I Am Second

In 2008 we started as a Dallas-based nonprofit experiment. What would happen if we helped cast a vision of a life lived for something greater? A purpose steeped with God at the center, along with the needs of others. At the time, the rise in online video content was just beginning, and so that's where we started - by telling 20 stories of real people through short films. These were everyday people who could boldly and confidently say "I Am Second" even after earth-shattering personal experiences.

Today we still tell those raw and real stories through more than 130 films. Stories told by actors, athletes, musicians, business leaders, addicts, survivors, our next-door neighbors. Stories from people like you. And now we also share inspiring written content, resources for people to use, coaches people can connect with and more.

I Am Second exists to lift up Jesus in unexpected places using digital, print, social, and other media to help people discover a different way of living. I Am Second reaches those far from God by helping them experience the raw stories of real people who found the unflinching hope of Jesus and connecting them to a community who equips and inspires them to live Second.

Because of the bravery of these people we film, and all those that partner with us, we are able to connect with people throughout North Texas. Nearly everyday we receive personal messages of the impact these stories make in the lives of individuals who are looking for something more. What they find here is hope.

Beyond the online impact, I Am Second is seen locally at events and speaking engagements, and through partnerships with ministries and churches. We seek to be found in unexpected places, where we meet the needs of people looking for hope and direction in today's chaotic world.

We reach people with a unique message and connect them with ways to live a purposeful life following and serving God. North Texas has and continues to respond to this outreach - the result has been a nearly 12-year total of 1.9 million new users from North Texas visiting the I Am Second website, which represents approximately 25% of the current population of North Texas.

Our Needs

We live in crazy times, don't we? From daily virus and vaccination briefings on the one hand, to questions about the newest strains of the virus on the other. Every aspect of our daily lives have been impacted, from sporting events, Broadway shows, movies at a theater, offices and classrooms.

Uncertainty grips everyone. For some, this grows into monsters of fear and anxiety. Despite being more connected than ever, our culture was hit by a loneliness epidemic even before anyone ever heard of the coronavirus.

I Am Second seeks to spread peace instead of panic, confronting fear by bringing hope. People discover us starting with a curious phrase, "I Am Second." They see it on wristbands, social media ads, and at events. It juts out in a world designed for winners. From there they engage with our films, blog, and books that tell the raw stories of both everyday and high profile individuals who put Jesus first. Then they connect with practical Live Second tools, an online community, and a personal Live Second Coach.

Since much of our local face-to-face interaction in 2021 has been interrupted due to COVID-19, I Am Second is leaning even more into online content designed to overcome the walls of social distancing and self-quarantining.

Funds raised through North Texas Giving day will be used to create new programming which includes:

· Short film testimonies (White Chair films)
· New films, blogs, and printed material
· Video and other training material for equipping Live Second coaches that pray with and direct those who request assistance
· Local training sessions for those wishing to serve as coaches or take I Am Second principles to their community
· Providing low cost, easy to use resources for individuals to open up conversations with others (such as wrist bands)
· Partnering with the ministries