Second Chances began its work in 2003, and incorporated and received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation in March 2005. Our programs include a Clothing Donation Program, which began in 2006, and a Community Building Program, which is available on a limited basis and will expand once we have the capacity to connect more local service providers, governments, businesses, and residents to increase volunteerism and local philanthropy. Our service area currently includes the cities of Cambridge and Somerville.

Second Chances' founding members recognized the need for free clothing for people receiving services in our own community, and created a specialized, innovative program to fill that void while developing a way for other community members to volunteer and give locally.

Second Chances' clothing donation program is unique in the way we work almost invisibly through existing service providers, so that the people in need of clothing don't have to go one place for job training and another for benefits counseling and still another for clothing. We make their already difficult lives a little easier by delivering the clothing they need where and when they need it. This allows us to operate more efficiently as well -- we can effectively reach hundreds of people through about 15 local homelessness and social service providers by creating an individualized delivery option with each agency. Second Chances currently serves homeless and lower income people in Cambridge and Somerville, and we hope to eventually build enough capacity to serve people in other Greater Boston communities as well.