Success Stories

In November 2023, Megan* finally got the courage to leave a toxic work environment and enrolled in community college classes to begin her next step. While scrolling Instagram one day, she saw an ad for Fresh Start and decided to enroll in the Cable Harness Wiring program to jumpstart her next career.

After losing her job, DES told Claudia* about Fresh Start Women’s Foundation and suggested she enroll in certification training. A single mom of two daughters, Claudia hoped to set an example for her girls that they, too, could accomplish whatever they set their minds to.

A newly single mom to three children, Katrina* was quickly forced to become accustomed to providing for herself and her family financially. She wanted a career change, but needed to find a company that would give her a chance with minimal experience.

Carolyn* yearned for a consistent career but suffered from burn out and continually relied on her parents and boyfriend for financial support. In 2019, her sister enrolled in Fresh Start’s Techie Lab and Carolyn was inspired to advance her career in finance with Fresh Start’s Women in Finance and Security Industry Essentials programs.

Imelda* never thought spotting a billboard could change her life. But when she saw a Fresh Start billboard, she jumped at the opportunity to improve her life and learn a new trade through the Cable Harness Wiring program.

In 1999, Christina* came to Fresh Start for a new office wardrobe and haircut. Years later she turned to Fresh Start for family law support while adopting her sister’s sons. Then in 2024, as the official caretaker of her sister’s seven children, Christina again found the support she needed within Fresh Start’s doors.

After nearly 20 years in the banking industry, Theresa* had a hankering to travel more often, but needed a work schedule that would accommodate her desired lifestyle. Through her own research she discovered Phoenix’s up-and-coming semiconductor industry and turned to Fresh Start to skill up for her future.

Sarah* looked for direction and purpose in her life and at the recommendation of her mother, enrolled in Fresh Start’s Women in Finance program and Personal Empowerment Series.

Julie*, a single mom of four children under 12, relied on government assistance such as Section 8 Housing, food stamps, and Medicaid to make ends meet and keep her family stable. Wanting to provide every opportunity for her kids, she applied to Fresh Start’s Cable Harness training program to quickly enter the workforce and increase her income.

Annie* immigrated from the Philippines and felt her life was perfect with her husband and kids. She was very proud to gain her U.S. citizenship, but Annie wanted a real career after years as an overnight shelf stocker.

In December 2023, Jennifer* needed Fresh Start’s legal support services to help her through a divorce. Now needing to financially provide for her three boys after years as a stay-at-home mom, Jennifer enrolled in Fresh Start’s Cable Harness quick start training and embarked on a new career.

Rylie* was eager to improve her financial situation and move out of her parents’ home. Curious about becoming a semiconductor technician, she enrolled in Fresh Start’s class and exceeded her own expectations.

In November 2023, Raquelle* came across a Business Insider article about a millennial stay-at-home mom who acquired a new set of career skills through a 10-day crash course. After the course, the mom landed a new job at Intel as a semiconductor technician.

Rachel* yearned to be financially independent, but her minimum wage job that lacked upward mobility kept her future dim. In a leap of faith, Rachel pushed out of her comfort zone and enrolled in the Women in Finance program to begin her journey to self-sufficiency.

Kissa spent the last four years as a stay-at-home mom and wanted to return to the workforce in a new industry. She came to Fresh Start to realize her goal of “kicking open the door” to job opportunities in the finance industry.

When new leadership took over her company, Blendelle feared for her future growth opportunities and decided to take the leap into a new career. At Fresh Start, Blendelle found so much more than career training as new friendships blossomed and she finally had the time to focus on prioritizing her own needs first.

Paola earned a degree in engineering, but she couldn’t find a job, and to her surprise, struggled to get her foot in the door for even an interview. For five years she worked dead-end jobs until she found Fresh Start’s semiconductor technician training, and her future grew brighter.

In 2010, Giselle turned to Fresh Start for legal assistance while going through a divorce with children. Fourteen years later with her kids grown and starting families of their own, she returned to Fresh Start to launch a new career.

Maria was drowning under crippling medical debt and also recently out of an abusive relationship. Looking to reclaim her life, she attended Fresh Start’s codependency group and the Women in Finance cohort. She scored a job in banking and reached new levels of confidence and self-sufficiency.

Traci* felt constantly anxious after years of working temp jobs that didn’t make ends meet. Through the recommendation of a friend, she found Fresh Start and began the semiconductor cohort. With her upskill training and sense of empowerment, Traci was excited to find job security in a new industry.

In the span of one year, four members of Shanunique’s family passed away unexpectedly. Life as a business owner and busy single mom of twins didn’t allow much time for the grieving period she needed. After hitting a breaking point, Shanunique found help from a licensed therapist who recommended Fresh Start.

After a year of unemployment and numerous unsuccessful job interviews, Shelene went into a deep depression without the personal empowerment that holding a job provides. One day in the depths of her despair, she recalled Fresh Start.

For seven long months after being laid off, Marcella applied to nearly 100 jobs, but was still unemployed. Her confidence dipped and she faced depression. When she found Fresh Start, she enrolled in career training, polished her professional skills and began a new path in finance.

