ACIL #GivingTuesday toolkit

Giving Tuesday Toolkit

Key Talking Points

Core Focus: Since 1945, A Chance In Life has provided education and leadership training to at-risk and marginalized young people around the world in a unique way. By engaging young people in the process of community building within each of its programs – establishing rules and consequences, electing leadership, and working cooperatively – A Chance In Life’s model (Positive Youth Development) helps young people develop competence, confidence, connection, character and caring.

Impact: A Chance In Life works in 11 countries around the world: Italy, India, Ethiopia, Uganda, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, Palestine and the United States. This year, we will serve 4,500 children and 6000 families through our programs. Each program takes into consideration the specific needs and cultural nuances of the region in which it operates, ensuring that the children who benefit from the programs are uniquely prepared for successful adulthood in the countries they call home.

A Chance In Life Programs

Serving the North Shore of Staten Island

New York City is one of the financial epicenters of the world with tremendous opportunity, but where residents often refer themselves as living in the “forgotten borough,” those issues are more urgent than ever. Staten Island’s North Shore has a poverty rate greater than New York City as a whole, and is home to the most marginalized and underserved youth in the City. Approximately 21% of residents live in poverty with 1 out of 3 children living

Giving Tuesday Toolkit

in poverty, twice the national rate. Among Black and Latinx residents, the poverty rate is 28%. Seventeen percent of youth, aged 16-24 are disconnected from both school and employment. Community Board 1 on Staten Island has a meal gap of over 4 million meals annually, as per Data2Go.nyc, with 13% of residents reporting a lack of eating fruits and vegetables.

In 2021, A Chance In Life opened the doors to itself newest programming initiative - and the first in the United States - to address the urgent unmet needs of our fellow New Yorkers. The Village for New York City, located on Staten Island’s North Shore and named after Il Villaggio at La Repubblica dei Ragazzi, leverages our 75-plus years of successful international programming, utilizes the assets and resources available in the community through existing community-based organizations, and harnesses the power of positive youth development to provide holistic programming to youth and community members. Through after school programming, leadership trainings, workshops, a weekly food pantry program, frequent events and holiday gatherings, volunteer opportunities and more, The Village is bringing a chance in life to New Yorkers in need.

Our Partners in India

A Chance In Life has partnered with seven local organizations across India in 2021, to provide support for children who would otherwise be unable to access education, healthcare, and nutrition. Our Partners have been working for decades with children and young people coming from rural and tribal communities in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat where families live in extreme poverty, and lack access to basic services such as clean water, sufficient food or access to education. Poverty forces these families to bring their children to institutions so their children can have the chance to attend school and complete their education.

Through the support of our donors, A Chance In Life provided these seven organizations with financial resources to offer children a safe place, access to education and opportunities to learn skills and develop as a self-confident and responsible members of their community. Our second focus has been helping young people in rural areas access remote learning during the COVID-19 lockdowns and providing them with cell phones and academic support to help them keep up with their schoolwork.

Giving Tuesday Toolkit

Our Partners in Italy

Our roots are in Italy. After 77 years, we continue working in collaboration with local organizations who empower immigrant children and youth. Our Partners in Italy support youth to rebuild their lives, offering a caring environment where they can learn and grow into responsible citizens.

Our Partners provide a chance in life to children of all genders, many of whom have had experience with the juvenile justice system and for whom education and employment opportunities seem unattainable. We not only ensure their basic needs - food, housing, and medical care - are addressed, but support them while they complete their education and give them access to training and job placement services so they can gain self-sufficiency and independence. From a Positive Youth Development approach, this instills in them the values of responsibility and confidence.

Our Partners in Bolivia

In 2018, A Chance In Life expanded to Latin America and included a number of local organizations as Partners. In Cochabamba, Bolivia, we partner with a local organization that accompanies children and youth who are engaged in labor work and are at risk of dropping out of school. At the drop-in center, children and young adults receive academic support, supplemental scholarships for vocational training and personal development through leadership workshops. The Center also provides family outreach programs to parents to promote the importance of education for their children as in Bolivia, children may legally begin working at the age of ten.

In addition, our partner program provides the youth of Cochabamba with a safe and supportive community. In 2021, all children and young people in Bolivia were attending school in hybrid mode, some days going to school in person and some other days doing remote learning. With the generous support of our donors, A Chance In Life purchased cell phones and internet credit for families who would otherwise have no other way to access the internet and children might have stopped attending online lessons. This Center has developed a wide network of volunteers to provide academic support to children during the COVID-19 lockdowns. A Chance In Life also provided emergency food supplies throughout to the families of the children and youth in Cochabamba.

Our Partners in Mexico

The state of Chihuahua in Mexico deals with an extreme crime rate and high poverty levels, affecting especially indigenous peoples (Tarahumara and Tepehuan) who face environmental and human threats to their existence and way of life. Our Partner in Mexico is a nonprofit organization that serves 40 Tarahumara and Tepehuan boys, who come from remote areas in the mountains (la Sierra). They come from families living in extreme poverty, but especially lack a secure source of nutrition.

Given the lack of clean, reliable food sources, many of the children come to the program with significant medical concerns stemming from malnutrition and other food borne illnesses, so connecting children to medical care and vaccinations is essential. In the program the boys receive access to education, lodging, clothing, psychological care, meals, and technical skill workshops. Beyond covering the students’ basic needs, our Partner also provides parenting skills and offers other educational and supplemental workshops to local families to help them support and care for their children effectively and avoid regional crime.

Our Partners in Ethiopia

Local organizations in the rural community of Emdibir and the city of Addis Ababa provide the most vulnerable children and youth with a chance in life. Our Partner in Emdibir provides access to education to high school girls by offering them housing close to the local high school, provision of leadership development training and supporting the girls on their journeys to university or trade schools. Our Partner in Addis Ababa offers care and educational opportunities to orphaned and vulnerable children through financial support for school supplies, school fees, nutritious meals, safe housing and health care.

Giving Tuesday Toolkit

Ways to support A Chance In Life this #GivingTuesday

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Social Text:

#GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement designed to harness the power of collective action to advance philanthropy and volunteerism. Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference. This #GivingTuesday, learn how you can give your time and your network to give kids A Chance In Life.

Visit: https://www.achanceinlife.org

Social Text:

#GivingTuesday Join this global generosity movement to kick off the holiday season with a day of giving back. Host your awareness event to bring more attention to A Chance In Life and the children we serve. Follow along to get our free toolkit!

Visit: https://www.achanceinlife.org/givingtuesday.html

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