OCARE became an official 501©3 in 2014 but the original work began in 2010 during a place-based education project with a group of 10th graders at Owsley County High School and their teacher Mr. Brett Burns, Eastern Kentucky University and a dedicated group of community volunteers.  The focus of the project was finding out about the impacts of the vacant and blighted Seale Theater, as well as what it would mean to the community to restore it.  The group came to the consensus that since one of the only positive places of recreation for Owsley's at-risk youth and families had been closed, things had steadily fallen into decline.  Youth were getting involved in nefarious activities. Drug and substance abuse were on the rise and people were spending their money going elsewhere for recreation.  Businesses were closing and the town became more vacated and blighted during each passing decade.  Crime had also greatly increased, and our community was a reflection of the blighted buildings that time had left behind.

Since our inception, we have delivered programming to our community in multiple different ways with only a dedicated group of volunteers/or no paid staff. We are an organization that is an all-volunteer staff that is exclusively woman led who works hard to improve the outcomes for our community and citizens.

Our Vision

Is to create a place where our community is once again proud of our people our place and our heritage but who is also able to envision a brighter future for ALL of our town, county and citizens.