Giving Women
A ‘Fresh Start’ in Glendale
By Kaylea M. Hutson-Miller
Helping women achieve self-sufficiency - to use their strength to thrive - is the ultimate goal for the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation.
For more than three decades, Fresh Start has supported more than 60,000 Arizona women, serving more than 4,000 each year. As many as 82% are mothers, 62% are single mothers and 67% are women of color.
“These women face a variety of barriers hindering their ability to be personally or financially self-sufficient, including domestic violence, generational poverty, and unemployment,” explained Abdu Dahr, vice president of strategic partnerships at Fresh Start Women’s Foundation. “Through our Impact Program, Fresh Start offers focused programs, services, access to training and education, as well as employment and career services to help women reach their personal and professional goals.”
How it Began
Fresh Start began in 1992, offering makeovers to displaced homemakers in the back of Rolf’s Salon thanks to co-founding sisters Pat Petznick-Wick and the late Beverly Stewart.
Dahr said the pair, inspired by their grandmother, vowed to create a movement of women helping women.
The first class at the salon, “First Impressions” included 20 attendees. Today, Dahr said more than 4,000 women annually participate in classes, workshops, lectures or training programs at Fresh Start.
“Fresh Start has supported and empowered women in Greater Phoenix,” Dahr said, “addressing challenges such as domestic violence, generational poverty, education gaps, low earnings and unemployment.”
Disrupting Cycles of Poverty
The Impact Program is designed to disrupt intergenerational cycles of poverty through five key areas or “pillars.”
“Our comprehensive approach helps cultivate long-term success, as a person is more likely to achieve economic independence if they look across all areas of life, rather than tackling one area alone,” Dahr said.
The plethora of offerings include family law legal support, health coaching, support groups, mental health workshops, financial management classes, training classes, career coaching, mentorship and more.
Ultimately, Dahr said the program is designed to help women make their dreams come true through access to career training, professional development, coaching and more.
Many women who become part of Fresh Start come from underserved communities and are often seeking refuge from desperate circumstances. Most, Dahr said, are escaping domestic abuse and trauma and are unemployed or underemployed without access to permanent housing.
“Not only are women able to find refuge from their pasts and present at Fresh Start, but they are also empowered and equipped to create a bright future for themselves and their families with job training for high demand jobs,” Dahr said. “The goal is for women to gain in-demand job skills in the fastest growing sectors of Arizona’s economy, so they can earn wages at a self-sufficient level and support themselves and their children.”
Reaching Glendale and West Valley
Dahr said the Impact program is dedicated to provide comprehensive support to Glendale residents and women in the West Valley.
As members of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce for the last few years, Dahr said the chamber has helped the foundation foster connections with community partners and potential employers.
“The Chamber has significantly boosted our visibility, allowing us to showcase our mission and impact,” Dahr said. “The Chamber has also provided us with multiple opportunities to speak about Fresh Start, enhancing our outreach efforts.”
The foundation has also received financial support from the Chamber’s charity of choice and members like 501c Realty Group, which has sponsored its membership fees. Dahr said this support has been instrumental in advancing the foundation’s initiatives, including tax credit contributions and more.
“Fresh Start holistically supports women,” Dahr said. “We connect them with career opportunities that lead to self-sufficiency and personal growth. Our approach not only addresses immediate employment needs, but also fosters long-term stability, empowerment and success across all areas of life.”
For more information, or to volunteer, persons interested may visit www.freshstartwomen.org or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter) or LinkedIn @freshstartwomen. Volunteer opportunities include client-facing events, fundraising events, scholarship interview support, resume/interview prep and more.
