News

2022 Impact Report

Learn more about the impact we've had together! Get our 2022 Impact Report here (pdf) »

Fall 2022 Community Report

Download our Community Report here (pdf) »

Spring Refresh 2022: Results and Photos

It was wonderful to reconnect and celebrate our community in May at Warehouse XI in Union Square, Somerville.

Thank you to everyone who made our once-in-seven-years event a huge success! Photos and results (here) »

E-newsletter

Get our monthly e-newsletters below! To receive occasional e-newsletters and event invitations by email, sign up here.

Cummings Foundation grant

We're thrilled to have been selected by the Cummings Foundation for a five-year $100,000 grant in 2021. Read more here (pdf) »

Seeking clothing drive hosts

We're deeply grateful to our generous clothing drive hosts below. Want to host a clothing drive? Get more information here »

2023 clothing drive results

• Cambridge Matignon School - 505 pounds
• Elements Massage - 286 pounds
• Gibson Sotheby's International Realty - 2,194 pounds
• Kimpton Marlowe Hotel - 104 pounds

2022 clothing drive results

• Abcam - 1,031 pounds
• Arlington Community Center - results soon
• Avalon at Assembly Row and AVA Somerville - 1,709 pounds
• AVA North Point - 595 pounds
• The Batch Yard, Bozzuto Management Company, Everett - 833 pounds
• Brickbottom Artists Building, Somerville - 1,662 pounds this year
• The Cambridge Matignon School - 616 pounds
• Camelot Court Apartments - 542 pounds
• Casma Therapeutics - 514 pounds
• Coldwell Banker Realty - 1,453 pounds
• Devonshire Residences, Bozzuto Management Company, Boston - 2,208 pounds (spring) and 1,456 pounds (winter)
• Elan Union Market, Graystar Properties, Watertown - 567 pounds
• Elements Massage, Medford - 165 pounds of coats and winter wear
• EY - Parthenon - 369 pounds
• Finch Therapeutics - 364 pounds (spring) and 473 pounds (fall)
• Gentibio - 63 pounds
• Gibson Sotheby's International Realty - 1,456 pounds
• Greentown Labs - 395 pounds (spring) and 502 pounds (fall)
• Hebrew Senior Life, Center Communities of Brookline - 312 pounds (spring) and 669 pounds (fall)
• Hillman Homes - 1,510 pounds
• Homology Medicines/Oxford Biomedica Solutions - 2,403 pounds
• Iota Chi Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity at Boston University - 560 pounds
• Junior League of Boston - 990 pounds
• Kimpton Marlowe Hotel, Cambridge - 49 pounds
• Mudflat Pottery School - 2,892 pounds
• One First Condominium, Cambridge - 1,521 pounds
• Paperless Parts - 161 pounds
• PUMA - 693 pounds
• Roberts Elementary School, Medford - 75 bags
• Rockland Trust, Somerville branches - 1,689 pounds
• Signature Flight Support - 467 pounds
• Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services - 1,489 pounds
• Temple Isaiah, Lexington - 1,246 pounds
• The Village at Taylor Pond, Bozzuto Management Company, Bedford - 473 pounds
• Wellesley Hills Congregational Church - 846
• YWCA, Cambridge - 133 pounds

Thank you to everyone who has coordinated and participated in a clothing drive - we are grateful for your generosity and enthusiasm!

Current newsletters

2022 newsletters: November, October, June, Spring Refresh Thank You, Spring Refresh Invitation, Earth Day, March, and February. Sign up here to receive occasional e-newsletters and event invitations in your inbox.

News archives

2021 newsletters: mid-December, November, May, Earth Day, March.

2020 newsletters: mid-December, early December, October, September, late April, Earth Day, April, February, and January.

2019 newsletters: early December, late November, early November, October, mid-September, early September, early June, May, April, March, February.

Community reports: Fall 2022 (pdf), Fall 2021 (pdf), Fall 2020 (pdf), Fall 2019 (pdf), Summer/Fall 2017 (pdf), Spring 2016 (pdf), Fall 2014 (pdf), and Spring 2012 (pdf). Special thanks to our volunteers: Jill Davidson (writing and editing 2017), Mary Todd (graphic design 2016 and 2014), Fiona Crimmins (writing 2016, editing 2016 and 2014), and Jackie Cefola (graphic design 2012).

Other coverage

Our founder and CEO was interviewed by the Somerville Wire in May 2022. Read more »

It was fun to talk about recycling and reusing clothing and textiles on The Wardrobe Muse podcast with Lisa Ann Schraffa Santin of LASS Wardrobe. Listen here »

Our 2020 COVID-19 emergency response grant from Tufts University was featured in The Somerville Times »

What a surprise to be included in Rockland Trust's 2018 Annual Report! That's our CEO, Andrea, receiving a grant check from JJ, the Davis Square Branch Manager. Photo on page 7 »

It was an honor to be featured in Tufts Now in November 2018 during the kick off for Tufts University's employee charitable giving appeal.

Thanks to the Boston Globe for including us in a discussion of curbside textile recycling and its impact on local clothing donation programs in September 2018 »

Second Chances was included among some other terrific organizations in this Boston Mom's Guide blog post in September 2018 »

We're beyond grateful to our colleagues at Vinfen for discussing the impact of the clothing we provide for their clients in their October 2016 newsletter and on their blog! »

Many thanks to our wonderful community partners at Somerville Homeless Coalition for featuring our collaboration to provide free clothing to their homeless and very low-income clients in their fall 2016 newsletter! Read more on page 2 »

Congratulations to Scout Somerville on publishing its 40th issue in July/August 2016! Thank you for featuring our founder and CEO among 40 local leaders who are shaping Somerville's future. Read more on their page 45 »

We loved seeing this May/June 2016 article featuring our work in Spare Change News »

Thanks to Boston Mamas for including us in a terrific January 2015 blog post about helping kids and families in need in our community! There's some great information and wonderful organizations here »

Loved this spring 2014 article on Upward Facing Somerville in the Somerville Beat! Read more »

Our Founder and CEO, Andrea Shapiro, was featured in Smith College's Winter 2010-11 Alumnae Quarterly. Read more here »

Second Chances, Inc.  |  P.O. Box 441328  |  Somerville, Massachusetts 02144-1328
Second Chances reuses and recycles clothing, shoes, and accessories so that homeless and lower-income people feel confident and valued as they take their first steps toward brighter futures and, as a community, we can minimize the amount of apparel going into local landfills. Give funds, donate clothing, or volunteer to help our neighbors in need and our planet!
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