Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo was an Italian priest and theologian born in 1786 in Bra. After being ordained in 1811, he served as a canon in Turin, where he dedicated his personal income to supporting the impoverished. Inspired by the life of Vincent de Paul, he shifted his focus toward charitable works to assist those rejected by traditional hospitals. He eventually established the Little House of Divine Providence, an institution designed to care for the most vulnerable members of society.