Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Ochs.
Amanda, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
A Fresh Start was founded in 2020 by Amy Klugherz after seeing a major gap in support for individuals and families emerging from homelessness in southern Minnesota. While many people were able to secure housing, they were often moving into completely empty spaces with little to nothing to make it feel like home. Amy recognized that having a bed to sleep on, a table to eat at, or basic household items can make a huge difference in helping someone truly start over.
What began as a small community effort has continued to grow year after year through the support of volunteers, donors, community partners, and local organizations. In our first few years, we served 87 families combined from 2020–2022. Since then, the need has grown significantly, with 128 families served in 2023, 193 in 2024, and 254 in 2025.
Today, A Fresh Start helps provide furniture, household essentials, and hope to individuals and families rebuilding their lives after homelessness. We work hard to create spaces that feel safe, comfortable, and welcoming, because we believe everyone deserves not just housing, but a home. While we continue to face challenges like limited space, funding, and volunteer resources, the incredible support from our community keeps us moving forward and reminds us why this work matters so much.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. Like many nonprofits, especially newer grassroots organizations, we’ve faced a lot of growing pains along the way. One of the biggest challenges has simply been trying to keep up with the increasing need in our community while working with limited space, funding, and volunteer resources.
Because we rely heavily on donated furniture and household items, storage has been an ongoing struggle, especially during our busiest donation months in the spring and early summer. At the same time, the demand for our services has continued to grow every year. Coordinating deliveries, pickups, volunteers, and referrals with a small team can sometimes feel overwhelming, but we continue to adapt and do the best we can with the resources we have.
Another challenge has been balancing the emotional side of the work. Many of the individuals and families we serve are coming out of extremely difficult situations, and hearing those stories can be heartbreaking. At the same time, it’s also what motivates us. Seeing someone walk into a furnished home for the first time, or hearing how much relief they feel after finally having a bed to sleep on, reminds us why this work matters.
One thing that has helped us through every challenge is the incredible support from the community. Volunteers, donors, local businesses, churches, and community partners have all played a huge role in helping us continue to grow and serve more families each year.
We’ve been impressed with A Fresh Start, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
A Fresh Start is a nonprofit organization based in southern Minnesota that helps individuals and families emerging from homelessness turn empty spaces into homes. We provide furniture, household essentials, and other basic home items to people who are rebuilding their lives after experiencing homelessness within the last 90 days.
What makes our organization unique is that we focus on the part of the transition that is often overlooked. Securing housing is a huge step, but many people move into completely empty apartments with no beds, tables, couches, kitchen items, or basic necessities. We believe everyone deserves more than just four walls — they deserve a safe, comfortable place that truly feels like home.
One thing we are especially proud of is how community-driven A Fresh Start has become. So much of what we do is made possible through volunteers, donors, churches, local businesses, schools, and community partners who genuinely care about helping others. We’ve built strong relationships throughout the community, and it’s incredible to see people come together to support families during difficult transitions.
We’re also proud of how much we’ve grown in a relatively short amount of time. What started in 2020 as a small grassroots effort has continued to expand every year as the need has grown. Along with furniture and household support, we’ve become known for treating people with dignity, compassion, and understanding. We know that many of our clients are coming from stressful or traumatic situations, and we want them to feel welcomed and supported, not judged.
At the heart of everything we do is the belief that a furnished home can provide stability, comfort, and hope during a major life transition. We want readers to know that even small acts of kindness — donating a chair, volunteering for a delivery, helping move furniture, or supporting a fundraiser — can make a life-changing impact for someone starting over.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Some of my favorite memories are honestly the simple ones — family movie nights, holiday traditions, and just being together. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized those little moments are the ones that stick with you the most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.afreshstartmankato.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077985036519
