Second Chance Forge

We have had a few great events and the pictures are on the 2CF Facebook page. The next set of free classes will start in May and there is one student slot left! Message Clinton Merritt at [email protected] to sign up.

Individual classes, available to all, are $150 for 3-4 hours. Contact Clinton Merritt at [email protected] for information.

Second Chance Forge (2CF) received 501(c)3 status 05/16/2023.

Second Chance Forge (2CF) is a veteran owned, non-profit company that is focused on helping veterans, their families, and first responders by teaching blacksmithing and forming new friendships. Blacksmithing is an art that is ancient, dangerous, and truly transformative.

Steel objects get used up, especially when they are in highly stressful “jobs.” When they are too worn out to perform that role or when they break, they are often discarded and never thought of again. But they can be reforged into different things with a new purpose, able to function again in a different role. As a disabled veteran, I found this process to translate directly to my own life as I transitioned to a world where combat skills are no longer useful. Also, learning a new skill in addition to the science of metallurgy broke me free from my numbness to the world as I discovered a new passion. Blacksmithing helped me find purpose in the civilian world and 2CF presents that opportunity to others like me.

For steel and people, there is always a second chance.

The mission:

Second Chance Forge provides free classes for active duty military and military veterans as well as first responders to learn blacksmithing skills. The target audience for Second Chance Forge is veterans or active duty of the armed forces and their families.  Preferred clients have experienced PTSD, anxiety, depression, or have reduced social interactions.  Clients also must be physically capable of using a hammer.

If you would like to make a personal donation to help, please use PayPal:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=N94KKCF3A8YPQ

Please visit our Facebook page for other updates: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093959292906 or search Facebook for “Second Chance Forge.”

“This project is supported by Quad City Arts re-granting program Arts Dollars, supported by the Illinois Arts Council Agency, the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, and the Quad Cities Community Foundation – Isabel Bloom Art Education Endowment.”

Solid creations.

When you make something out of steel, it is durable and serves as a constant reminder of what you can do with a little effort. Making something you can use everyday reminds you constantly that you can change the world in small, useful ways.

Because we make things from items that have been discarded, they also serve as a reminder that one rejection does not make anything a failure. For steel and people, there is always a second chance.