July 21, 2020
Fresh Start Women’s Foundation is pleased to announce their receipt of a grant totaling $125,000 from Thunderbirds Charities which allows Fresh Start to expand their Family Law Support Services and begin to begin construction on the new Thunderbirds Charities Family Law Support Center.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(PHOENIX, AZ) – Fresh Start Women’s Foundation is pleased to announce their receipt of a grant totaling $125,000 from Thunderbirds Charities which allows Fresh Start to expand their Family Law Support Services. These funds have made it possible for Fresh Start to begin construction on the new Thunderbirds Charities Family Law Support Center which is located within the Jewell McFarland Lewis Fresh Start Women’s Resource Center in downtown Phoenix.
Fresh Start recognized many years ago the need for family law support for our clients. Over 80% of women in the Phoenix Metro area go to Family Court unrepresented, ill-equipped, uninformed of the law and unsupported, resulting in less than adequate outcomes (Arizona Institute for Court
Management, 2014). Last year alone, according to the Maricopa County Annual Report, there were 56,000 cases filed in family court with the majority of women representing themselves. Many of these women go to court without representation because legal help and document preparation is very costly.
“We have seen the need in the community and recognize the untapped potential for low-cost legal document preparation services,” explains Fresh Start President and CEO Susan Berman. “These funds from Thunderbirds Charities are going to allow us to expand our staff, provide more Certified Legal Document Preparation and have larger participation in our special topic classes and offerings in partnership with lawyers and legal experts. The new Thunderbirds Charities Family Law Support Center is going to become a hub for legal support for women in our community.”
Fresh Start’s Family Law Support Services are available to women in our community who are most in need. In addition, Fresh Start is the only non-profit to provide low-cost legal document preparation in Maricopa County. In addition, we offer group legal information sessions, special topic classes and special events such as Law Day for Women to give women the opportunity to meet one-on-one with attorneys who volunteer their time.
“Thunderbirds Charities has been a partner with Fresh Start over the years and believes in the impact they have on at-risk women and their families in our community.” said Tim Woods, Thunderbirds Charities President. “We are excited to support their mission and to see Thunderbirds Charities Family Law Support Center when it opens its doors”
Construction began in late June 2020 and is expected to be completed at the end of the summer with a grand opening this Fall. We look forward to welcoming the community when we open. To learn more about the programs and services that Fresh Start offers or to get started on your own Fresh Start journey, please visit: freshstartwomen.org
About Fresh Start Women’s Foundation: Celebrating a quarter century of service, Fresh Start Women’s Foundation has been on a mission to provide education, resources, and support for women to positively transform their lives and strengthen the community. The non-profit organization provides a variety of programs and services focusing on career, education, and life skills and offers supportive services to assist women in reaching their full potential. The Phoenix-based Resource Center offers free and low-cost services to any woman age 18 or older. For more information, visit freshstartwomen.org or connect with us on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
About Thunderbirds Charities: Thunderbirds Charities is a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to distribute monies raised through the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. The mission of Thunderbirds Charities is to assist children and families, help people in need and improve the quality of life in our communities. The organization’s giving is directed toward organizations based or with a significant presence in Arizona. The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. For more information on The Thunderbirds or the 2021 Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit wmphoenixopen.com. For more information on Thunderbirds Charities, visit thunderbirdscharities.org.