November 2025 ♥ Thank you for reading! | | Last Drive Cohort of 2025! | | |
We’re excited to welcome our newest Drive Program cohort—a motivated group of young adults taking the next step toward independence, confidence, and long-term success.
Over the next several weeks, participants will build essential life skills, strengthen financial literacy, gain hands-on career readiness support, and work toward earning their driver’s license—a crucial tool for expanding job opportunities and stability.
The free Drive program is made possible through our partnership with 4 Lakes Driving School. Our community partners, including American Family Insurance, UW Credit Union, and the Madison Police Department, provide presentations that educate participants on the importance of car insurance, financial literacy, and responsible/safe procedures when interacting with officers during a traffic stop.
Stay tuned for 2026 cohorts dates!
| | Celebrating Our CareerPoint Finance Graduates | | |
On November 6, Operation Fresh Start celebrated the graduation of our CareerPoint Finance & Customer Service cohort at Warner Park Recreation Center. This intensive, six-week program brought together young adults who immersed themselves in career-readiness training, financial skills, and mentoring.
Our graduates, Michelle and Austin, were honored alongside their families, OFS staff, and employer partners. Their journey is a testament to what can happen when ambition meets opportunity: this program has already created a meaningful impact in their lives.
Our CareerPoint Coordinator, Nicole Knox, emphasized the transformative nature of the program. While brief, these six weeks were packed with learning, growth, and confidence-building, setting the stage for our graduates to step into new roles and achieve greater self-sufficiency.
This celebration reminds us just how limitless potential can be. Click below to hear from Michelle and Austin!
| | OFS Staff, CareerPoint program partners, and community members join together at the Warner Park Community Center to celebrate Michelle and Austin's graduation. | | | | |
Congratulations to Kaya on graduating from Legacy and receiving her high school diploma from the Madison Metropolitan School District!
As her Supervisor Taylor shared:
“I don’t think any of us were fully ready for Kaya to leave the program, but she’s more than ready. She got herself a second job, crushed her classroom work, showed up every day, and pushed herself to grow even when it was uncomfortable. She didn’t wait for things to fall into place; she made them happen.”
From braving the cold at one of our toughest winter work sites to securing her own apartment and earning her high school diploma, Kaya showed determination, independence, and heart every step of the way.
Taylor added:
“She’s the mama bear of the crew — caring, supportive, and wise beyond her years. Fiercely independent, humble, and full of purpose.”
Kaya reflected on her own growth:
“When I first came to OFS, I was worried about transportation and my anxiety, but I believed this program could lead me toward my future career. One of my biggest challenges was learning to set boundaries, and I did it."
Next up for Kaya? Enrolling at Madison College to pursue a career in health care!
“You know how to adapt and grow without losing the core of who you are — your empathy, your fire, and your heart,” Taylor said. “We’re excited for the world to meet the version of Kaya we’ve had the privilege to know.”
Congratulations, Kaya, we’re so proud of you and can’t wait to see where your journey takes you next!
| | Ways to Give this Holiday season | | |
Cyber Monday - December 1st
While you’re searching for deals online, you can also make a significant impact on the lives of young adults at Operation Fresh Start.
Our programs rely on essential tools, supplies, and everyday items that help participants succeed in their education and career pathways. This Cyber Monday, we invite you to support OFS by purchasing an item directly from our Amazon Wishlist.
As temperatures drop, our dedicated participants at Operation Fresh Start are braving the cold to pursue their career goals outdoors. However, to keep their spirits high and their bodies warm, we urgently need your support! By checking out our Amazon Wishlist, you can help us provide essential gear that ensures comfort and empowers these young adults to keep pushing forward and improving our community.
Every contribution — big or small — helps create safe, supportive, and empowering spaces for the young people we serve.
| | |
Operation Fresh Start is excited to announce that Westphal & Company, Inc. has generously offered a $2,500 matching gift for our upcoming Giving Tuesday campaign!
Their support means that every dollar donated on Giving Tuesday will go twice as far in helping young adults earn their diplomas, gain job skills, and take meaningful steps toward self-sustaining careers.
We’re incredibly thankful for partners like Westphal who believe in the power and potential of the young people we serve.
Stay tuned — and get ready for an amazing day of impact!
| | Watch Development Director Jody Weyers' AFP Awards Acceptance Speech! | | |
Congratulations to our Development Director, Jody Weyers, for being named the Outstanding Fundraising Professional at the 38th Annual AFP Greater Madison Philanthropy Day celebration at The Edgewater Hotel.
Jody brings energy, integrity, and deep commitment to every young person we serve. She helps move OFS forward in powerful ways, and this award reflects that impact!
