Skip to Content
cta-banner_fullwidth_light_blue

Our Approach

Pioneering strategic solutions. Catalyzing long-term growth.

mom kissing her daughter on the cheek
Mother helping son with homework

A mission of impact & multi-generational change

Fresh Start’s comprehensive, strategic approach is designed to help women build a personalized pathway out of poverty and towards self-sufficiency.

Our service delivery model empowers women with the tools, resources, and sustained behavior changes necessary to attain and preserve economic independence.

OUR “SECRET SAUCE”

Elements of our strategic approach that set Fresh Start apart

mom kisses her son on the head


Informed by brain science & the impacts of chronic stress

Our science-based, evidenced-informed model is founded on brain science—namely, how poverty causes chronic stress which, over time, inhibits executive function in crisis decision making.

Our approach leverages “Mobility Mentoring” and works to strengthen persistence and resilience over time.

Learn more the brain science behind our work →

Woman smiling at camera


Comprehensive, holistic service offerings

All of our service offerings fall within five key areas, or “pillars,” along the Bridge to Self-Sufficiency®.

The Bridge takes a comprehensive approach, as a person is more likely to achieve economic independence if they look across all areas of life, rather than tackling one area alone.

Learn about the Bridge to Self-Sufficiency® →


Strategic goal-setting & one-on-one support

Every woman has the opportunity to establish an on-going, one-on-one relationship with a Fresh Start social worker who assesses her unique situation and coaches her based on her individual needs, giving her the support needed to both set and achieve strategic goals.

Learn more about our goal achievement rates →


Future-focused pathways to long-term change

Access to education and career pathways are imperative to establishing self-sufficiency.

Our network of employer and educator partners allows us to work collaboratively in creating unlimited opportunities for Arizona’s women, giving them the skills they need to enter in-demand career fields and earn a livable wage.

Learn more about our focus on education & training →

A holistic path to self-sufficiency

Fresh Start is proud to be the first organization in the state of Arizona to implement an innovate, new service delivery model to best serve the women we work with.

Beginning with understanding the brain science of chronic stress, poverty, and crisis decision making, we provide women with access and resources they need to not only achieve economic self-sufficiency, but sustain it.

TOWARDS SELF-SUFFICIENCY →

FOCUS ONE

Stability

Meets the urgent needs of women and their families, providing a foundation for sustained, long-term behavioral change through strategic goal-setting.

FOCUS TWO

Education & employment

Ensures long-term economic independence and personal empowerment, with a focus on securing a self-sufficient wage in a high-growth career field.

FOCUS THREE

Self-sufficiency

Economic self-sufficiency & personal empowerment allows each woman to thrive: she is able to provide for her family, has decrease reliance on government subsidies, and contributes to enhancing Arizona’s economy

The Bridge to Self-Sufficiency®

The Bridge to Self-Sufficiency®, developed by Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath) and summarized below, is an evaluation and goal-setting tool used to help women identify needs and track progress. The Bridge takes a comprehensive approach, as a person is far more likely to achieve economic independence if they look across all areas of life, rather than tackling one area alone.

TOWARDS SELF-SUFFICIENCY →

PILLAR ONE

Mother with baby icon

Family
stability

Reviews the stability of housing, safety of household, & ability to meet basic family needs

PILLAR TWO

Heart monitor icon

Health &
Well-being

Assesses physical & mental health, as well as available support networks to help achieve goals

PILLAR THREE

Piggy bank icon

Financial
management

Includes debt management, future planning, & ability to meet family’s financial needs

PILLAR FOUR

Graduation cap icon

Education &
Training

Considers skills, education, & training necessary to pursue a chosen career

PILLAR FIVE

Hand shake icon

CAREERS

Accounts for ability to earn a living wage in a job that meets career & future goals

Proven impact in every step forward.

Our goal achievement rate

Goal action plans allow women to identify what steps are necessary to build the life they want for themselves.

With support from Fresh Start staff, women are individually mentored and coached through the process of identifying, setting, and achieving goals as they take steps towards self-sufficiency.

Below is the goal achievement rate from the last fiscal year, organized by pillar:

Pillar One:
Family Stability

Pillar two:
Health &
Well-being

Pillar three:
Financial
ManagemenT

Pillar four:
Education
& Training

Pillar five:
Careers

Celebrating stories of success

Success is more than a destination—it is present in every step of a woman’s courageous journey to achieving her full potential.

See the power of a life transformed through our strategic approach and the impact our work has within our community.

mother and child smiling