We Are Devoted to Leading Individuals Toward a Better Future

Chance For Life (CFL) was founded in 1992 by Tom Adams who enlisted the help of Jessica Taylor to develop and deliver the CFL curriculum to MDOC (Michigan Department of Justice) inmates. Both Mr. Adams and Ms. Taylor visit nine (9) correctional facilities across the state providing oversight for the CFL's programs inside the facilities along with educating those that are returning to the community about the services offered by CFL outside the facilities.

Mr. Tom Adams

President

The Man Behind the CFL Vision

Thomas J. Adams is a native Detroiter and graduate of Tuskegee University with more than thirty (30) years of experience as a senior manager.

As the President of CFL, Mr. Adams earned the 2009 Dahlberg Peace Award presented by the American Baptist Churches USA. He received this award for the incomparable services he and his team provided to the Michigan Department of Justice for more than twenty (20) years.

A man in suit and tie sitting at table with papers.

Mr. Adams has also had a significant and lasting impact on the greater Detroit community. These achievements include:

Appointed by Governor Rick Snyder to the Michigan Appellate Defender Commission in 2013; Reappointed in 2016
Appointed to the Board of Directors for Crime Stoppers of Southeastern Michigan in 2014
The Director of Detroit Operations for Both of Governor Snyder’s Campaigns
Appointed by the Wayne County Commission to the Detroit Substance Use Disorder Oversight Policy Board
Appointed as a Board Member to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) in 2017
Recognized as one of the Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence in 2011
A Lifetime Member of the NAACP and a Member of the National Baptist Convention

Additionally, Mr. Adams has served as the President of the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE – Detroit Chapter), and a past board member of the Detroit Chamber of Commerce, Homes for Black Children and the Todd Phillips Children’s Home.

Jessica Taylor

Executive Director

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Jessica Taylor is a successful business professional, engaging public speaker and dynamic community leader. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Chance For Life Organization, a 501c3 Agency targeting returning citizens, their families and other at-risk individuals. She also has an extensive background in public service, mediation and the criminal justice system. Previously, she was the Assistant to the Director of Training at Wayne State University's Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, and was directly involved in the implementation of Peer Mediation Programs in the Detroit Public School System. Later, she was hired as the Mediation Center Coordinator and Volunteer Recruiter for the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), where she and her team was among the first to set up Mediation Centers in three (3) Detroit Police Precincts ( including the 7^th, 9^th, 11^th precincts), and the City of Highland Park. Her responsibilities also included recruiting and training community volunteers to effectively manage the day-to-day operations of a Community Dispute Resolution Center. Jessica received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornerstone University.

Boards and Commissions:

Mental Health Diversion Council, Gubernatorial appointment in 2020 for a term of four years.

Meet Our Team

Our team is the reason behind the success of CFL. It is dedicated to providing the best experience possible for our program participants and families.