Five years in, the multi-faceted youth nonprofit Our Generation Cares (OGC) is busier than ever.
Taking over a cafe in Central Long Beach, opening their own sprawling office in Downtown, welcoming a new 24-year-old president, and unveiling Long Beach’s first and only toy lending library are just some of the accomplishments they’ll be celebrating at their annual gala celebration Monday.
“It’s been like five years in the making of finding a home and our flagship of like, ‘What are our intentions, what are our main programs that we see that are necessary within our community?’” said OGC founder and Chief Executive Officer Alba Danely.
Alba Danely, poses near the nonprofit’s new toy and book library on April 22, 2026 in Long Beach. Youth can check out a wide range of books, games, kits and other items for up to two weeks. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)
When Danely last spoke to the Signal Tribune in 2022, the nonprofit had a workforce development partnership with Coco Beach Presents and was operating its offices out of a church.
In 2024, OGC moved into their permanent office space, an entire floor on East Broadway. The space also functions as a safe hangout space for youth ages 17-24, as well as their siblings, featuring video game consoles, a virtual driving education program, and tons of games for kids of all ages.
More recently on Jan. 13, OGC got the keys for their very own restaurant: Desperado Cafe LBC on Seventh Street. While youth have been receiving workforce training the past five years through OGC’s restaurant partnerships, this is the first time the nonprofit has full operational control of a restaurant.
“I love seeing the pride that they take and knowing like, ‘This is ours, it’s not just we’re working in it,’” Danely said.
When the Signal Tribune visited Desperado Cafe LBC on April 22, youth members were running every aspect of a tasting for their menu, crafting various tacos on handmade corn tortillas. Christian Solorzano and Ichiro Mimila, who have been with OCG for eight months and three years respectively, grilled and chopped marinated chicken alongside chef Juan Esquivel.
The three chefs then topped the tacos with fresh guacamole, cilantro and thinly sliced radishes. The mood on Seventh Street was excited and satisfied.
Any Mexican cafe worth its salt can also satiate a caffeine craving. To meet this need, two OGC youth members have been learning under Denise Maldonado of Downtown’s Confidential Coffee to become capable baristas. Soon, customers will be able to purchase rompope lattes, matcha horchatas, Mexican hot chocolate and more from the cafe’s coffee menu. For those who want to join the service industry in another way, OGC can help their youth become bartender certified as well.
OGC youth are not only learning culinary skills, but they also handle inventory needs, sales, marketing, design and anything else it takes to run a restaurant. Through this paid 200-hour hospitality program, OGC hopes to help their youth (which are largely from low-income communities and foster care) have a leg up in the workforce, as many youth today struggle to find steady employment.
Danely is currently working to expand their hospitality training globally, teaming up with Long Beach’s newest sister city La Paz, Mexico. OGC members ages 18-24 will be part of a cultural exchange program, which the nonprofit is preparing for with a trip to La Paz in May.
Further helping youth prepare to enter the workforce is OGC’s driving education program. Students can learn how to drive and prepare for the written exam from their DMV-certified program. Classes kick off during the summer, and spaces fill up quickly so any youth interested in attending are encouraged to contact OGC as soon as possible.
The nonprofit recently expanded their focus from working-age youth to a much younger audience, when it launched Long Beach’s first and only toy lending library. Their downtown office now features shelves stacked with toys and games for kids of all ages, courtesy of a partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Social Services.
Families can come down to the OGC office and choose from a wide range of board games, books, kits, balls, legos, stuffies and more. Kids are allowed to keep the toy for two weeks, and when they check out and return a toy five times, they’re given a toy of their choice to keep. Danely said if parents are searching for a specific toy type, they can let OGC know and they’ll order it.
The toys are also available for kids who just want to use the office as a place to hang out.
“We identified that sometimes our youth that are in foster care and have brothers and sisters, they don’t have a location where they can meet them when it’s a scheduled visit from their case workers,” Danely said. “It’s kind of a big goal for us, you know, giving that sense of belonging to our teenagers that have siblings that are still fostered.”
Another milestone the nonprofit recently hit: naming a new president, 24-year-old Michael Green II. With a new restaurant, more skill programs in the works and plenty of youth members ready to learn, OGC is just getting started.
“I’m passing the baton on,” Danely said. “It’s amazing just to see that our generation does care and when you put young leaders in a position to lead, it’s amazing to see their vision.”
OGC is celebrating their fifth birthday at their Swag and Grace Youth Gala on Monday, April 27 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott Rooftop (500 E. First St.). Anyone can attend and enjoy casino games, an art auction, raffled off prizes, music and fine dining while they learn about the work OGC does.
Tickets can be purchased online or through the link in the bio of @ourgenerationcares on Instagram. Proceeds go towards OGC’s programs.
Youth who are interested in participating in one of OGC’s programs are encouraged to message them on Instagram.
Samantha Diaz
Managing Editor
Samantha is an award-winning journalist, sports fanatic and mother. She’s worked for the Signal Tribune for over three years and is passionate about covering environmental news, small businesses, mutual aid efforts and resources.
