Goodyear prison hosts workforce program with federal grant

A $4 million federal grant will bring a new in-prison workforce development center to Perryville Women’s Prison in Goodyear, expanding services for incarcerated women preparing to reenter the community.

Dress for Success Phoenix received the U.S. Department of Labor’s Pathway Home 6 Grant to support its HOPE for Success program and launch the HOPE Center, the nonprofit’s first permanent satellite site located inside a correctional facility.

The program provides job readiness training, financial literacy, professional attire, and 12 months of post-release case management. It aims to reduce recidivism and help women reenter the workforce with stability and confidence.

“The work planned at the HOPE Center will have a tremendous impact on the women in our custody and care,” stated Ryan Thornell, director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry. “Innovative partnerships like this strengthen public safety across Arizona.”

At Perryville, more than 3,000 women are currently incarcerated. Participants in the program will complete more than 80 hours of career training through a secure tablet-based platform developed by R3 Score Technologies and provided by Aventiv Technologies.

“It is a meaningful investment in our mission to help women rebuild their lives and reenter their communities with confidence,” stated Tamala McBath, CEO of Dress for Success Phoenix. “Our programs provide a pathway to self-sufficiency through education, employment, and wraparound support that reduces recidivism and creates long-term change.”

For more information, visit dfsphoenix.org.