The Nonprofit San Diego Second Chance Program Empowers Formerly Justice-Involved Alumni by Selling Their Artwork as NFTs
Second Chance Hosted a Day of Creating NFT Art with the Local Start Up The Impact Collective
San Diego, CA- Second Chance hosted its first Alumni Art Day to provide an opportunity for its graduates who have been impacted by addiction, incarceration, or homelessness, to create art that will be eligible and turned into marketable NFTs. The event took place on Thursday, August 4th, 2022 from 3pm – 7pm at Second Chance’s headquarters in South San Diego.
San Diego City Council President pro Tem and District 4 Representative Monica Montgomery Steppe attended the event and said, “Second Chance is a beacon of hope and opportunity for individuals across the region who are rebuilding their lives after the impact of incarceration. This innovative partnership with The Impact Collective further bolsters and diversifies their programming by empowering their alumni to express their creativity and turn it into a profitable NFT.”
Second Chance teamed up with local start-up The Impact Collective, which specializes in helping non-profits raise money through NFT art. Alumni were able to participate in other art projects such as acrylic paint pours, creating sculptures, and digital art.
“We are so honored to host Second Chance’s first art day to connect and celebrate our alumni and give them an opportunity to express their unique voice,” Bill Payne, CEO of San Diego Second Chance said. “This chance to connect art investors directly with the formerly incarcerated made me very interested in securing a partnership with The Impact Collective and ultimately to help our alumni sell their work as NFTs. As a non-profit, we are always looking for innovative fundraising methods to keep our reentry and job-training programs running for formerly incarcerated individuals.”
The Impact Collective will be selling the NFT art online in September. The majority of the proceeds from this event will go to support the Second Chance Program, which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year.
“We are honored to partner with Second Chance to support its anti-recidivism efforts,” Neil Senturia, CEO of The Impact Collective said. “The alumni of Second Chance today created art that reflects their vulnerability, bravery, and creativity and will be great additions to the vibrant NFT community.”
Tony Concep, an artist who frequently turns his work into NFTs, taught and assisted alumni of Second Chance programs in a mixed media technique, including drawing, collage, and stencil.
“As an artist who understands the power and potential of NFTs, I believe that the partnership between Second Chance and The Impact Collective serves as a template for how NFTs can be an innovative tool to support the vital work of nonprofits,” Tony Concep said. “By expanding access to NFTs, we are uplifting individuals to unlock their creative potential and participate in a highly profitable and new frontier of art.”
More about San Diego Second Chance: Second Chance’s mission is to disrupt the cycles of incarceration and poverty by helping people find their way to self-sufficiency. To fight recidivism and promote well-being, Second Chance hosts a variety of programs including job training and access to mental health and substance abuse treatment.
More about The Impact Collective: An NFT purchased through The Impact Collective, a San Diego software company, has an immediate and direct impact on a nonprofit and an artist. By merging the popularity of NFT’s with an accessible marketplace where payment can be made with a regular credit card, The Impact Collective helps nonprofits raise funds for vital social justice projects.