a chance in life

What a chance in life does

A Chance In Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1945 by Monsignor John Patrick Carroll-Abbing in Civitavecchia, Italy, originally as Boys' Towns of Italy, Inc. The organization delivers education, nutrition, healthcare, and leadership development programs to at-risk children and youth through a Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework integrated with the founder's original Self-Government model. It operates a hybrid delivery model: a grant-based international partner network of 39 local organizations across 14 countries (US, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Uganda, India, Italy, Palestine), plus a direct-service US flagship, The Village, opened in 2022 on Staten Island's North Shore. The Village runs the Youth Leadership Workshop, Village Success Academy, English For Life ESL program, ArtPreneur Institute, Village Free Market food pantry, and Access Support Network.

Revenue is generated entirely from fundraising rather than product sales, with six identified streams: individual donations (including Sustainer's Circle monthly giving and Catalysts of Change tiers from $1,000 to $50,000), corporate sponsorships (Fiserv, MainlineRPT, Caritas Pro Vitae Gradu Charitable Trust), annual galas (81st Annual NY Gala in October 2026 raised over $682,000 in 2025; San Francisco Gala raised over $410,000 in 2026), institutional grants (Victoria's Secret Foundation, Con Edison $15M community program, NYC FIFA World Cup Community Fund), planned giving, and stock donations. The organization is led by President and CEO Gabriele Delmonaco (since February 2015), with a Board of Directors chaired by Robert Iommazzo. Total beneficiaries reached: over 100,000 youth since 1945, with 8,844 direct beneficiaries served in 2025. The organization holds Charity Navigator 4-star rating, Platinum GuideStar/Candid transparency seal, and UN ECOSOC consultative status.

Name

a chance in life

Legal name

A Chance In Life

Website

https://achanceinlife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

A Chance In Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1945 that delivers education, nutrition, healthcare, and leadership development programs to at-risk youth across 14 countries through 39 local partner organizations, plus a direct-service US community center, The Village, on Staten Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAD

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAAAOAD

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Workforce Development Initiatives

SECONDARYBPAGADAK

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAAAFAN

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

Keywords

• Youth development services
• Nonprofit education programs
• Youth leadership training
• Community support services
• Humanitarian youth programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individual donors through online platforms, checks, and recurring monthly/quarterly gifts via the Sustainer's Circle program.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Partnerships with corporations providing programmatic grants, in-kind support, general operating support, and event sponsorships. Current sponsors include Fiserv, MainlineRPT, Caritas Pro Vitae Gradu Charitable Trust, and others.
3. Annual Gala Events: Major fundraising events including the annual New York Gala (81st annual in 2026) and San Francisco Ball, raising significant funds through ticket sales, table purchases, and donations. 2025 NY Gala raised over $682,000.
4. Institutional Grants: Grants from foundations and organizations such as the Victoria's Secret & Co. Foundation ($10,000 for Youth Leadership Workshop), Con Edison ($15 million grant program), and NYC FIFA World Cup Community Fund.
5. Planned Giving: Legacy giving options including IRA designations, donor-advised funds, and bequests through wills.
6. Stock Donations: Acceptance of appreciated stock donations which provide tax advantages by avoiding capital gains taxes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

A Chance In Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers education, leadership development, nutrition, healthcare, and community support services to at-risk children and youth globally. Its core direct-service offering is The Village, a drop-in youth center on Staten Island's North Shore, complemented by international programs delivered through grants to 39 partner organizations across 14 countries. All services are organized around the proprietary Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework integrated with the original Self-Government model.

Product overview

A Chance In Life is a nonprofit organization (not a technology company) that operates a unified portfolio of youth development programs. The core offering is Positive Youth Development (PYD), an approach that empowers children and young people through five core principles: Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, and Caring/Compassion. The organization's primary US-based program is The Village in Staten Island, which serves as a hub for youth empowerment, community support, and collaborative work. Key programs include the Youth Leadership Workshop, Village Success Academy (workforce development), English For Life (ESL), The ArtPreneur Institute (creative entrepreneurship), The Village Free Market (food security), Access Support Network, Voices For Youth Development forums, and the Wings to Neverland podcast. The organization also partners with local organizations in 14 countries worldwide to support at-risk children and youth through education, nutrition, healthcare, and leadership training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Village: A Chance In Life's first US-based drop-in youth center in Staten Island, NYC, offering youth development programs, community resources, and Positive Youth Development forums.

Products and services

• The Village

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 youth impacted since 1945; 8,844 direct beneficiaries in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Equity for ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint production of 'In First Person' documentary series foregrounding dignity, resilience, and aspirations of immigrant families in New York City. Partnership combines research and policy lens with direct community service experience.
• CSI/CUNY (College of Staten Island)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for English For Life ESL program - seasonal 10-week course offered three times weekly for immigrant youth and adults at The Village.
• NYC Service / Youth Action 50 (YA50)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitywide initiative empowering young people to identify challenges and develop solutions through service, leadership, and civic action. A Chance In Life participated through Homebound Pantry Delivery initiative.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit serving young adults aged 18-24 from low-income backgrounds. Comparable to A Chance In Life's Village Success Academy (ages 16-24) in workforce-readiness focus.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit providing college access and career advising to first-generation students from low-income backgrounds. Overlaps with A Chance In Life's college/career-readiness youth programming.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Defense Fund: National child advocacy organization focused on policies affecting at-risk children and youth. Comparable in advocacy and direct-service blend supporting marginalized youth.
• Catholic Charities USA: National umbrella for Catholic social service agencies providing youth, family, and community programs. Comparable faith-based origin and broad at-risk-youth service delivery.

Direct peers

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National federation providing youth development programming for at-risk youth across 4,000+ club locations. Most directly comparable as a multi-site, donor-funded nonprofit serving marginalized youth with education and leadership programs.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Mentoring-focused nonprofit pairing at-risk youth with adult mentors, with a national affiliate network. Highly comparable to A Chance In Life's PYD framework and positive youth development orientation.
• Covenant House: Faith-based nonprofit serving youth experiencing homelessness and trafficking across 33 cities in the US, Canada, and Latin America. Directly comparable in mission, faith-based origin, and multi-country at-risk youth services.
• Harlem Children's Zone: NYC-based nonprofit operating a comprehensive pipeline of education, social services, and youth development programs in a defined high-poverty geography — closely mirrors A Chance In Life's The Village model on Staten Island.
• Children's Aid Society: NYC-based nonprofit providing integrated services including youth development, education, and family support across multiple sites. Comparable in operating model and target geography.
• International Youth Foundation: Global nonprofit working in 100+ countries to improve education and workforce pathways for young people. Highly comparable international youth development peer with similar multi-country partner model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/achance_inlife
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@achanceinlife
• Facebookfacebook.com/achanceinlife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/achanceinlife-org
• Instagraminstagram.com/achanceinlife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about a chance in life