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Our 2025 Annual Report is live!
This year at Operation Fresh Start, we lived out a powerful truth: ALL FOR ONE — one purpose, one community, one promise that every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive.
✨ 2025 Highlights:
• 396 young adults served across our programs
• 34 high school diplomas completed
• 33 driver's licenses earned
• 100% job placement for Conservation Academy graduates
• Over 2,000 volunteer hours supporting our mission
• Legacy Participants built two houses, restored 1,700+ acres of land, and strengthened communities across Dane County
📖 Read the full 2025 Annual Report to see the impact made possible by our participants, staff, partners, and supporters.
| | Save the Date: 2nd Annual Women in Construction Week Career Fair! | | |
OFS is hosting our 2nd annual Women in Construction Week Career Fair on March 5 from 1-4 pm! This event is open to all ages and all genders, whether you’re just exploring or ready to start your career.
We are thankful to the IBEW Local 159 for sponsoring this event!
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Pictured (L-R): Congratulations to Isaiah and Tristan!
These two young men have worked hard through many challenges to earn their driver’s licenses! Their determination and commitment have led them one step closer to self-sustainability and independence.
We would also like to extend a very special thank you to our longtime partner, 4 Lakes Driving School, for making these milestones possible year after year. Your support helps young people gain confidence, mobility, and access to opportunity.
| | Career exploration in action! | | |
After working with OFS Career Coach Aram, Fay had the opportunity to job shadow Betty, a dental hygienist at Village Smile Care in Mt. Horeb.
After moving from Arkansas to Wisconsin, Fay knew she wanted a career focused on helping others. Through our Career Coaching program, she began exploring a dental career pathway and requested a job shadow to better understand the day-to-day work before enrolling in Madison College’s dental programs.
We love seeing participants take proactive steps toward informed, meaningful career decisions. Thank you to Betty and Village Smile Care for opening your doors and sharing your expertise!
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On January 21, we celebrated Isaiah’s graduation from the Legacy program and the completion of his high school diploma received from Madison Schools - MMSD!
From day one, Isaiah showed up consistently, with focus and a work ethic that set him apart. As his supervisor, Taylor shared:
“Isaiah was here every single day. He showed up, followed instructions perfectly, and always asked, ‘What’s next?’ He carried himself like a leader, and others naturally followed him.”
Isaiah faced challenges—tough weather, academic hurdles, and moments outside his comfort zone—but he stayed committed and kept moving forward. Reflecting on his journey, Isaiah shared:
“Operation Fresh Start helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect. Showing up every day, facing challenges, and learning to accept coaching made me a better person.”
Taylor also noted:
“When Isaiah is locked in, he has the ability to motivate and elevate everyone around him. His presence matters, and that’s what makes him such a strong leader.”
Along the way, Isaiah earned his driver’s license, earned a pre-apprenticeship in conservation and urban forestry, and received a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award!
Isaiah, we are incredibly proud of you and excited to see what’s next.
| | Hands-on learning with FoodWIse! | | |
A big thank you to Amelia, FoodWIse Extension Dane County nutrition educator, for spending a day with our Legacy participants—Tony, Avi, Kaitlyn, and Madeline—teaching them how to make fresh pico de gallo.
From knife skills to nutrition basics, Amelia made learning fun, practical, and delicious. We’re grateful for partners who help our young people build life skills that support health, confidence, and independence.
| | Participant Spotlight - Cam | | |
Cam, a participant in our Conservation Academy, is truly hitting her stride!
Pictured here, she’s standing on a cedar tree—her largest tree felled to date—a milestone that reflects her growing confidence, technical skill, and determination in the field.
From learning safe chainsaw techniques to tackling bigger challenges, Cam continues to show what’s possible through hands-on training, mentorship, and persistence. We’re proud to watch her grow and take on new challenges every day!
| | Dane County Parks Spotlight | | |
New in 2026: monthly highlights of OFS crew projects with Dane County Parks. This partnership, dating back to the 1980s, has provided hundreds of emerging adults with the opportunity to complete conservation projects alongside industry professionals as they work towards self-sustainable careers. Since 2008, our crews have worked full-time year-round, completing conservation projects.
In January, our crews were scattered across the county doing prescribed burns. Pictured below is one of our crews burning brush piles at Lower Mud Lake.
| | That's not all they've been up to, though. Pictured below is an impressive amount of wood stacked by that same crew in just two days at Indian Lake County Park! | | A New Year, A Lasting Impact | | |
The new year is a powerful time to make a meaningful commitment.
Becoming a monthly donor is an impactful way to support Operation Fresh Start. Whether through payroll deduction, electronic transfer of funds or credit card, recurring gifts provide steady, reliable funding that allows us to plan ahead and respond to the ongoing needs of the young people we serve.
Small monthly contributions add up to big impact—supporting education, mentoring, and employment training all year long. Your consistent generosity helps create stability and opportunity for emerging adults on their path to self-sufficiency.
Questions on how to get started, please reach out to Jody Weyers, Development Director at 920-619-8387 or jweyers@operationfreshstart.org
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Thank you for helping OFS empower emerging adults on their path to self-sufficiency! | | ✉️ Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up for monthly newsletters! | | | | |
