Vision
Empowering people to open doors, change lives and strengthen communities.

Mission
Creating opportunities for self-sufficiency by providing job readiness training, employment placement, affordable housing and life skills for homeless and unemployed men, women and youth.

Board Members
Chair
Greg Markow, Esq.
HECHT, SOLBERG, ROBINSON, GOLDBERG & BAGLEY LLP

Past Chair
Ray Ellis
BUSINESS CONSULTANT

Vice Chair
Jeffrey Silberman
CARLETON MANAGEMENT, INC.

Treasurer
Bennet Greenwald
THE GREENWALD COMPANY

Secretary
Sarena Talbert
SEYMOUR FINANCIAL, INC.

Ex-Officio
Jacob Slania, Esq.
KIRBY NOONAN LANCE & HOGE LLP

Gordon Cooke
THE BRIDGES AT RANCHO SANTA FE

Mitch Dubick
HIGGS FLETCHER & MACK LLP

Roi Ewell
SEAWORLD

Raymond Gallagher, CPA
LAVINE, LOFGREN, MORRIS & ENGLEBERG

Elizabeth Gibson
LEE HECHT HARRISON

Bill Hahn
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER

Marianne Nelson
WELLS FARGO BANK

Regina Nolte-Ware
SAN DIEGO DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP
STRIVE Alumna – Class 82

Cynthia Olmstead
TRUSTWORKS GROUP, INC.

Advisory Board Members
Anita Crandall
Warden Robert Hernandez
Robert Ito
Mike Kirkeby
Judy McDonald
David Minton
Jason Shidler
Cecil Steppe
Richard Taylor

At age 18, Myron went to prison where he spent the next 18 years. He had a drug problem, and he liked to steal cars. These behaviors resulted in Myron being incarcerated at some of California's toughest prisons including San Quentin. When he got out of prison in May 2005 Myron realized that he was coming back to a different world. Somewhere in those 18 years, he decided he didn't want to go back to prison again. So he avoided the drugs, worked with his parole officer and "did what I was supposed to do." Two months after he was released from prison, Myron was sent to Second Chance as part of his drug program.

The Second Chance STRIVE program helped him figure out how to write a resume and approach employers. He learned how to present himself so he would get hired. "I was so ghetto. I had to learn how to talk to people, how to present myself, how to dress." He says, "It was good to be around people who had the same goals. The staff pushed me and had faith in me. This was a home away from home." While at Second Chance, he used many of the services offered including the mental health counseling services, and he continues to return frequently. "I always come back because there are people to talk to, to listen to me, give me input, encouragement and feedback." He has also reached out to try new things to help him keep on the right track including meditation and yoga classes.

Myron got a job soon after graduation, and has been steadily employed for the last three years. He is currently a lead cook at Denny's. He also volunteers with a local group to talk to kids about prison, gangs and drugs. "I like to keep busy. I'm always working because I'm focused on what I want to do. I'm still working on coming back to society. If I slow down, it would be easy to go back into my old gang bang mode. I stay away from my old neighborhood because I know I would have problems if I went back. So Second Chance has become my second family."

"Its hard to change but I did it. My parole officer says he's proud of me." Second Chance is proud of him too.

On September 6, 2008 Second Chance will be Celebrating 15 Years of Success at its third annual gala. Join us to honor successful graduates like Myron, the employers who hire them, and the supporters and friends of Second Chance. Enjoy a delicious catered dinner al fresco, hear motivational speaker Troy Evans and Second Chance Executive Director Scott H. Silverman and dance to the sounds of Stage 4 at the beautiful Marina Embarcadero South.

The last two months have brought several special visitors and events to Second Chance. On May 16, 2008, the keynote speaker for the graduation of class 119 was California State Senator Christine Kehoe, 39th district. Sheriff William Kolender also spoke. Councilmember Brian Maienschein, District 5, delivered a $75,000 ceremonial check for the City of San Diego community development block grant funds awarded to Second Chance, and Cathy Patoff from Union Bank of California presented a $25,000 check as the event sponsor of the Community Job & Resource Fair and Adopt-A-House.

The afternoon of May 16 continued with the Second Chance Community Job & Resource Fair. The event brought 50 employers and community service agencies to Second Chance along with 300 members of the community and Second Chance graduates. Although the afternoon was warm, both participants and employers were satisfied with the results as they explored job opportunities and available services.

The morning of May 17 brought together more than 200 community volunteers, Second Chance sober living residents and Second Chance staff and board members for Adopt-A-House 2008. All eight sober living homes received new paint and landscaping to maintain their unique places in their neighborhoods and to ensure their proper upkeep.

Second Chance thanks the major sponsors for the Community Job & Resource Fair and Adopt-A-House including: Union Bank of California, The California Endowment, Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, Wells Fargo, Shell Energy, the Ellis Family Foundation, Karen & Jeffrey Silberman Family Fund, Potiker Family Foundation, Al & Naomi R. Eisman Fund, San Diego Firefighters Local 145, SeaWorld, Sony Electronics, Sid's Carpet Barn and many others.

In June, Kathy Jett, the Undersecretary for Programs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, visited Second Chance. District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, Deputy District Attorney Damon Mosler, and Jessica Silverman, STRIVE Graduate Class #37 all spoke at the graduation for class 120 on June 20.