Song for Charlie

What Song for Charlie does

Song for Charlie is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity founded in May 2020 by Ed Ternan and Mary Ternan after the death of their son Charlie from a counterfeit Percocet pill laced with fentanyl. Headquartered in Pasadena, California, the organization is 100% donor funded and operates with a small staff of approximately 15 people. Its mission is fentanyl awareness and counterfeit pill prevention, delivered primarily through educational media and curricula targeted at youth, parents, schools, and communities across the United States.

The organization's core products are educational resources rather than commercial technology. These include "Real Talk About Fake Pills," a documentary-style film; "The New Drug Talk," a parent-facing educational course; "La Nueva Drug Talk," a Spanish-language adaptation of the parent course; a Peer-to-Peer youth program; and supporting toolkits for schools and families. The underlying "technology" is conventional media production and curriculum design, with reach extended through digital partnerships and in-person school adoptions rather than through proprietary platforms.

Song for Charlie's business model is donation-driven rather than revenue-generating: educational content is provided at no cost to schools, families, and community organizations, and operating expenses are covered entirely by charitable contributions. Distribution is achieved through institutional partnerships — California DHCS, Trillium Community Health Plan, Ad Council, Snapchat, Meta, and Walmart — and through direct adoption by large school systems including the Los Angeles Unified School District and Oregon schools. The organization has earned the GuideStar Transparency Seal, signaling operational credibility to donors and partners.

Name

Song for Charlie

Legal name

Song for Charlie, Inc.

Website

https://songforcharlie.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Song for Charlie is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 that delivers free fentanyl awareness and counterfeit-pill prevention education to youth, parents, and schools through films, parent courses, and peer programs in English and Spanish.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drug Prevention Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health & Substance Use Program Funding (Public Health) (HLAJALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Teen/Young Adult Educational Nonfiction (College/Career, Health, Civics) (EDAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Fentanyl education
• Drug prevention programs
• Youth health education
• Substance abuse prevention
• Nonprofit education resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Donations: Song for Charlie is 100% donor funded. Accepts one-time donations and monthly recurring donations from individuals. All programs and materials are provided free of charge.
2. Government Grants: Support from government entities including California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and Oregon state programs. Resources covered for schools in California and Oregon.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Song for Charlie is a national nonprofit that produces and distributes free educational films, curricula, online courses, and outreach toolkits focused specifically on the dangers of fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills. The organization targets teens, young adults, parents/caregivers, and educators through peer-led programs, bilingual resources, and state-funded regional programs in California and Oregon. All materials are provided at no cost to schools, families, and community organizations.

Product overview

Song for Charlie is a national family-run nonprofit charity that operates as an educational content platform focused on fentanyl awareness and prevention. The organization offers a portfolio of educational programs and resources rather than a single unified product. Core offerings include the 'Real Talk About Fake Pills' 20-minute film for teens, 'The New Drug Talk' course for parents/caregivers, and 'La Nueva Drug Talk' for Spanish-speaking communities. These are supported by various toolkits including the Awareness Toolkit (posters, flyers, stickers), Educator Package (curriculum materials), Provider Toolkit, and Faith Community Toolkit. The organization also runs the 'Peer-to-Peer Fentanyl Education Program' for student-led initiatives and manages National Fentanyl Awareness Day. Regional programs include The New Drug Talk Oregon and The New Drug Talk California, funded by state health departments. The company is 100% donor-funded and does not appear to offer any AI-powered features, APIs, or technical integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The New Drug Talk: An accessible and convenient fentanyl education course for parents and caregivers to have constructive conversations about the new chemical drug landscape with their children.
• La Nueva Drug Talk
• Real Talk About Fake Pills
• The New Drug Talk Oregon
• The New Drug Talk California