View her acceptance speech below!
| | In Business Madison's Guide to Giving | |
We’re thrilled to share that OFS is featured on pages 40-41 of the 2025 In Business Madison Guide to Giving!
We’re so grateful to the team at Ascendium Education Group (especially their marketing crew) for the thoughtful design and for sponsoring this spotlight. Your support helps amplify our mission in meaningful ways.
| Thank you Social Media Madison Breakfast! | | |
We are incredibly grateful to Social Media Breakfast Madison for choosing Operation Fresh Start (OFS) as the featured nonprofit for this year's social media audit. What an honor — and what an energizing learning experience for our team!
A special thank you to the amazing panel of social media and marketing experts who generously shared their insight, strategy, and creativity:
✨ Ema Roloff, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Roloff Consulting
✨ Laura Marie Kaiser, Founder of Engage Social Media
✨ Ashley Storck, Co-Founder and CEO of Marketini Media
Their guidance gave our team clear, actionable ideas and a renewed sense of direction. We left with fresh strategies to amplify youth voices, share community impact, and strengthen our digital presence — all in service of helping more young people transform their lives.
We also want to thank the American Family Insurance DreamBank for hosting such an inspiring event. Our team is excited, energized, and ready to put these new ideas into action. Thank you again to everyone who made this opportunity possible!
| |
Thank you American Family Insurance Championship!
| | |
The American Family Insurance Championship has raised an incredible $2,035,000 for charity in 2025, bringing its total charitable impact to an astounding $21.78 million since the tournament began in 2016.
Approximately half of this year’s proceeds will support the American Family Children’s Hospital, and the remaining funds will be distributed among 161 local charities that make a difference in our communities. Since its inception, the championship has awarded 1,171 grants to nonprofit organizations.
Operation Fresh Start is proud to be one of the local charities receiving grant support for the eighth consecutive year!
This continued partnership fuels opportunities for young adults to build brighter futures through education, career pathways, and community service.
A heartfelt thank you to the American Family Insurance Championship for investing in local impact and believing in the potential of our young people.
Additionally, we want to thank OFS Development Specialist, Nina Zarrillo, for volunteering her time to support the event.
| | OFS is incredibly thankful for the wonderful support Dupaco Community Credit Union has given us. It's the commitment and support of places like Dupaco that allow OFS to empower the next generation towards self-sustaining careers. Check out Dupaco's recent blog post that features OFS! | | |
Thank you to Milio's Sandwiches for choosing Operation Fresh Start as part of their Q3 Baking a Difference campaign and for investing in the success of the young people we serve. Their generosity — and everyone who enjoyed a Milio’s sandwich this quarter — directly supports education, mentoring, and career pathways for emerging adults.
We appreciate you helping us make a difference, one sandwich at a time!
| | Thank you Schuster's Farm! | | |
Our Legacy participants had an unforgettable Halloween celebration thanks to the generous donation of pumpkins from Schuster’s Farm!
From picking out the perfect pumpkins to getting creative with carving and spending time playing with the goats, it was the perfect fall outing.
Experiences like these help our young people build community, try new things, and have fun together. We’re so grateful for partners like Schuster’s Farm who make days like this possible.
Thank you, Schuster’s Farm, for supporting our participants and helping make this season a little brighter!
| | OFS Celebrates 55th Birthday! | |
On November 9, OFS celebrated 55 years of empowering young people with education, mentorship, employment training, and unwavering support. Since 1970, OFS has helped thousands of emerging adults build confidence, purpose, and brighter futures.
We thank every young person, alumni, staff member, partner, donor, and community supporter who has been part of this incredible journey.
Here’s to 55 years of Fresh Starts — and many more to come!
| | Picture in a 1971 Wisconsin State Journal article of the first OFS crew, rehabbing the first house at 715 S. Dickinson St. in Madison. | | |
Operation Fresh Start is excited to announce two new opportunities for passionate, mission-driven individuals to join our team!
Accounting Assistant – Finance Department
Why This Role Matters:
As our Accounting Assistant, you’ll play a key part in keeping our operations running smoothly—supporting accounts receivable/payable, general ledger work, payroll assistance, and occasionally serving as backup in Reception. Your attention to detail helps fuel the impact we create every day.
Administrative & Development Assistant – Development Department
Why This Role Matters:
This role supports the heart of OFS—our leadership, our donors, and our community connections. You’ll help maintain positive first impressions, support the Executive Director and senior leaders, manage donor data, assist with gift processing, and coordinate volunteers. Perfect for someone who is organized, professional, and eager to support mission-driven work.
Know someone who’d be a great fit?
Encourage them to apply via Indeed.com or the Job Center of Wisconsin.
Full job descriptions are available with the postings.
| | |
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! | | | | |
