MISSION
Fresh Start Worx employs and trains individuals seeking to improve their lives with a future in building high-quality custom products and, in partnership with community organizations, provides education and training through the Richard P. Garmany Fresh Start Worx Academy.
Our Story
Fresh Start Worx is a Hartford, Connecticut-based nonprofit founded in 2015 by Pastor Rick Kremer. Our mission extends beyond crafting furniture—we rebuild lives through education, employment, and community impact. Starting in the backyard of Grace Lutheran Church, volunteers transformed discarded pallets into benches, providing seating for neighborhood guests at weekly dinners and preventing "loitering." Guided by a retired carpenter, our small workforce grew from building in tents to creating a range of products for local buyers.
This evolution turned an informal group into a training and job creation model, empowering employees with skills and expanding our offerings.
impact
Training
At the Richard P. Garmany Academy at Fresh Start Worx, training is more than learning a trade—it’s about preparing our students for lasting careers. Through our program, students gain hands-on experience in woodworking and construction, while also learning essential job readiness skills like resume building and financial literacy.
Small class sizes ensure personalized guidance, and every cohort has the opportunity to participate in real-world training at job sites. Our support doesn’t end at graduation—we stay connected with graduates to help them navigate career opportunities and ensure they’re set up for success. Our training program is designed to empower individuals as they rebuild their lives, whether it’s learning a trade, refining their job search, or gaining confidence in their abilities.
Employment
At Fresh Start Worx, we do more than offer jobs—we build pathways to personal and professional transformation. Our employment opportunities are designed to foster stability, teach valuable skills, and open doors to a future filled with possibility. Every role we create—whether in the art of high-quality furniture making, hands-on trade training, or team-based operations—is intentionally crafted to empower individuals with purpose and dignity.
We believe that meaningful work can be a catalyst for change. That’s why we don’t stop at hiring. Our holistic approach includes one-on-one mentorship, structured career development, and ongoing support systems that help our team members not only succeed in their roles but grow beyond them. We invest in people—recognizing that each person’s journey is unique and deserves guidance, patience, and opportunity.
Community
By definition, community is a group of people who have a sense of trust, belonging, safety, and caring for each other. At Fresh Start Worx, that sense of community is woven into everything we do. Here, people come together not just to work, but to support one another, to share skills, and to build something meaningful. It’s a place where second chances turn into new beginnings, where mentorship and craftsmanship go hand-in-hand to help individuals create more than just furniture—they build confidence, stability, and purpose.
In this workshop, mistakes aren’t failures, they’re lessons. Growth isn’t just encouraged, it’s expected. And every person here is proof that, with the right community, transformation is possible.
Partnerships
PARTNERS
Capital Workforce Partners | Wheeler Health Clinic |
InterCommunity Health Care | Grace Lutheran Church |
The Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central Connecticut | Liberty Bank
FUNDERS
The Richard P. Garmany Fund at Hartford Foundation for Public Giving | Bank of America | William and Alice Mortensen Foundation | Hartford Foundation for Public Giving | AdvanceCT | Farmington Bank Community Foundation | Fisher Fund at Hartford Foundation for Public Giving | TDBank | Stanley Black & Decker | J. Walton Bissell Foundation | ION Bank
LOCAL CUSTOMERS
New England Air Museum | NINA | Keney Park | Elizabeth Park | Parkville Market | Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum | Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden | Chas. C. Hart Seed Company | iQuilt
SUCCESS STORIES
Joined the Fresh Start Academy in the summer of 2025, graduated with high competency in carpentry and construction. Volunteered at FSW after graduation until he was temporarily hired at FSW to support our summer production needs. Cecil, left in September to join Campbell’s Corporation, where he quickly earned a promotion and now makes $36/hour as a CNC operator supporting his family and saving up for a car.
Cecil C.
Came to the United States in 2023 from Syria and was looking for an opportunity to show the skills he learned in his home country. He joined Fresh Start in the spring of 2024 and worked on our social enterprise for over a year building the foundation to get a higher paying and benefits offering position. In October 2025, after securing stable housing, obtaining his driver’s license, and purchasing a reliable vehicle. He now earns $25/hour at a Bellevue Home Solutions.
Mohammed A.
Graduated from the Academy in October, has been with Fresh Start Worx for several weeks and is already proving himself as an integral part of our team, steadily improving his skills and work ethic. Torrell is working towards getting stable housing, a driver's license, and a foundation in the Hartford community.
Torell C.
Ricardo graduated from the academy in 2022 and quickly became an employee of Fresh Start Pallet Products at that time production team. He transitioned to Wingsite where he worked for 2 years on their display booth production line before coming back to Fresh Start Worx and leading the academy as director.
Ricardo S.
