Fresh Start - Building Furniture, Rebuilding Lives

The Covid-19 virus has impacted Fresh Start Pallet Products in Hartford, CT in ways similar to most non-profits. Like so many challenges we've faced over the years we have adapted to the changing workplace environment. When the various "stay at home" governmental directives started rolling out we initially thought we would need to close the program.

However, like other businesses we have found ways to ensure we could legally remain open. In short we found that we qualified as an "essential" business in one area of our training and production operations. We were fortunate in that our contracts with the new Parkville Market in Hartford, CT fit the requirements. Parkville when fully operational will be the first Food Hall in the state. While their needs changed from indoor dining to curbside food pick-up, to this week of allowing the Market to expand to outside dining and limited indoor dinning. As the opening of CT has progressed we have worked very hard to produce new products for them and at the same time increased our training opportunities for our trainee/workers.

Not only has this challenge hit during the Covid-19 crisis we needed to be flexible with two of our Syrian Muslim refugees during Ramadan. Providing flexible working hours to ensure they can practice their faith has proven invaluable for their dietary needs and sleep patterns.

Fresh Start's income comes primarily from fundraising supported by GlobalGiving and the sales of furniture that is the end product of our training, thus making our Parkville Market relationship even more critical.

In short, the community partnership with Parkville Market and its owner Mr. Mouta and his team has been a lifeline to our survival during these challenging times. Though difficult at times, Fresh Start is stronger today than we could have ever imagined.

The shout out for this report is a 'THANK YOU TO OUR HEROES AT THE PARKVILLE MARKET AND GLOBAL GIVING WHEN WE NEEDED IT MOST" !!!