On Meet Houston Missions and The Simmons and Fletcher Local Missions Podcast, your host, Paul Cannon, talks with Nicole Davis, the executive director of Operation: Achieve Independence. Operation: Achieve Independence was started in 2017 when its founder, Tina James, felt a calling from God to create a non-profit organization intended to help young adults preparing to leave or who have already left the foster care system. The mission is based out of Spring, Texas, and serves the greater Houston area by providing programs and assistance services to those needing guidance while leaving or after leaving the foster care system. Operation: Achieve Independence strives to provide assistance to people leaving foster care while allowing them to achieve the independence they desire. Operation: Achieve Independence provides transitional living support, education and career preparation programs, life skills classes, and mentorship programs to individuals leaving foster care who need a little extra help adjusting to society. Operation: Achieve Independence is open to any individual leaving foster care or who has previously been a part of the foster care system.  

 Operation: Achieve Independence Programs

 One of the organization’s main programs is its education and career preparation program. In this program, Operation: Achieve Independence has volunteers go into high schools and work with youth aging out of foster care. Additionally, education and career preparation program representatives will visit local school districts and provide school faculty with a four-hour trauma-informed training course. 

 Operation: Achieve Independence’s second main program is its mentorship program. In their mentorship program, volunteer mentors are matched with a mentee leaving foster care. 

 Additional Services

 Operation: Achieve Independence also provides additional services such as transitional living support and life skills courses designed to assist youth transitioning out of foster care who may not have all the tools necessary to be successful on their own.  

Volunteer Opportunities

. As a volunteer, you might be part of the education and career preparation program where you will help youth leaving foster care learn about the benefits available to them, talk about their goals, and help set a plan for how to reach those goals. Volunteers may also serve as a mentor for an individual leaving foster care.  Additionally, people can volunteer to provide transitional living assistance or teach life skills courses to youths leaving the foster care system.

 Other Ways to Help

 If you wish to help financially, you can donate from their website or participate in their hygiene drive or back-to-school drive. Additionally, you can enter a team in their annual skeet shoot or attend their annual Gala.

Contact and Info

 The website address is https://www.oaicares.org or you can call (281) 825-7295 or email nicole@oaicares.org.

 Operation: Achieve Independence is a 501©(3) non-profit organization. All donations made are tax deductible as per the IRS guidelines. 

 Meet Houston Missions and The Simmons and Fletcher Local Missions Podcast is presented by Simmons and Fletcher, P.C. Injury & Accident Lawyers. Paul H. Cannon is a partner in the firm.