor is mostly about holding space and being present.

Contribute

Our Programs

Alternative Living Program

Meaningful Engagement Program

Meaningful Engagement Program

To offer youth with foster care experience a mentor, housing navigation support, learning opportunities and a community.

For participants

Meaningful Engagement Program

Meaningful Engagement Program

Meaningful Engagement Program

To support agencies, service and program providers in their efforts to effectively help youth and meet their program objectives. 

For service providers

Perspectivas Globales Program

Meaningful Engagement Program

Perspectivas Globales Program

To support and foster a community of university students and entrepreneurs in Mayagüez. This program offers co-working spaces and networking opportunities for students, entrepreneurs and participants of our Alternative Living Program.

View PG Website

PDF Viewer

Download PDF

Contact Us

Share any comments or questions. Get to know us!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Overcoming Adversities

Mayaguez, PR

yalanis@ocapr.org 939-606-5673 | 939-429-1282

Follow us

  • Challenges

Overcoming Adversities

Mayaguez, PR

939-606-5673

Copyright © 2025 Overcoming Adversities - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

DeclineAccept