In 1945, Mayor William O'Dwyer pledged "100% support" to the PAL program. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, PAL began hiring social workers to assist with the treatment of troubled youngsters. In 1949, PAL created the Placement Division to help young people find jobs, in addition to providing vocational guidance. During the 1950s, PAL athletes  captured the Golden Gloves and completed in the Helsinki Summer Olympics in 1952, and in the Melbourne Olympics of 1956.