A Chance In Life is a nonprofit organization founded in Italy in 1945 by Irish priest Monsignor Carroll-Abbing, who was moved by the plight of orphaned and vulnerable children living on the streets after World War II. Inspired by their resilience and independence, he created Boys’ and Girls’ Towns of Italy—with a visionary model "self-government" that empowered youth to manage their own communitie
s. Over the decades, these Towns became a home for young refugees and unaccompanied minors from more different countries. In 2016, our organization became A Chance In Life to reflect our expanding global mission. Guided by the Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach, we now support at-risk youth through our youth and community center in the U.S. and a growing network of local partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Europe. To date, we have impacted the lives of over 80,000 young people—helping them build brighter futures through education, leadership development, and community support.
