Beloit, WI – Due to uncertainties with funding sources, Community Action Inc. regrets to announce that the Beloit Fresh Start program will be placed on hiatus for the 2025-2026 academic year. Like many organizations providing essential services, we are continuously monitoring and attempting to respond to funding cuts at the federal level. As efforts are made to reduce waste and improve efficiency, some casualties are inevitable, and unfortunately, these cuts have impacted programming in our local communities.
Given the inability to ensure funding for an entire academic year, it would be irresponsible to have a group of students begin the program without knowing whether the resources will be available for them to complete it. Therefore, the decision has been made to place the program on hiatus for the upcoming academic year while we seek alternative resources and advocate for funding stability. However, we cannot guarantee that the program will return.
Over the past 19 years, Beloit Fresh Start YouthBuild has provided a second chance, a “Fresh Start” for hundreds of Beloit youth. Instead of falling through the cracks and becoming wards of the system, our students graduate from our program with a high school diploma, marketable skills, and opportunities to move on to post-secondary education, the military, or meaningful employment. In a community like Beloit, the impact of losing Fresh Start will be significant. It has been an open door for young people who found many other doors closed to them.
We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our community partners and supporters, especially the School District of Beloit. This partnership has allowed students to receive vital services, participate in school functions and extra-curricular activities, and most importantly, earn their high school diploma. We will continue to partner with the district and find alternative ways to support students.
For further information, please contact Marc Perry, Executive Director, at (608) 313-1338 or mperry@community-action.org.