OCHR.Org Introduction Feb-March

By Jake Hornstein, Co-Founder & COO
Published in the Clearwater Beach & Bellaire Neighborhood News - Feb - March Edition

When Greg Hill became a father, he knew he always wanted to be available to his son. Unfortunately, since Greg was not married to his son's mother and they were no longer in a relationship, under Florida law, he had no legal rights to his child. After a series of unsuccessful legal outcomes (using reputable attorneys), Greg decided to change his approach. He represented himself in court and ultimately achieved a favorable 50/50 custody and co­parenting outcome.

In January 2021, fueled by lived experiences, Greg and I established a web-based nonprofit named Our Children Have Rights .Org (OCHR.org). OCHR.Org focuses on children and families by helping parents more seamlessly navigate the various processes related to child custody and co-parenting. While we work directly with parents, the goal is to establish o successful co-parenting strategy and living environment that best positions the child(ren) to reach their full potential. Our services are FREE to all parents regardless of demographics or parenting circumstances (single mothers/fathers, unwed parents, married couples seeking divorce, same-sex couples, and undocumented families).

Education is the core of our work, with a priority focus on process, documentation, and meeting your state's custody formula as seamlessly as possible. This allows us to further assist and better equip parents through their journey. Legal aid can be very costly, and our educational resources, when used properly, can minimize, or even eliminate the need for legal aid, thus saving a parent money, time, and resources. Alternatively, when a parent seeks assistance identifying the right attorney given their circumstances, we guide them through that process as well.

Our Direct Services include FREE consultations (Zoom, FaceTime, phone) and FREE documentation review (parenting plans). We're proud to share that the scope of our work covers a wide range of Human Services. It's a direct result of constantly learning more from the thousands of parents that we've engaged with, who share with us the ancillary challenges that they face while establishing custody. Those needs may include financial assistance, housing/down payment assistance, mental health, reemployment, assistance with public benefits, and access to basic needs, among many others. We address these needs through a network of program partners; Pinellas County Government, 211 Tampa Bay, Bay Area Legal Services, Feeding Tampa Bay, NAMI, Warrick Dunn Charities, Gulf Coast JFCS, and many others.

Since its inception, OCHR.Org has served over 18,000 parents, conducted free consultations with 850 parents, and reviewed over 350 parenting plans. We were recently recognized by AMPLIFY Clearwater with the "Launch Award," celebrating o new business that's "Well on its way." We even adopted Sand Key Park & Beach to create volunteer opportunities within our community.

Most importantly, if you, or someone you know, needs our assistance, we're here for you. We're on a mission. A mission to protect the rights of children to have access to parents by providing education, resources, and support services for successful co­porenting. Why? Because Our Children Have Rights.

You can contact Jake Hornstein at 516-652-7880 or by e-mail at JakeHornstein@OurChildrenHaveRights.com. For information, visit www.ourchildrenhaverights.org. To donate, visit www.ourchildrenhaverights.org/donate.