My Life Story (Abridged)- Vincenzo DeVito

I was born in Mola di Bari, Italy. My family immigrated to the US on a ship in 1968. I had just completed 8th grade and started attending the liceo scientifico in the province of Bari. The name of my middle school was Dante Alighari. I was only able to attend the scientifico for 2 months. My family sailed from the port of Naples, and disembarked for American soil in New York on December 22nd 1968.

Our family spent Christmas in my aunt's house in Brooklyn, but on New Year's Day, we took the family to Chicago. My father had an older brother by the name of Bernardo DeVito and wanted to see him again. My father Michele DeVito knew what Chicago was like and preferred Chicago to living in Brooklyn.

My family arrived in Chicago on January 1st 1969. My family spent the next 50 years living in the Chicagoland area. During my college years, I eventually met Dr. Dominic Candeloro who encouraged me to volunteer at Casa Italia. I have been volunteering there for the last 25 years.