Support AFS As We Meet The Growing Number Of Client Requests

A Fresh Start serves those emerging from homelessness in Southern Minnesota. We provide household items and furniture at no cost to the client, and we deliver to the client, whenever possible. To receive this service clients must have been homeless within the last ninety days and be referred by a partner organization that is helping them. Although we rely on donations of items for the majority of what we give to clients, we do rely on financial donations to purchase about 20% of items given to clients and to support our other operational costs.

A Fresh Start acts as a disruptor to the impact of financial insecurity and homelessness by providing essentials for successful daily living through a process involving respect and kindness.

Requests for assistance have increased by 500% in 4 years. In order to scale to meet need, we have had to move from being 100% volunteer run to having paid staff. This fund will support personnel costs for 1 year, which will make our work possible and enable us to meet client need with efficiency and high standards of service.