2001

"The Quito Street Kids Training Ministry” started as an unofficial ministry of Youth World. Some of the YW staff were burdened by the boys that they saw living on the street and began to offer meals, a change of clothes and a Bible study one or two days a week. Later that year, Gabriel, a young Peruvian Christian who had also spent time on the streets and had been reaching out to younger street kids, heard about what Youth World was doing and asked to partner with what was going on.

2003

Under the leadership of Phil Douce, this outreach to street kids officially became Casa Gabriel, a ministry of Youth World and One Collective with a strong vision of training and discipleship.

2005

Casa Gabriel and property where the full-time boys now reside was purchased. Casa Gabriel began its journey as not only a place to live, but as a program to intentionally train and equip young boys to become ambassadors for Jesus Christ.

2015

Laws and regulations were changing in Ecuador and the state of group homes began to change as a result. So, the Casa Gabriel staff began to re-evaluate the program and the vision. They saw that as young former street boys turned 18 and were pushed out of the child protective system that many returned to the street due to a continued lack of education and family support. They decided to officially make the transition from a home for children to a home for young adults.

2020

Jorge Estévez became the new director of Casa Gabriel and he came with a vision for something much greater than Casa Gabriel could do in their small home.  Jorge began working on partnerships with local churches and in his first year as director opened the first two Holistic Day Centers. These centers allowed them to serve a much wider demographic, ministering to both boys and girls from ages 6-17 and providing the same basic services that are also offered in Casa Gabriel.

2021

Director, Jorge Estévez, along with the support of Youth World leadership changed the official name to Second Chances Ecuador. Still a ministry of Youth World and One Collective, Second Chances Ecuador has a broader mission and vision allowing it to retain the home, Casa Gabriel, as one of its branches and to continue to open new Holistic Day Centers as their own separate branch. Jorge has also began the long process of opening second hand stores, Tiendas de Second Chances, that will help to make Second Chances Ecuador more self-sustainable while also providing much needed jobs in the communities in which they serve.