Fresh Start founders Pat Petznick (standing) and Beverly Stewart were honored for their contributions to women in the community during a 30th anniversary event at the end of October (photo courtesy of Fresh Start Women’s Foundation).
Fresh Start Women’s Foundation celebrated and honored the inaugural Fresh Start Visionaries Oct. 27. These generous businesses, philanthropists and organizations have contributed to Fresh Start’s life-changing work with gifts totaling $100,000 or more throughout the organizations 30-year history.
CEO Kim McWaters explained, “The Fresh Start Visionaries understand that when you give at-risk women access to the resources and support to transform their lives, you not only positively impact their lives, but their children and generations to come. This work break cycles of transgenerational poverty and changes our collective future.”
During the event, the who’s who list of inaugural Fresh Start Visionaries, including some of the Valley’s most notable companies, philanthropists and foundations, were acknowledged for their contributions to women in the community. Fresh Start Founders Pat Petznick and Beverly Stewart were honored for their work and vision. Mayor Kate Gallego attended the event in-person and issued an official proclamation declaring Oct. 27, 2022, Fresh Start Women’s Foundation Day in the city of Phoenix.
The organizations says that the celebration of the Fresh Start Visionaries comes at a transformational time, as it celebrates its 30th anniversary and builds resources and infrastructure in support of its new Impact Program. This science-based and proven model leverages Fresh Start’s three-decade history providing wrap-around support services to women and adds new focus on education, job skills and career placement so women can earn wages at a self-sufficient level.
Impact Program momentum continues to grow, including the U.S. Department of Labor’s recent grant award of $542,000 to Fresh Start in support of more women entering non-traditional well-paying careers in technology and the skilled trades.
Learn more about the organization at www.freshstartwomen.org.
