Second Chance Week was started in California in 1997 by the Local Government Commission (LGC) of Sacramento, with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.   Second Chance Week is a grass-roots public awareness campaign held in October to promote reuse, repair, resale and donation opportunities. During Second Chance Week, reuse businesses, local governments, non-profits, schools, and others work together to hold activities that help give used items that might otherwise be thrown away a "second chance." As a result of the campaign, new life is given to tons of reusable goods and materials, such as clothing, toys, furniture, computers, and building supplies. It’s still going strong in California.

For more information, check out the website at:  www.choose2reuse.org   There you will find FREE tools and resources for effectively coordinating local reuse promotions and other activities during Second Chance Week and year-round.  Below, find some examples of events held or programs promoted during California's Second Chance Week:

In Oakland, city officials worked with the local reuse community to develop a comprehensive directory to local reuse opportunities, listing over 200 local businesses and non-profit organizations where residents can buy, sell, consign, trade, rent, repair, and donate reusable goods. Over 50,000 directories were distributed during Second Chance Week in the Oakland Tribune.

Escalon held its eighth annual citywide yard sale in October 2000. To hold a sale, families (and a few organizations) pay a $5 fee to the City to cover the cost of regional advertising, producing maps with all sale locations, and the rental of portable toilets for visitors. Visitors are encouraged to stop by City Hall, where the Chamber of Commerce sells donuts and coffee, to pick up free maps, sale directories, lists of local eateries, and information about other city events.

Sacramento's KXTV, in cooperation with The Salvation Army, Gottschalks Department Stores, Swansons Cleaners and Cal Expo, incorporates reuse and community outreach by annually holding a "Coats For Kids' Sake" winter coat drive.  Used coats are collected, cleaned, then organized and prepared for distribution throughout the Central Valley.  In eight years, more than 100,000 coats have been collected and dispersed.

Humboldt County creates four hundred identical handmade puzzles, and distributes the 3,600 pieces between fourteen local reuse/repair shops and the local recycling center/materials exchange program. Visitors to the stores and center choose a random puzzle piece each time they visit. Once they collect a complete puzzle, they win a small prize. At the end of the promotion period, a grand prize drawing is awarded from among the earlier winners.

C.U.R.A. is a community-based residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation program in Fremont, California.  C.U.R.A. works with BFI to precede the waste hauling truck on bulky item pick up days throughout the city. C.U.R.A.'s truck goes before the waste hauler and collects items that it wants and delivers them to the store front operation where they are repaired (if necessary) and resold.

The Youth Employment Partnership is doing providing youth education to the economically disadvantaged through deconstruction.  They harvest reusable materials from former naval warehouses slated for demolition by the Port of Oakland. In a recent project it helped divert an estimated 800 tons of demolition wastes from landfill, including over 800,000 board feet of construction grade lumber for sale and use by Youth Employment Partnership for low and very low income housing construction and rehabilitation in Oakland.

Troy Liggins, a San Gorgonio High School teacher works with his students to obtain donations of used furniture which they refurbish and then redistribute to needy area families. Students experience the joy of helping others, and furniture that is unwanted but repairable gets a second chance in an appreciative home.