April 22, 2022 – “We felt like we could have a business that would really help people coming out of incarceration and recovering from addition,” Paula Holtz said.
Fresh Start also hires employees from the general public to help operate the shop and currently has one employee that is in recovery.
Holtz said it is common for those in recovery to miss several days of work for other obligations.
“We want them to succeed, so we give lots of chances and lots of opportunities to redo,” she said. “One thing that struck me is their incentive is different than the average worker,” said Vic Holtz. “Usually its about money, but theirs is about recovery and regaining their life.”
In an effort to help their employees in recovery succeed, the host church services and recovery meetings inside the coffee house.
“That is where we address their hurt, their pain, the guilt and shame,” said Denise Arnold, who serves as a recovery coach at Fresh Start. “Once you are out of recovery, you aren’t using drugs, but that pain is still there.”
“It’s not your average coffee shop, it’s very relaxed here,” said Alyssa Keller, who is an employee there. “Our town needs something like this.”
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