How a dream to support women became a reality.

In 1996, Mary E. Maloney had a vision to help others. Over 25 years and $1.46 million later, a community of women-supporting-women has flourished.

Our nation's leaders take pride in Fresh Start

Hear from scholars, graduates, and supporters, including First Lady Jill Biden, in our videos commemorating 25 years of fresh starts.

Discover Fresh Start through the years.

1996

Mary and Joyce Hayes (the 1996 WWB board president), started the program with a small group of women. Soon, the first scholarship was awarded to Delia, an accounting major. After leaving an abusive marriage, she was living in her car with four children. With the Fresh Start scholarship, she graduated with an Associate's Degree in accounting with a 4.0 average, and started a new career.

2002

What was then known as the WWB Foundation changed its name to the Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation. An advisory board was established. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, and E.I duPont de Nemours became inaugural founders.

2002

What was then known as the WWB Foundation changed its name to the Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation. An advisory board was established. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, and E.I duPont de Nemours became inaugural founders.

2003-04

An annual campaign was designed to increase donations. In the same year, we established a formal mentoring program, received a $5,000 grant from the Fund for Women, and also began hosting our Signature Event. We established key performance indicators to measure success and impact.

2003-04

An annual campaign was designed to increase donations. In the same year, we established a formal mentoring program, received a $5,000 grant from the Fund for Women, and also began hosting our Signature Event. We established key performance indicators to measure success and impact.

2006

Over 300 guests attended our Tenth Anniversary Luncheon held at the DuPont Country Club.The Fresh Start Awards program was formed, and we showed a video featuring three scholar success stories.

2006

Over 300 guests attended our Tenth Anniversary Luncheon held at the DuPont Country Club.The Fresh Start Awards program was formed, and we showed a video featuring three scholar success stories.

2008

Amended our vision to, “Create an all-volunteer sustainable foundation to continually grow the number and size of scholarships and mentoring strengthen services for women in need,” and established strategies to ensure our vision.

2008

Amended our vision to, “Create an all-volunteer sustainable foundation to continually grow the number and size of scholarships and mentoring strengthen services for women in need,” and established strategies to ensure our vision.

2009

Fresh Start established an endowment fund at the Delaware Community Foundation to ensure financial sustainability.

2009

Fresh Start established an endowment fund at the Delaware Community Foundation to ensure financial sustainability.

2016

Fresh Start celebrates its 20th anniversary.

2016

Fresh Start celebrates its 20th anniversary.

2018

A new milestone reached: $1 million in scholarships were awarded since our founding. New bylaws were adopted to accommodate the official dissolution of WWB.

2018

A new milestone reached: $1 million in scholarships were awarded since our founding. New bylaws were adopted to accommodate the official dissolution of WWB.

Today

Your support help change the lives of nearly 300 women in Delaware.

Today

Your support help change the lives of nearly 300 women in Delaware.

Meet the faces behind the Fresh Start foundation

Our all-volunteer board is passionate and committed to supporting women of Delaware.

Betty Sweeny
President
Barbara Buckley
Chair, Scholar Database
Kelsey Callaghan
Assistant Treasurer
Marisa Facciolo, JD
Chair, Governance
Lisa-Marie Jackson
Chair, Digital Marketing
Kelli Kilbride
Chair, Administration
Ralandre’ Lacy
Chair, Scholar Engagement
Samanta Lopez, MPA, M.Ed
Co-Chair, Mentoring
Mary Maloney
Founder
Valerie Middlebrooks
CPA, Treasurer
Nanci Mayer-Mihalski
VP, Scholarship Program and Co-Chair, Mentoring
Sandy Scheibe
Chair, Grants
Pauline Tartaglia
Chair, Scholarship Program
Donna Weidel
Vice President, Marketing and Communications

Advisory Board

Margo Ewing Woodacre
Rita Wilkins
Michele Whetzel, Ex-Officio
Paula Swain
Colleen Perry Keith
Rita Landgraf
Jan Jessup
Karen M. Ingram
LaVerne Harmon
Sharon Kelly Hake
Vernita Dorsey
Fred Dawson
Tracy Quillen Carney

Each year we inspire transformation

See the numbers and learn from our scholars first-hand in our recent annual report.

view report

Read our feature in Delaware Today

“We aren’t just transforming women’s lives,” Maloney says, “but also positively impacting the lives of their children, family and the community."

Read Feature