Meet Our Ground Team
Working to Serve Vulnerable and Under-served Communities
Yanira Ocasio Hernández
FOUNDRESS PRESIDENT/CEO
Yani’s story contains a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns, all of which shaped who she is today.
She fell in love with community outreach and missions very early in life witnessing the lifelong work of her missionary mother and her pastor grandfather. Inspired by their many missionary stories, she developed a deep passion for charitable work.
She has a passion and a burden to see churches and organizations unite together to serve and ignite Puerto Rico communities and cities with the transforming power of God's love.
On September 20th of 2017, Yani Ocasio’s life was forever changed as disaster struck Puerto Rico with Hurricane Irma and Maria. Gushing winds of 155+ miles per hour ravaged the island with the power of intense rainstorms and winds at its disposal. This Category 4 hurricane flooded and destroyed homes, roads, bridges, schools, and Puerto Rico’s already delicate electrical system decimating a large portion of the island in its devastating wake.
From the first week of the hurricane, she organized relief teams and took to the streets to bring love, faith, and hope to a people in great need.
Thanks to Yani’s partnerships in Nashville, Tennessee she was able to bring companies, churches, and individuals together to provide much-needed relief to the island, who today continue to be friends and supporters.
Yani serves in her local church, Ministerio Vida Con Proposito, and is also a member of the Crown of Justice Chaplaincy. She is Vice President of the Board of Directors of Puerto Rico Rises and is the Puerto Rico Catalyst Leader of Movement.org.
In December 2017, the Word that God had given Yani 25 years prior, “You will be the mother of many, mother of hundreds, you will bring love and hope to those most in need” became a reality, and For Such a Time as This was born.
NAZIR A. CASTILLO
SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR - (UNITED STATES)
NAZIR CASTILLO OCASIO IS A YOUNG PUERTO RICAN WOMAN WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HER CULTURE AND HER PEOPLE. SHE, A KIND-HEARTED AND PASSIONATE INDIVIDUAL, FELT DEEP ANGUISH AND REMORSE WHEN PERSONALLY UNCOVERING THE WRECKAGE LEFT BEHIND BY HURRICANE MARIA. NAZIR INSTANTLY FELT A STIR IN HER SOUL TO LOOK FOR AND BE PRESENT FOR HER PEOPLE. HELPING WITH BEHIND THE SCENES COORDINATIONS AND FACILITATION, NAZIR IS HANDS ON FROM HER HOME BASE IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.
Legal Department
LUIS PADRÓN
LEGAL ADVISOR
LUIS PADRÓN CHOSE TO FOLLOW HIS FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS BY PURSUING A CAREER IN LAW AND HAS BEEN IN PRACTICE AS A TRIAL ATTORNEY FOR OVER TWO DECADES. AS WELL RESPECTED AND ESTABLISHED LAWYER. HE CAME ACROSS THE BEAUTY OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST LATER IN LIFE AND IT FOREVER CHANGED HIS WAY OF BEING. PADRÓN WAS BORN IN AND HAS SPENT A LARGE PORTION OF HIS LIFE LIVING ON THE ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO AND WAS TORMENTED BY THE DEVASTATION THAT TOOK PLACE DUE TO THE HURRICANE. HE QUICKLY AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY FELL IN LOVE WITH SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND CREATING PERSONAL CONNECTIONS WITH THE INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY TRAGEDY IN ORDER TO TELL THEIR STORIES AND BRING HOPE THROUGH THE LOVE HE HIMSELF FOUND IN CHRIST JESUS.
Meet our Partners.
“Del Comedor a Tu Mesa. Dónde llegaron los alimentos recogidos en los comedores escolares. Síguenos, aquí lo compartimos con todos. Esta vez, presentamos las misiones de For Such A Time As This. Organización liderada por Yanira Ocasio quién junto a Luis Padrón recorren cada esquina necesaria para poner pan en la mesa del que lo necesita. No hay obstáculo demasiado grande para detener su fuerza. Los admiro y respeto. Lo que hacen, se VE y se SIENTE.”
-Guerreros Obedientes de Dios (GOD Corp)
Want to join our team?
Be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Help us to make a Difference
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS DEPENDS ON VOLUNTEERS TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION.
AREAS OF NEED:
DONATIONS
TAG & SORT CLOTHES
ORGANIZE HOME GOODS
SORT, FOLD & LINENS
RESTOCK MERCHANDISE
SORT NEW DONATIONS
ORGANIZE & CLEAN
FOOD PANTRY
ASSEMBLE FUEL BAGS
PROCESS NEW FOOD DONATIONS
SORT FOOD BY TYPE & EXPIRATION DATE
ORGANIZE STORED FOODS IN WAREHOUSE
RESTOCK PANTRY SHELVES
FILL GROCERY CARTS
DATABASE/ADMINISTRATION
ENTER CLIENT & DONATION INFORMATION
CREATE SIGNAGE, FILE, ORGANIZE SUPPLIES
ANSWER PHONES & ASSIST VISITORS
NEIGHBOR SERVICES
UNDERGO TRAINING TO ASSIST OUR NEIGHBORS
EVENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR VARIOUS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA ON HOW YOU'D LIKE TO COLLABORATE? WE ARE HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS. PLEASE, EMAIL US.
NAZIR CASTILLO
SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR
info@forsuchatimeasthispr.org
(787) 944-3833
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS
We are a registered 501(c)(3) working to build a better Puerto Rico. We reach under-served communities through outreach and programming that seeks to improve the standard of living for families and individuals affected by natural disasters in Puerto Rico.
*For Such a Time As This is also registered as a PR Tax exempt organization.
IT HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFERENT AND DIFFICULT THREE MONTHS. IN PUERTO RICO, WE’VE ENDURED EARTHQUAKES, . . .