A "Fresh Start" for women in the East Valley

A new partnership between EVIT and the Fresh Start Women's Foundation was born this week, as the foundation officially opened the doors to its new East Valley headquarters, located on the school's campus.


Fresh Start is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women by offering quality services to women seeking self-improvement. The center offers a variety of programs and services, including self-esteem enhancement, education services, mentoring, career services and family law support services.

Opening an office on EVIT's campus made sense for several reasons. The campus is conveniently located on local bus routes and the light rail, making it easier for women to travel to the office. Also, the school serves as a site for the Maricopa County Head Start Program, an early childhood development program that could potentially be utilized as a daycare option for women who are receiving services from Fresh Start.

Plus, EVIT offers an array of affordable adult education programs, including cosmetology, massage therapy, surgical technology, EMT, welding and aesthetics. These programs can help women jump-start their career in a short amount of time or teach them a skill that will help them earn money as they pursue further higher education.

"This is a wonderful facility," said Dara Gibson, manager of East Valley Fresh Start. "This is a wonderful fit for us."

Fresh Start held a ribbon cutting ceremony, which was featured in the Arizona Republic, on Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the new office and the partnership between the non-profit and the career and technical center.

EVIT Superintendent Dr. Sally Downey addresses the group before the ribbon cutting ceremony, saying, "The power in this room will lead to great things."