Osvaldo “Ozzy” Mendoza, was part of Daybreak, a program that provides independent living skills training and mental health support for homeless teens aged 16-21. Ozzy was born in Mexico and grew up in the Bay Area. He was a Daybreak resident from the fall of 2015 through the summer of 2017. With the support of the program and staff at Daybreak, Ozzy forged a path toward self-sufficiency and a life-long commitment to community service. Now living in an apartment in Palo Alto, Ozzy is an active member of his church community and participates in choir and band. He is the manager of a Coupa Café in Palo Alto, and is a founder of the highly successful initiative, Hugs of Hope, which delivers blankets and clothing to homeless people in the Bay Area. Overseeing the efforts of over 50, mostly youth volunteers, Ozzy’s initiative has served communities in San Francisco and San Jose, and more recently Modesto, where there is significant need. Ozzy plans to become a counselor for kids and youth, and hope to one day join the StarVista team.

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