Santiago Teniente: From OFS Graduate to Skilled Foreman at Sergenian's Floor Coverings
In 2011, Santiago "Santi" Teniente embarked on a journey that would shape his career. For the past 13 years, he has worked at Sergenian’s...
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Blog & News
- Sep 11
Strengthening community: Block Party empowers hundreds of attendees with free resources
Operation Fresh Start (OFS) and Reach Dane ’s Community Resource Block Party on Thursday, August 29,  was a tremendous success, with...
- Sep 6
Back to School Shoutout: Celebrating OFS Graduates!
As the school year kicks off, we’re excited to highlight some of our recent Operation Fresh Start (OFS) graduates who are taking the next...
- Aug 12
CareerPoint equips Young Professionals with Career Skills, Leading to Job Offers
This summer, Lydia Partee, Operation Fresh Start’s CareerPoint Coordinator, led a group of young professionals through the Essential...
- Aug 1
Building Bright Futures: Summer Trades Academy Graduates Forge Paths in Construction
Operation Fresh Start (OFS) celebrated the graduation of six participants in the Summer Trades Academy on July 25, marking the...
- Jul 22
OFS celebrates completion of Sun Prairie affordable house
Operation Fresh Start (OFS) held an open house to celebrate the completion of the new affordable home built by participants at 1108...
- Jul 12
OFS announces four new director positions
Operation Fresh Start (OFS) is thrilled to announce the appointment of four new director positions within the organization. This marks a...
- Jul 2
OFS nominates Devin Grob for YouthBuild Member of the Year Award 
Operation Fresh Start (OFS) nominated Legacy participant Devin Grob for the 2024 YouthBuild AmeriCorps Spirit of Service Member of the...
- Jun 26
Operation Fresh Start Hosts YouthBuild Midwest Regional Convening
Operation Fresh Start (OFS) welcomed attendees of the 2024 YouthBuild Midwest Regional Convening to Madison on June 20-21 where more than...
- Mar 26
Unlocking potential through hands-on training
Build Academy's first house was constructed from the ground up by young adults training for a career in the trades.
- Feb 25
Operation Fresh Start announces new executive director
Brian McMahon, current deputy director of Operation Fresh Start, has been announced as the nonprofit's new executive director.
- Jan 23
From career interest to sustainable pathway
In the spring of 2023, Salix had recently started his career journey. Now, he's turned that career interest into a sustainable pathway.
- Nov 28, 2023
New program opens new pathways for young adults
CareerPoint celebrated the graduation of its pilot cohort before the participants head off to their UWCU job training.
- Aug 23, 2023
Executive Director to retire spring 2024
After 13 years of service, Greg Markle will be retiring as Executive Director in the spring of 2024.
- Jul 25, 2023
Preparing my legacy with a planned gift
Jody Weyers, Development Director for OFS, talks about including OFS in her estate plan.
- Jun 21, 2023
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, 2023
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, 2023
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, 2023
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, 2023
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...
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