Wine Women & Shoes Event benefiting Fresh Start
Fresh Start’s 6th Annual Wine Women & Shoes returns on September 9, 2023! There are many ways to support now at https://freshstartwomen.org
Transcript
00:00 Welcome back.
00:01 Rebecca Cohen Collins and Lauren Papagalos are this year's Fresh Start's Women and Shoes
00:07 Co-Chairs, and this year, they plan to capitalize on our communal love of shoes to help raise
00:12 money for Fresh Start.
00:14 It's great to have you.
00:15 Before we talk, will you tell us about Fresh Start?
00:18 Yeah, so Fresh Start is an amazing organization.
00:21 It's been around for 30 years, and the entire mission is to help women and shoes co-chairs
00:27 30 years, and the entire mission is to help women achieve self-sufficiency.
00:32 And we do that through programs that help with job placement, education and training,
00:38 and they even offer family law counseling.
00:41 So really covering everything from start to finish to help women become independent.
00:45 Well, congratulations.
00:47 Your event is already sold out, but we want people to know they can still make a contribution
00:52 and possibly get some shoes and handbags, which I see you both have.
00:56 So tell us about the opportunity to still contribute.
00:59 Yeah, absolutely.
01:00 So yes, we brought our Prada handbag and our Valentino, and these were donated by Prada
01:06 and Kelly from Kelly Mortgages.
01:10 And basically, you can purchase these, one for 75, or you can purchase three tickets
01:15 for $175, and all the proceeds go back to the organization.
01:20 I love this.
01:21 Okay, so you can buy raffle tickets.
01:24 And y'all are gonna either, you know, you may win that Prada bag if we can pry it out
01:29 of your hands.
01:30 I don't know if we can.
01:31 Or you may win this gorgeous Valentino, and they were very generously donated.
01:37 And where do the shoes fit in?
01:38 So it's really fun.
01:40 Wine, Women & Shoes is an event that covers so many things, so there's a little bit of
01:43 everything for everyone.
01:45 So with shoes, we actually have a contest at the event.
01:48 So we have secret judges who go around and scout, and they vote on who has the best shoes
01:54 at the event.
01:55 So very fun in that way.
01:56 Wait a second.
01:57 Roaming secret judges are just looking at everybody's shoes?
02:01 What do you get if you win?
02:02 Yeah, so we have various prizes based on, you know, the different levels.
02:06 And then we also have shoe guys, and these are amazing men in our community who have
02:10 donated their time to fundraise and work the event.
02:13 And so we're really excited to have these men who, you know, are there to give back
02:17 to women and be a support.
02:19 I know it's a lot of work to co-chair such a big event, and obviously you've sold out,
02:23 so that's great.
02:24 Why did you choose Fresh Start?
02:26 Yeah, I mean, I actually was nominated by Rebecca to join the board because we met in
02:31 our MBA program.
02:32 But Fresh Start is just an incredible organization.
02:36 Last year we supported over 4,200 women, and we helped them achieve self-sufficiency.
02:41 So I think we're both very inspired by our own mothers who are working women, who helped
02:46 raise us.
02:47 And so I just feel really connected to the organization in that way.
02:51 Well it shows, because you guys have done so well already.
02:54 I mean, when you think women, you might think a working mom, such as both of yours.
03:00 But some of the people Fresh Start works with are 18 and 19.
03:05 How are you helping the younger women?
03:06 Yeah, so Fresh Start is available to all women, 18 and up.
03:11 And there are various ways that, you know, we can be involved in helping them, again,
03:15 achieve self-sufficiency and independence.
03:17 And so that may be, you know, job placement and training.
03:20 That may be offering, you know, family law services.
03:23 So there are different ways that we can be involved, no matter your age, no matter your
03:26 background or situation.
03:28 You're talking about something as simple as helping write or rewrite a resume.
03:33 Absolutely.
03:34 And in terms of legal services, what types of things are women needing help with?
03:38 Yeah, so of the 4,200 women that Fresh Start helped, you know, in the last year, many of
03:44 those women are leaving situations of domestic violence.
03:47 So that could be, you know, making sure that they're able to get out of that situation
03:51 and create that new start, that fresh start for themselves and their families.
03:56 Very important, because that could be an extremely dangerous situation.
03:59 And sometimes women just need a little bit of help and support.
04:02 Yeah, it takes a lot of bravery.
04:04 So that's where we're there to, you know, help them.
04:06 And they're making the move to come to Fresh Start, and Fresh Start is just there to help
04:10 and support and make that achievable.
04:12 Well, thank you so much to both of you for all you're doing.
04:15 Before we let you go, how can people buy a ticket and possibly win these glamorous purses?
04:22 Yes, so if you go to freshstartwomen.org, is that right?
04:26 Yes.
04:27 Thank you, just want to double check.
04:28 And it's all on the website, so you can check our events and see Wine, Women & Shoes.
04:32 You can donate directly to our organization and find out more information about our raffle.
04:37 Thank you so much, Wine, Women & Shoes.
04:39 [BLANK_AUDIO]