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Grant Aimed To Help Phoenix Low-Income Families Increase Income

The Phoenix Marcos de Niza public housing project is one of 24 communities in the nation to benefit from a $2 million federal grant.

The Phoenix Housing Department has been awarded the 4-year grant to help low-income families find higher paying jobs.

The grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide training and employment services to residents of the Marcos de Niza Community.

With the new programs, families will benefit from English learning classes, childcare services, and learning financial literacy.

William Emerson, deputy housing director in Phoenix, said the programs will engage the families on an individual basis to learn more about their needs.

“We really hope that this grant helps people overcome any barrier that they’re facing in achieving self-efficiency,"  Emerson said. "We want them to understand that they are part of our community and that they have every right to participate in it fully."

The department has also partnered with Gateway and Phoenix Community Colleges, which train residents to develop skills that can potentially get them higher paying jobs.

Gateway and Phoenix College are part of the Maricopa Community Colleges. KJZZ is licensed to Rio Salado College, also one of the Maricopa Community Colleges.

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Kenya Vasquez was an intern at KJZZ in 2016.