Friendly House Inc

Friendly House is one of Arizona's pioneer social service agencies, first established in 1920 by the Phoenix Americanization Committee as part of a local initiative to assist immigrants from many backgrounds to acquire the citizenship, education and literacy skills necessary to acculturate into the United States. An ongoing legacy of the settlement house movement, Friendly House has grown and expanded its services over the past 94 years while remaining committed to serving all of Arizona's families -- immigrants and citizens alike.

Friendly House serves Arizona families, new immigrants and citizens, assisting them at work, school or home, and at any stage of life. Friendly House currently serves 15,000 individuals/families annually through a set of fully integrated programs in the following areas:

• early childhood and youth education
• adult education and workforce development
• family services (emergency services/basic needs, counseling, parent education)
• homecare services for elderly/disabled
• immigration/legal services
• neighborhood based services targeting Central/South Phoenix.

 

Since the attainment of a quality education and employment is the key to success in this country, Friendly House continues to emphasize education for the following groups: preschool age children through quality care and early education; elementary school age children through its K-8 charter school (Academia del Pueblo), and its afterschool and summer programs; high school and college age students, with an emphasis on youth/young adults would be the first in their families to complete post-secondary education; and young and older adults who need a second chance to complete their education and enter the workforce.

Most individuals and families also need critical human services during life's difficult moments such as a job loss, or from challenges meeting basic needs such as food, securing/remaining in permanent housing or maintaining independence and dignity during life's golden years.  

The work of Friendly House builds on America's identity as a nation of opportunity by promoting fairness in the law and advancing a number of strategies to enable individuals and families to fully enter and participate in the American way of life. Friendly House endeavors to align its work with the highest aspirations of all the people it serves, in an effort to help them achieve their American Dream.