Planting Seeds of Change: How Jason Cockburn’s Second Chance Foundation is Making a Difference
Addiction and homelessness continue to have a serious impact on our community, and Leadership Snohomish County grad Jason Cockburn is doing something about it. With 25 years of homelessness experience, starting when he was a child, he knows a thing or two about living on the streets. He is using his experience and voice to help others.
In 2016, along with Kyle Von Stroberg, he founded the Second Chance Foundation, which now stands as a beacon of hope and transformation for those seeking a fresh start. At the heart of the Second Chance Foundation's mission is a commitment to bringing hope and support to individuals and their loved ones battling addiction. They're on a mission to make a difference in the lives of formerly incarcerated and homeless individuals ready to take a new path in life.
Thriving is the objective, and Second Chance provides scholarships to carefully screened applicants and works to craft a plan that may include treatment, mentorship and education to kickstart members to reach their goals.
Second Chance is committed to serving the community in various ways. For instance, the organization opens its doors to provide a cooling shelter for those in need. Second Chance also advocates for the unhoused community by speaking up against government decisions they believe negatively impact the population, such as the no-sit, no-lie policy and the 30-day mandatory minimum rule. They also work well collaborating with Volunteers of America Western Washington, Snohomish County Mutual Aid, Victim Support Services, and Fallen Brothers for Mutual Aid, just to name a few.
Funded with individual donations and a pandemic grant from Snohomish County, Second Chance impacted the lives of 26,400 people last year in a real way. On Christmas Day alone, 129 people went through their hall, and 214 were reached on the street to get food, sleeping bags and warm weather gear. With Mr. and Mrs. Claus at hand, they drove to impact 76 families at Christmas.
Jason was recently appointed to the Partnership to End Homelessness with the Snohomish County Human Services team to represent persons with lived experience around homelessness.
We recently saw a meme wondering how much worse the world will get this year. Someone replied they knew there would be flowers. Why? Because they were planting seeds. Let’s all help Jason plant seeds in 2024. Planting seeds can be as simple as sharing this information with others. Or if you are able, donations are always very welcome. Learn more about the Second Chance Foundation here.
