I’m a single mom of two children, ages 7 and 8, and a domestic violence survivor. I met Shannon as my 10-year marriage was coming to a frightening and dangerous end. I confided in her, not knowing at the time that she ran Operation Fresh Start. I had to come up with an escape plan and Shannon and her angels were right there. I had to leave everything in my marital home intact and OFS filled a storage bin I had rented with everything I needed (and more!) to start a new, safe, healing life with my children. They even managed to locate a washer and dryer!
I have been on my own for almost six months and I am so grateful and humbled by OFS’s generosity and kindness. All the donations I received through OFS will never compare to the support, hugs and respect I have received from Shannon and her organization. They were strangers who have become family and have literally saved and changed our lives. They have restored my faith in humanity. ~
Operation Fresh Start has been a very big help to not only my children but to my husband and myself! I first heard of OFS through a worker I had and I sent Shannon a message. I was very nervous as it’s hard to ask for help sometimes but Shannon was absolutely welcoming and was so sweet. She ended up helping our family to have a wonderful Christmas. Her volunteers even helped find winter clothing for all of us that year as well! The following summer OFS helped with summer clothes for my son and they went out of their way to accommodate my son’s sensory issues with not liking certain fabrics. The next year was when Covid hit hard and like many others we were struggling for Xmas gifts and food. OFS was able to not only help with both gifts and food but Shannon also was able to give my husband and I both leads for jobs! OFS has been my saving grace more than once and they have always treated me with respect. ~
I ran into extreme financial hardship two years ago at the start of the pandemic and lost my apartment, leaving me and my 6-year-old daughter homeless. I was told by the state that I did not qualify for assistance because I work three jobs, that I did not qualify for food stamps because I make too much money, and I should quit one of my jobs and move me and my daughter into a shelter. So, we have been living in a motel for almost a year and a half, I rely on food pantries twice a week and ask local vendors if I may have food they throw away.
I was then introduced to Shannon, my supervisor at work. We developed a very close personal relationship and she took interest in my life and wanted to help me. She has shown me love has no bounds and life will get better.
For the last year Shannon and Operation Fresh Start have provided everything I needed, without judgment, from food to winter coats to back packs to Christmas presents for my daughter. They assisted with my weekly rent by paying a week’s back rent when I came down with COVID and could not work. They even enabled my daughter to attend summer camp which otherwise would not have been possible.
I am honored and eternally grateful to have received the help that I do from Operation Fresh Start. They provide a sense of hope for me that all will be okay and I will make it. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for the kindness, patience and love I have received and hope they can touch many more families in need as they did mine. ~