Executive Director to retire spring 2024
After 13 years of service, Greg Markle will be retiring as Executive Director in the spring of 2024.
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Blog & News
- Jul 25
Preparing my legacy with a planned gift
Jody Weyers, Development Director for OFS, talks about including OFS in her estate plan.
- Jun 21
Allyship makes room for a safe reality
Transgender OFS Legacy participant, and her supervisor, Grace talk about growing up and the importance of allyship.
- Jun 14
The beauty of inclusive spaces
Andrew, who is gender nonconforming, worked with CareerScape to find a queer-inclusive workplace to save up for cosmetology school.
- Jun 7
Queerness, nature, and accessibility for all
Maurisa, an OFS alum, talks about her time with OFS, accessibility in nature, and why "queer" fits her perfectly.
- May 31
Support from all angles for a bright future
Honoring an OFS alum In 2016, Charles Jackson graduated from what is now called Build Academy after completing the Legacy program. He was...
- May 22
OFS still impacts alum decades later
By Isabella Nohara, OFS volunteer It’s been twenty-eight years since he first enrolled in an Operation Fresh Start program, but John...
- May 18
The road less traveled to a career in funeral service
Many people know of the services that funeral homes provide, but few people think about funeral services as a career pathway. That...
- May 8
Conservation Academy gains hands-on experience in prescribed burns
Spring is prescribed burn season in the Midwest! Prescribed burns are intentionally set fires within a predetermined area, helping to...
- Mar 30
MMSD school board candidates answer questions from OFS participants
On Wednesday, March 29, Operation Fresh Start hosted a forum for Madison Metropolitan School District school board candidates as they...
- Mar 8
Celebrating Women in Construction Week 2023
In celebration of Women in Construction Week, Nia from Operation Fresh Start of Madison, WI talks about her experiences in construction.
- Jan 4
Honey for the holidays
By Maria Drews, OFS volunteer Over the past two years, Legacy conservation crews at Operation Fresh Start have been partnering with the...
- Dec 8, 2022
OFS CareerScape guides participant to dental assistant career
Berhan Schade first came to Operation Fresh Start to participate in the STRIVE Construction program for career exploration and employment...
- Nov 21, 2022
2022 AmFam Championship raises more than $2.2M for charity
by Channel3000 MADISON, Wis. — Organizers with the American Family Insurance Championship announced Monday that this year’s event raised...
- Sep 29, 2022
Gala celebrates work of Operation Fresh Start
by Channel3000 MADISON, Wis. — Hundreds of people attended a gala Thursday to celebrate the work of Operation Fresh Start. The Build Your...
- Sep 26, 2022
Local Lives, Communities Benefit From $100K Grants to Literacy Network, Operation Fresh Start
by Ascendium A pair of area nonprofits are being recognized for their contributions to the Madison community. Literacy Network and...
- Aug 31, 2022
OFS Food Production Coordinator celebrates 19th anniversary
How Colleen Reinen keeps young adults at Operation Fresh Start nourished and ready to conquer school or the work site.
- Jun 27, 2022
Healthcare program offers support for young adults to begin their career
Beatrice Rogers found the support she needed to start a career in healthcare through the Operation Fresh Start Healthcare Academy.
- Jun 15, 2022
Wisconsin DNR partners with Operation Fresh Start for hands-on job training
by Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is partnering with Operation...
- Jun 8, 2022
Build Academy participant begins career in the trades
Caden Lincicum was hired as a carpenter apprentice after completing hands-on construction training at Operation Fresh Start.
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