Hartford nonprofit Fresh Start Works highlights job-training successes at Simsbury segment

Jenna Columbus, president of Fresh Start Works, described Tuesday how the Hartford nonprofit trains and places people in skilled woodworking and restoration jobs and asked Simsbury residents to support the program.

Columbus said Fresh Start Works’ mission is “to empower individuals with skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to thrive in today's workforce.” She walked through the organization’s Hartford workshop, which produces handcrafted items such as Adirondack chairs, outdoor benches, coffee tables, garden arbors, historical shutters and custom cabinetry as part of trainees’ hands-on instruction.

Columbus named local preservation partners that hire program trainees, saying the group has built custom shutters for the Bellamy-Faraday House, completed work at the Joseph Webb House (part of the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum), and done restoration projects for the Stowe Center and the Hill-Stead Museum. She highlighted a recent graduate, Terrell, who completed the Richard P. Garmany Fresh Start Academy and "graduated at the very top of his class" before being hired full time by Fresh Start Works.

Columbus said the program serves people who were previously incarcerated, people experiencing homelessness, people in recovery, and newly arrived immigrants, delivering job training, career coaching and employer partnerships that she said help graduates find meaningful employment. She asked businesses, volunteers and donors to get involved and provided the group's website, freshstartworks.org, clarifying the spelling of "Works." "Whether you're a business looking to hire, a volunteer ready to share your expertise, or someone who wants to support our mission, there's a place for you at Fresh Start," she said.

The presentation offered specific local context for the organization's restoration work and a named alumni outcome but did not include program budget figures or the number of graduates for the current year; those details were not specified.

Columbus closed by thanking Simsbury for its support and urging residents to visit the group's website to learn more or to contribute.