OverComing Adversities (OCA) is a recently founded youth-led non profit in Puerto Rico that aims to promote economic mobility, develop Puerto Rican talent and break poverty cycles in the Island by mentoring and supporting the personal and professional development of impoverished youth between the ages of 18 to 25. Founded by 3 sisters who experienced foster care in PR, OCA is focused on serving foster youth and leveraging lived experience to help others overcome adversities. While they shared some experiences with their foster peers, their birth family's economic stability had provided a wider toolbox for them to overcome adversities, so Yalanis, Valeria & Alana created OCA to share that toolbox. Our super power is knowing how to leverage interactions with youth to empower, inspire and prepare.

OCA's Alternative Thinking Program connects impoverished youth with a mentor that is happy to dedicate time and attention to support youth in daily life and emergency situations. Through mentoring and meaningful engagement OCA helps young adults align their goals, thoughts and actions.

The program provides:

• positive social connections
• weekly one-on-one peer mentorship
• periodic workshops to share insights into how the mind works
• direct support from lived experience
• experience-based strategies for bias management and self-influence
• safe, inclusive and engaging environments 
• support in daily life activities and situations 
• economic stipend 

With $60,000 we can provide $1,200 stipend to 10 participants and cover their participation in OCA's Alternative Thinking Program for one year, create a media campaign to create awareness about the value of positive interactions and implement an evaluation plan to determine the program's impact in foster youth's positive social connection, professional development, life satisfaction and well-being.