Deborah Iannarelli

St. Joseph the Worker

St. Joseph the Worker (SJW) was founded in 1988 when volunteers serving dinner in a local park responded to please from the homeless, "we want to work, but we don't have the tools." At SJW, we know that a job is the only way out of poverty and homelessness! We are proud to do one thing: connect people with employment. For over 30 years, SJW has been singularly focused on getting our most disadvantaged citizens back to work by removing their individual barriers to employment and giving them the chance to become successful, in real jobs. At SJW, we don't entitle, enable, or label; we inspire, empower, and hold our clients accountable to their own success. We get people the jobs they need when they need them most, starting them on a journey towards economic self-sufficiency. As a result of our laser-focused mission, we are responsible for employing more individuals than any other employment or workforce organization in Arizona! Our program services are completely free to all, and include direct connection to employers, including our Preferred Business Partners, and open job positions, one-on-one coaching and job plans, access to computers/internet and phones, online job searching support, resume assistance, mock interviews, presentation and communication pointers, access to Employment Success and Financial/Budgeting workshops, transportation support and covering the fees for employment prerequisites as soon as a job has been won. We connect those who want to work with employment opportunity - working in real, full-time jobs with benefits. SJW's work with the poorest in our community has a tremendous impact contributing to better individual and familial health, better school performance for young children, and stronger local businesses and communities. Through employment, SJW is chipping away to break the chains of familial poverty for thousands of people each year!