As the first—and only—drama therapy organization in the United States, 2nd Act has spent 40 years using theater practices to prevent substance use, support recovery, and help people rewrite their stories.
Drama therapy is an evidence-based clinical practice that uses storytelling, role play, and performance to help individuals build mental health skills, process trauma, and sustain recovery.
Our programs have reached over 1 million people, and demand continues to grow. Funding has not kept pace.
We are raising $100,000 in bridge funding to continue operations and launch our next chapter. Your support helps us continue to provide the trauma-informed prevention education that schools desperately need, and the clinical support that recovery centers rely on.
In the past year:
- School requests increased 35%
- We expanded across recovery centers in Boston and Rhode Island
- More communities than ever are relying on our work - for example, in 2025, we served over 3,500 individuals, compared to 2,700 in 2024
2nd Act has always prioritized accessibility and delivery. But like many nonprofits, we’re facing a widening gap as funding becomes more limited and slower to arrive.
Without near-term support:
- Schools lose critical prevention programming
- Recovery centers lose a unique therapy model
- Artists in recovery lose a vital creative community
Over the past three months, our board has taken decisive action by strengthening financial controls and oversight to build a more disciplined, transparent operating model. We’ve completed a strategic review and made hard decisions about where we have the greatest impact. The result: 2nd Act is in a moment of significant transition. Bridge funding will allow us to sustain core programs while executing a focused, sustainable path forward. Every dollar helps stabilize operations and sustain programs.
So, how can you help?
Please donate: Whether it is $20 or $20,000, every single dollar goes directly to keeping our doors open so our staff and artists can keep working. $50 helps to provide supplies for a social-emotional learning workshop series. $200 covers an individual drama therapy session for a peer support worker. $750 covers costs for one drama therapy group or SEL workshop. $2,000 brings a prevention play to a school in need. $5,000 provides funds for a 6-week series. And so on. Truly, every dollar counts.
Share: we need you to be our megaphone. Everyone knows someone affected by substance use disorder, and networks are powerful tools for support.
For 40 years, 2nd Act has helped people find their voice and their second chance. Now we’re asking for ours. Help give 2nd Act its second act. Thank you.
Organizer
2nd Act Org, Inc.
Beneficiary