From a new mother struggling with postpartum depression, to being admitted to Intel’s first U.S. apprenticeship program for manufacturing facility technicians, Laura’s story is one of courage and resilience.

Judy and her daughter fled a 30-year abusive marriage in the middle of the night with nothing but one backpack each. After years of focusing on healing, Judy craved the confidence that comes with being self-sufficient and joined the semiconductor cohort through Fresh Start. (*TW)

Patricia found herself buried under bills after an illness forced her to take an extended, unpaid leave from work. The lack of benefits at her current role pushed her to search for a career change that provided security and upward mobility. She turned to Fresh Start to skill up with the semiconductor cohort.

Vonetta reached a near breaking point with the state of her job as an educator and she struggled with the direction of her career. But as a 47-year-old single mother of an 18-year-old-son on the autism spectrum, could she really change careers in mid-life? 

After working for nearly 50 years as a CT-Technician, Shelley was unexpectedly laid off in January 2023. She found Fresh Start through unemployment resources and discovered a brand new side of herself.

To make ends meet as a single mom, JoAnna had worked in the sex industry, but she wanted a fresh start. She needed guidance and mentorship to make the changes that she desired. With Fresh Start she quickly went from hopeless to hopeful.

Kayla first stepped in Fresh Start’s doors at 13 years old to attend workshops on mental health and abuse. Later, when she needed help starting her career as a college student, she once again turned to Fresh Start for its career training programs.

Years ago, Karolyn’s vision suddenly decreased rapidly. In a panic, she quit her job at Boeing before finding out she had Type 2 Diabetes. In November 2023, she was laid off from her job and needed a fresh start. She enrolled in the semiconductor program to launch her career.

With increasing violence and crime within her community, Ann felt her role as a real estate community manager was starting to get too dangerous. She moved to Phoenix with hopes of finding her next career with a company she felt safe and proud to call home.

Marita was a bookkeeper at a local grocery store for 20 years. She worked every holiday and Sunday missing quality time with her children. She knew she wanted a new job, but wasn’t sure where to find her next opportunity. As part of the Women in Finance cohort she launched a new career.

Nicolette felt lost in a sea of applicants and she needed to get a handle on her finances. She worked in temporary staffing, but all the money she made immediately went out of her pocket and towards unpaid bills. She joined the Women in Finance cohort and found stability and a new full-time career in finance.

After getting laid off during the pandemic, Cindy, a single mother, turned to Fresh Start to relaunch her career with the Women in Finance cohort.

After fleeing the home she shared with her abusive husband in 2019, authorities directed Zofia to Fresh Start as she looked to start her life from scratch. With 10 years of experience in IT, Zofia applied to the Women in Finance cohort and discovered a new catalyst for personal growth.

Abigail wanted to kickstart a new career path after her job at a local preschool didn’t provide upward mobility. She joined and graduated from the Women in Finance cohort and was hired by a local wealth management firm.

The young, empowered woman standing before her classmates on the final day of the Women in Finance program was unrecognizable compared to the woman who reached out to Fresh Start earlier that year. Six months ago, Daniela was at her lowest point as she struggled to find her purpose and self-confidence. 

Recently out of an abusive relationship with the father of her three children, Nina turned to Fresh Start to jump start her career goals. A member of the inaugural Women in Finance cohort, Nina found the stepping stones to create the future she imagined for her family.

A single mom with a bachelor’s degree, Adrianna wanted to make a career switch without returning to a university setting. Through the Women in Finance cohort at Fresh Start she found sisterhood and the tools to accomplish her goals.

Caihong went from being a working professional in a company she loved and felt valued in, to struggling to find her purpose as a stay-at-home mom who wasn’t allowed to work in her new country due to immigration restrictions.

It’s not every day that scrolling through Facebook changes your life. But for Patricia, one night looking through her feed was the spark she needed to get the future she always wanted.

Angelina faced and overcame many challenges in her life, but nothing compared to the pivotal events that led her to Fresh Start Women’s Foundation in 2006.

The Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on life as Martha knew it. She slipped into feelings of negativity as her days passed in seclusion and loneliness. Martha wanted to break the cycles of negativity and turned to Fresh Start to find her “fresh start.”

In the grief of the loss of her mother and her relationship, Miriam felt completely alone. Ten years later, Miriam experienced another inexplicable loss with the passing of her 16-year-old son.

Just before her birthday, Alyssa suffered a huge blow that set off a chain reaction of struggles. In the depths of her despair, she found herself battling severe depression that resulted in a failed suicide attempt.

Genevieve’s Fresh Start story begins in August of 2004. A single mother of two kids, she was unemployed without any savings, and needed money to pay her rent. Fresh Start helped Genevieve conquer obstacles and achieve her full potential as she became a commercial real estate owner investor.

Tennessee wanted her kids to be raised in a home with a father, a fence, and a dog—something she never had. Instead, she found herself on the run from an abusive husband who ruled their home with control and fear. She knew that in order to save herself and her children she had to leave.

