Operation Fresh Start (OFS) was founded in 1970 to provide young male offenders and high school dropouts with a paid, 30-hour/week opportunity to learn basic work skills, prepare for the high school equivalency examination, secure and retain employment at the end of training, and contribute to the community by renovating sub-standard housing into safe, energy-efficient, affordable homes sold to low-income families. During the intervening 39 years, OFS has expanded its target population to include women, single parents, and in-school youth, and has diversified its funding.

In 1980, OFS began providing conservation and stewardship services to the Madison and Dane County parks departments and to the Riverland Conservancy in Merrimac, WI.

OFS has served 7,000 individuals; 85% have been youth, ages 16-24. It has assisted 80% of its participants to satisfactorily complete the goals of the program - job placement and/or graduation to post-secondary schooling. OFS' long-term follow-up studies show that 60-65% of graduates remain self-sufficient. A June 2004 survey by Brandeis and Temple universities, commissioned by YouthBuild USA, substantiates these studies, finding that 82% of OFS graduates are currently in post-secondary education or jobs averaging $11.85/hour.

OFS construction training crews have built or re-built 200 homes sold to low-income buyers. Since 2005, all new OFS homes meet or exceed Wisconsin Energy Star standards. Since 2007, both newly built and renovated OFS homes meet standards of certification by Green Built Homes, a sustainability rating system developed by the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative.

In 1998, OFS helped to initiate Wisconsin Fresh Start, a network of non-profit agencies providing service to youth following the OFS model. Today, WFS includes 9 agencies providing youth programs in 12 urban and rural communities in Wisconsin. OFS provides technical assistance to WFS programs.