A Story of Purpose, Work, and Restoration
Fresh Start Café & Bakery was born from a simple conviction: everyone deserves the dignity of meaningful work and the support of a caring community.
Our Beginning
The vision for Fresh Start emerged from years of witnessing the struggles faced by individuals returning from incarceration, recovering from addiction, or navigating life with disabilities.
We saw talented, motivated people who simply needed an opportunity—a workplace willing to invest in them, patient enough to walk alongside them, and structured enough to help them succeed.
Fresh Start Café is that place: a real business with real standards, wrapped in grace and committed to human flourishing.
Why Work, Dignity & Community Matter
Work Restores Identity
Employment provides more than income—it offers purpose, structure, and a sense of contribution. When someone earns a paycheck, they reclaim agency over their life.
Dignity Heals Wounds
Many who face employment barriers have experienced shame and rejection. A workplace that treats people with respect begins the healing process.
Community Sustains Change
Isolated individuals often struggle. But within a supportive community, people find accountability, encouragement, and lasting connection.
How Our Social Enterprise Works
Fresh Start Café operates as a hybrid model: a revenue-generating business that reinvests profits into workforce development programming.
The Business Side
- •Artisan breads, pastries, and specialty beverages
- •Catering services for local events and businesses
- •Wholesale partnerships with area restaurants
- •Community space rentals and event hosting
The Mission Side
- •Transitional employment with competitive wages
- •Hands-on job training in food service operations
- •Life skills coaching and mentorship
- •Placement support for permanent employment
Faith-Informed, Grace-Based
Fresh Start is rooted in Christian faith—a belief that every person is made in God's image and deserving of love, dignity, and opportunity.
Our approach is grace-based, not coercive. Participation in faith-related activities is always voluntary. We welcome people of all backgrounds and beliefs.
What we do require is commitment: to show up, work hard, grow, and support one another. Everything else flows from relationship, not rules.
