Members of the East Valley Institute of Technology were joined by Mesa Mayor John Giles and Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Friday in a ceremony commemorating a $10 million, 24,050-square-foot residential center on campus for foster teens set to open in July.
The residential center known as HopeTech is to the east side of the EVIT campus near 1353 W. Main St. in Mesa. It will provide foster teens between 18-21 — the age where teens typically transition out of foster care — a stable place to live at a low cost while also taking advantage of EVIT resources to further academic and career development, according to a press release.
Students staying at HopeTech will be able to have stable housing, which is something many foster youth do not get to experience. At an age where they are transferring out of foster care, having stable housing at that point in your life is extremely important, said EVIT Superintendent Dr. Chad Wilson.
