By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
A familiar face will be absent when Dale County residents seek assistance through the Organized Community Action Program (OCAP) office in Ozark. With the retirement of longtime Dale County OCAP Coordinator Donna Devine last fall, those seeking help will now be greeted by Retania B. or Tyesha Young, who are continuing the day-to-day operations and services for the community. The office, which was formerly open five days per week, will now only be open part-time for the foreseeable future.
Devine began her career with the OCAP in February 1998 and dedicated more than 27 years to serving Dale County residents in a variety of roles. Devine initially worked as an assistant coordinator for Dale County OCAP under the leadership of longtime Coordinator Lou Ethel Flowers. Devine held that position for more than a decade.
After her time as assistant coordinator, Devine spent five years with Ozark HeadStart, an OCAP program focused on early childhood education and family support. In 2011, following the retirement of Flowers, Devine was selected to lead the Dale County OCAP office, a role she would hold for more than nearly 15 years.
Devine continued serving as coordinator until her retirement near the end of 2025. Although she has stepped away from public service, Devine said she deeply misses the clients she worked with and the opportunity to help individuals and families throughout Dale County.
“Retirement is bittersweet because my favorite part of the job was meeting the people and finding ways to help them with their needs,” Devine said. “I came to be close to many of the people who walked into the office, and I will miss them very much.”
She added that her decision to pursue social work was personal, explaining, “I wanted to help low-income families and individuals because I experienced periods of poverty and financial struggles myself,” motivating her to do her part to make a difference in the lives of others.
Those who need help with services, such as utility assistance, rent and housing, family budgeting, and other services, will still be able to receive help from the staff currently working at the Dale County OCAP office. If they need immediate assistance and no one is present at the Dale County office, they can reach out to the main office in Troy at the phone number provided below.
OCAP will begin making appointments for LIHEAP energy assistance on February 11, and officials say this is the ONLY DAY they will accept phone calls to schedule appointments. Officials have announced that those who need assistance must call the office to make an appointment over the phone. The office will not be open for in-person scheduling, so you must call the number listed below to receive an appointment. (334) 774-2011
OCAP is located at 397 Glenway Dr., Ozark, AL. Again, the number to the Dale County OCAP office in Ozark is (334) 774-2011. If no one answers at the Ozark office, you can reach out to the main office in Troy at (334) 566-1712.
*For transparency, the Dale County Chronicle discloses when the journalist covering a story has a close relationship with a person central to that story. The writer of this article is Donna Devine’s son.
