Overtown Optimist Club

The Overtown Optimist Club (also known as the Optimist Club) embraces a vision of inclusion in all things - an equitable access to quality opportunities which model healthy lifestyles. Far too often in communities with concentrated need, we find ourselves looking to satisfy the basic needs of survival, such as food, shelter, clothing and employment. While our basic needs are vital – our longevity and quality of life are inextricably connected to health and wellness. 

The Optimist Club has a philosophy to help kids of all ages develop healthy behaviors that lead to lifelong habits across the lifespan. We have found that young kids and teens benefit through enhanced self-image, which can transform how they see themselves and their trajectory in life. Data has shown that on average, 83% of our youth under age 8 are dealing with obesity issues. It’s crucial that we design community-based ecosystems which provide kids and youth with the tools for a healthy future.

With 30 years of experience in the athletic space, the Overtown Optimist Club is uniquely positioned to deliver a youth development program which models discipline and healthy lifestyles on and off the field of the play. 

The Overtown Optimist Club has successfully pivoted its hallmark, sports enthusiast programming, to include academic advisement, ensuring students are on track for on-time grade promotion, high school graduation, while preparing them to successfully navigate their post-secondary life experiences. 

The primary population of the Optimist Club are students and athletes (between the ages of 4 - 18) living in and attending schools within the Overtown community. Our current service schools include Care Elementary, Eneida Hartner Elementary, Frederick Douglass Elementary, Phillis Wheatley Elementary, Paul L. Dunbar K-8, Downtown Miami Charter School, Jose De Diego Middle School, SLAM (Middle and High) and Booker T. Washington Senior High School.

After nearly three decades, we believe we've developed a methodology which delivers real impact and value to the children and families whom we serve. The OOC is a uniquely positioned community-based organization, combating the challenges of student disengagement and low academic achievement by creating personalized, case management profiles, and individual goal planning, where all students are challenged to meet high academic and social expectations.  For many years, the need for safe, accessible facilities in Overtown became critical.  Existing services lacked the bandwidth to accommodate the robust comprehensive human and health needs of underserved Overtown community and the expected needs to come. To address youth academic motivation, increase enrichment exposure while also modeling healthy lifestyle disciplines.  

30 YEARS OF SERVICE 
10,000 + KIDS SERVED 
1,000 + VOLUNTEERS 
200 + ORGANIZED SPORTS TEAMS