Brandi lost her job in the architectural field when the great recession hit and she fell into a serious depression. A friend connected her with Fresh Start where she found support and became empowered to pursue a master’s degree in construction management.

Julia came to Fresh Start 20 years ago as a survivor of domestic violence in an abusive marriage to a drug addicted husband. She began working with a social worker to receive healing-centered trauma-informed support and she enrolled in the Personal Empowerment Series to create healthy boundaries in her relationships.

Sarah struggled with many layers of trauma, but within the doors of Fresh Start, Sarah felt safe for the first time in a long time. She used several Fresh Start resources, including workshops and counseling, to achieve her goals. Along the way she found a new community of women all looking to grow and thrive.

Angela’s life changed when she found Fresh Start in 2018 and immediately connected with a social worker to discuss her struggles and goals as an immigrant in a new country.

Marie always wanted to be an entrepreneur and launched her own business out of her work in Fresh Start’s Small Business Start-Up (SBSU) Program.

For most of her life, Leticia felt she was missing a true sense of community, and she needed help honing in on her interests and meeting like-minded people. With Fresh Start’s support, Leticia prioritized her goals and dreams and earned her master’s degree.

In the midst of starting her own business, Kathleen looked to Fresh Start’s Small Business Start-Up (SBSU) Program through Paradise Valley Community College to help get her business off the ground.

After struggling with the discovery of her autoimmune disease, Eve felt her self-esteem plummet to its lowest. Her life unraveled far from the plan she had in her mind, and she needed support. Fresh Start entered her life at the perfect moment and now she’s flourishing in the beauty of the unexpected.

As an immigrant arriving to the United States, Mila didn’t speak English, she had no cultural knowledge or experience and no means for transportation. “Everything was a challenge,” Mila said. “My life was not glamorous and it took several rapid turns with more hardship than I could ever have imagined.”

Belinda felt a strong urge to move to the Southwest and begin a new career that would satisfy her passion to help others. With Fresh Start’s support, Belinda found a career that both allowed her to support herself and satiated her life goals.

Second chances in life are within reach when organizations join together in support, and Kathy experienced this firsthand as she began her journey from incarceration to re-entry and her new brighter future.

Jessica went back-and-forth between working and short-term disability while caring for her children. When she lost her job in 2020, Jessica decided to go back to school but needed additional support and resources. Through Fresh Start, she enrolled in the Personal Empowerment Series and Grow with Google and found community in a support group for her disability.

Sylvia came to Fresh Start as a full-time mom in the midst of a stressful divorce. She wanted to gain independence and teach her two sons that they could do anything they set their mind to. Through the support and community at Fresh Start, Sylvia earned a bachelor’s degree and the freedom she desired.

Nyreesha, once homeless, first turned to Fresh Start to join the Small Business Start-Up Program, but when she fell on hard times, the organization was there for her. She connected with Fresh Start mentors and reignited her growth journey and now runs a successful business.

As a struggling single mom of two kids, including a special needs child with high functioning autism, Diana felt emotionally and financially broken. Diana took Fresh Start classes to earn multiple promotions at work, fully support her family’s financial needs, and build her dream career in real estate.   

Before she found Fresh Start in 2021, Crystal was depressed and hopeless. She didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life or how to be an example for her children as a stay-at-home mom. Her depression was seeping into other areas of her life, affecting her marriage and her parenting.

A young single mother dealing with the aftermath of abuse, Rachel turned to Fresh Start for legal advice and found much more.

“I’ve finally learned that me – all of me – is deserving of love. Inside this shell, she’s beautiful, and I can say that with confidence today…And I thank you all for my fresh start.”

After 40 years in an abusive marriage, Carol finally got the courage to leave. Through Fresh Start’s classes and support, she found her confidence and now speaks about domestic violence.

In the flash of a moment, Kimberly’s life changed: a critical accident involving her two children upended the familiar, leaving her lost. With Fresh Start’s support, however, she would regain her footing, find community, gain confidence, and return to school to continue her education.

“Fresh Start has positively impacted my life. Knowing that there are people who are positive in a negative world—that they’re there to encourage you every step of the way and want to see you move forward—makes me feel encouraged. I am going to take what I learned and keep applying it to my life and work.”

From facing homelessness to receiving a Fresh Start scholarship that allowed her to get her real estate license, Jaylene was able to transform her life, achieve self-sufficiency, and use her strength to thrive.

“When I first came to Fresh Start, I had two suitcases and a prayer.” Moving to Phoenix alone and without a job, Blaire found herself in need of resources, guidance, and community. With Fresh Start support, Blaire advanced her career, eventually going on to earn her master’s degree and a Google career certificate.

When Nancy’s son joined the military, the single mom found herself lacking direction. Then, she found Fresh Start—and began the journey to a new, fulfilling life.

Tonya’s lifelong dream of owning a bakery always seemed just out of reach. With help from a Fresh Start mentor, she was soon welcoming customers to her new shop.