Inspiration
Returning to society after incarceration comes with challenges such as finding housing, securing employment, and accessing education. We created FreshStart to give formerly incarcerated individuals a second chance by providing personalized guidance, resources, and a clear path toward rebuilding their lives.
What it does
FreshStart is an AI-powered web platform that generates personalized 30-60-90-day reentry plans based on a user's circumstances and goals. It also aims to connect users with housing, employment, and educational opportunities while offering AI-powered mock interviews to help them prepare for the workforce.
How we built it
We divided development across frontend, backend, and AI integration. We used Python to build a questionnaire analysis system that identifies user priorities and connects to a large language model API to generate personalized reentry plans. We used JSON for structured outputs, GitHub for collaboration, and VS Code for development and testing.
Challenges we ran into
Our biggest challenges were integrating the AI model, handling API errors, and ensuring the generated plans were personalized rather than generic. We also had to structure AI responses consistently so they could be integrated into the web application while managing our limited hackathon timeframe.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We're proud of successfully developing an AI system that analyzes user responses and generates structured, actionable 30-60-90-day plans. More importantly, we're proud of building technology that addresses a real-world problem and has the potential to make a meaningful impact on people's lives.
What we learned
We gained hands-on experience with AI API integration, prompt engineering, Python development, structured JSON outputs, and collaborative development using GitHub. We also learned the importance of designing technology around real user needs and turning complex challenges into practical solutions.
What's next for Freshstart
We plan to expand FreshStart by integrating location-based housing and employment resources, developing interactive AI mock interviews, and adding progress tracking. Our long-term goal is to partner with reentry organizations and transform FreshStart into a comprehensive platform that helps individuals build sustainable futures after incarceration.
