About Us

Song for Charlie is a national family-led nonprofit dedicated to providing education about fake prescription pills made with fentanyl and other dangerous substances.

We partner with experts, educators, parents and other influencers to reach the most vulnerable group: young people between the ages 13-24.

Our award-winning, evidence-based programs highlight the emerging dangers of self-medication and casual drug use in today's drug landscape and encourage healthier strategies for coping with stress.

OUR MISSION

Growing up in our fast-paced world is stressful. Song for Charlie is a national family-led, nonprofit that encourages young people to choose healthy coping strategies over self-medication. We empower students to learn and share knowledge by providing award-winning, evidence-based educational programs and promoting peer-to-peer learning resources.

OUR VISION

We envision a future in which the casual use of prescription pills is considered socially unacceptable, and in which sharing random pills is uncool. We endeavor to change the ‘quick fix’ mindset of self-medication in favor of more organic and sustainable strategies for managing stress and anxiety. To accomplish these goals, we must break through the noise and communicate with young people on their terms – go where they are; speak their language; and get them talking.

OUR FOUNDERS

Charlie’s parents are dedicated to informing young adults, parents and educators about counterfeit pills like the one that killed their son in May 2020. Upon Charlie’s death, Ed and Mary were shocked to find that the fake fentapill problem was well known among medical and law enforcement authorities, but not by the most vulnerable group – young people between the ages of 13-24.

The Ternans believe the best way to address the problem is to warn people of the prevalence of fake pills and offer healthier alternatives for managing stress. They are determined to cut through the misinformation that exists about the fentanyl epidemic and provide fact-based resources directly to young people in plain language.

OUR STAFF

Our Board of Directors

Our Advisory Board

Our Partners

Become a Partner

We could not accomplish our critical mission without our generous partners. Song for Charlie is 100% donor-funded and relies on the support of individuals, corporations, foundations, media, and creative agencies working together to ensure we reach even more families and youth across our nation. We are grateful for the leaders from both the public and private sectors who work with us at the local, state, and national level to accomplish our goals and create meaningful impact.

State Partners

A partnership with the California Department of Health Care Services

A partnership with Trillium Community Health Plan

Become a Partner

The New Drug Talk partners with several states to deliver fentanyl educational experiences tailored to the needs of their local communities. If you're interested in partnering with us, reach out.

Gold Partners

Silver Partners

Bronze Partners