At SJW, it is our Mission to get our Valley community’s economically disadvantaged, homeless and those in life transitions or experiencing crisis, employed in quality jobs that will help them become healthy and independent individuals and contributing community members.
It is our vision that, through employment, SJW will end homelessness for a significant and measurable sector of the homeless population; and further, we will prevent homelessness from becoming a bigger problem by continually increasing our reach and employing greater numbers of impoverished and underemployed community members at risk of becoming homeless. Through the work of SJW, anyone and everyone who is stable, ready and wanting to work will be employed, regardless of their situation. And no homeless person who can work and wants to work will remain homeless for lack of employment.
In 1988, a group of individuals arrived at André House to receive a free meal and began voicing their frustrations about the lack of basic employment resources available to them, “we want to work but don’t have the tools.” Wanting to help, Father Michael Baxter opened St. Joseph the Worker a few months later. Since then, SJW has given resources they need to obtain quality employment.
At St. Joseph the Worker, we have a very special tradition. Every time one of our clients obtains a job, they ring the "Success Bell". The whole office stops what they're doing to celebrate our client and their new job. You can read all their stories here.
Sometimes, all we need is a little bit of the right kind of help to boost our confidence and get us going in the right direction. This year more than others, that is true. For all of us to rise above the challenges, we need to come together and support one another so that we can also achieve the successes.
Jeremiah came to Phoenix in November looking for opportunity. After ending a toxic relationship back in New York, she wanted to start anew. Jeremiah left
Abuse, medical debt, and poverty were things Calvin had become accustomed to after a workplace injury left him with an unpaid worker’s compensation claim and an expensive surgery bill. This put a strain on his marriage and Calvin’s wife began making him feel small, saying he “couldn’t even afford to pay a water bill without her.” This lit a fire inside Calvin that burned brighter than the fire around him, so he moved to the best place to rise from the ashes: Phoenix.
