ABOUT US
In 2012, the Overtown Children and Youth Coalition (OCYC) was formed by the anchoring community-based nonprofit organizations in the Overtown Community: Urgent, Inc., Overtown Youth Center, Touching Miami with Love, Lotus House, and Dress for Success with the support of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and City of Miami District 5 City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones. Within months, additional stakeholders joined and worked together under the umbrella of Overtown Children and Youth Coalition. The groundbreaking step towards addressing the needs of Overtown’s children and families with a collective impact and systems-level approach instead of a service-based structure with needs addressed in siloes was well-received by the community.
OCYC continues to serve as the backbone organization to support anchoring community-based organizations to empower Overtown as a community where all children and youth reach their full potential.
MISSION
Through a collective impact model Overtown Children and Youth Coalition (OCYC) serves as the backbone to support Overtown’s anchoring organizations to empower all the community’s children and youth to reach their full potential.
VISION
Overtown, a community where all children and youth reach their full potential.
VALUES
Collaboration, Integrity, Continuous Communication, Leadership, Empowerment, Accountability, Community
PURPOSE
Overtown Children and Youth Coalition (OCYC) ensures resources remain within the Overtown community to allow the children and youth to reach their full potential.
MASTER PLAN
In 2012, the Overtown Children and Youth Coalition (OCYC) was formed by several community organizations, supported by the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and City of Miami District 5 City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones. The OCYC has dedicated itself to creating a shared vision of excellence and empowerment for Overtown's children and youth, preparing an application for Florida’s fourth Children’s Initiative, and developing a pipeline of integrated pathways for youth success. After two and a half years of strategic planning, focus groups, interviews, surveys, and monthly meetings, the OCYC has successfully completed the community’s first Children and Youth Master Plan – an investment blueprint that aligns with existing plans in Miami Dade County. The Plan seeks to leverage current assets and mobilize private and public investment, as well as an asset bank of cash and in-kind contributions from cross-sector stakeholders. Read More | Download the 2022 Annual Report
Anchoring Nonprofit Organizations
Testimonials
Board of Directors
Saliha Nelson
Chairwoman
Urgent Inc.
Tina Brown
Co-Chair
Overtown Youth Center
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
– Helen Keller
Keon Williams
Secretary
Overtown Optimist Club
“We did not come here to fear the future. We came here to shape it.”
-President Barack Obama
Sonia Jacobson
Treasurer
Suited for Success
“Women are like teabags... you don’t know their strength until they get in hot water.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Trina Harris
Touching Miami With Love
Delerene Pitts
Regions Bank
James McQueen
CRA
Staff Members
Anthony L. Robinson
Executive Director
Charmaine L. Shelton
Business Development and Marketing Director
Paula Gonzalez
Program Manager
Erika Anderson
Program Manager
Raquel Hall
Lead Community Builder