Products and services

• Real Talk About Fake Pills A 20-minute educational film for teens and young adults designed to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and fake prescription pills, featuring real teens and medical experts.
• The New Drug Talk An accessible and convenient online fentanyl education course that helps parents and caregivers connect with their children to have constructive conversations about the new chemical drug landscape, with flexible self-paced sections.
• La Nueva Drug Talk Spanish-language version of The New Drug Talk program designed for Latino families to discuss fentanyl dangers and safety in a culturally relevant way.
• La Estrella A bilingual narrative short film rooted in the lived realities of Latino families affected by mental health struggles and fake prescription pills, inviting audiences into a conversation about grief, safety, and community healing.
• Peer-to-Peer Fentanyl Education Program A program providing resources, tips, and support to help youth lead fentanyl awareness initiatives on their campus, designed for middle school, high school, or college students.
• School and Community Program Educational outreach program bringing fentanyl awareness to schools and communities, including presentation templates, assembly guidance, and educator training.
• The New Drug Talk California California-specific version of The New Drug Talk with state resources, programs, and partnerships, made possible with support from the California Department of Health Care Services.
• The New Drug Talk Oregon Oregon-specific version of The New Drug Talk with local resources, programs, and partnerships, delivered in partnership with Trillium Community Health Plan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83% of teens reported being less likely to misuse pills after learning about the risks of fake pills through SFC's educational approach
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, gold and silver.

• California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partnership providing funding and support for The New Drug Talk California program. Makes free fentanyl education resources available to California schools and communities.
• Trillium Community Health PlancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon state partner supporting The New Drug Talk Oregon program. Provides funding and support for local fentanyl education tailored to Oregon communities.
• SnapchatgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner providing social media platform presence and marketing support for fentanyl awareness campaigns targeting youth audiences.
• Ad CouncilgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner supporting public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives about fentanyl dangers.
• WalmartgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner providing funding and corporate support for nonprofit mission and programs.
• Meta (Facebook)silverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver partner providing social media platform access and marketing support for awareness campaigns.
• AdaptgoldOthersGold partner supporting organization programs and initiatives.
• BreakwatergoldOthersGold partner supporting organization programs and initiatives.
• Emergent BioSolutionsgoldOthersGold partner providing support for organization mission focused on protecting lives from opioids.
• Columbia Pacific CCOsilverStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon coordinated care organization partner supporting local health initiatives and fentanyl education.
• ABC TVsilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver media partner supporting public awareness and educational content distribution.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Shatterproof: National nonprofit focused on substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery. Comparable mission of reducing addiction deaths through education, advocacy, and family support, with a similar reliance on donations and corporate partnerships.
• Above the Influence: Youth-targeted substance-use prevention campaign historically backed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Comparable teen-focused messaging and digital-first distribution strategy.
• Partnership to End Addiction: Family-focused nonprofit addressing addiction, with strong parent/caregiver education resources and school-based programs. Directly comparable as a donor-funded organization supporting families affected by substance use.
• Truth Initiative: Large public-health nonprofit running youth-focused anti-substance-use education campaigns with significant digital and media budgets. Comparable youth engagement model and school/community outreach, but at far larger scale.
• Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD): Youth-led organization equipping students to address risky behaviors including substance use. Operates a similar peer-to-peer model in middle schools, high schools, and colleges, with comparable school-district distribution.
• D.A.R.E. America: Long-standing drug-education nonprofit delivering curricula in K-12 schools nationwide. The most established direct competitor in school-based drug prevention, with deeper school-district penetration but broader (less fentanyl-specific) focus.
• Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA): National membership organization supporting community-based drug prevention coalitions. Comparable in providing curricula, training, and toolkits to schools and community groups for substance use prevention.

Emerging players

• Alexander Neville Foundation: Smaller fentanyl-awareness nonprofit similarly founded by a bereaved family. Directly comparable in origin story, mission focus on fake pills/fentanyl, and youth-education orientation — a small-scale peer competing for similar donor dollars.

Broad incumbents

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Federal agency within NIH that produces authoritative drug-education materials for schools, parents, and teens. A much larger incumbent whose free NIDA-developed curricula compete directly with Song for Charlie in school adoption decisions.
• DEA 'One Pill Can Kill' Campaign: Federal Drug Enforcement Administration awareness campaign specifically targeting fake pills and fentanyl. Highly comparable mission and target audience, with effectively unlimited government-funded distribution reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SongforCharlie
• YouTubeyoutube.com/songforcharlie
• Facebookfacebook.com/songforcharlie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/song-for-charlie
• Instagraminstagram.com/song4charlie
• TikToktiktok.com/@songforcharlie
• Pinterestpinterest.com/songforcharlie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Song for Charlie