The dynamic and colorful city of Surprise, located in the northwest Phoenix Metropolitan area, is considered to be one of the safest cities in Arizona. It offers its residents the comfort of living in a relatively peaceful community area without missing out on big-city opportunities. The Surprise Human Service and Community Vitality Department houses the Neighborhood Services Division and Senior Services Division. It aims to strengthen the community, support non-profits, and participate in government partnerships in order to ameliorate its residents. Abound with multifarious community services and events, it administers various assistance and benefits not only to single mothers who are struggling to make ends meet but all women of its population.
Surprise Care and Share Expo
This community event aims to create and strengthen connections with human service organizations, health resources, and medical checks. It promotes cooperation within the community, programs, and services that promote health, financial growth, and self-empowerment for women. For more information, please visit: https://www.surpriseaz.gov/3761/Care-Share-Expo
For Children of Single Mothers – Summer Youth Employment Program
Surprise offers a summer job program for income-eligible residents between the ages of 15-19. Applicants need to be able to work for up to 25 hours a week throughout a period of six weeks. The interns who are chosen to participate in the Summer Youth Employment Program will earn minimum wage whilst receiving professional development training such as taking care of the elderly, or shadowing a building inspector. Those interested may visit: https://www.surpriseaz.gov/2977/Youth-Employment-Program
WIC Services – Adelante Healthcare for Women, Infants, and Children
This program is constructed to maintain pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of 5 in good shape and health. WIC is a procedure that provides adequate nutrition, education about health, and other similar benefits at no cost to families residing in Arizona who are eligible. Visit their website at https://adelantehealthcare.com/services/wic-nutritional-program/
Mediation Program
Administers experienced volunteers who participate as an impartial third party to encourage debate between disputing parties and support them to come to a mutually agreeable resolution. Surprise has a number of mediators available that are qualified to intervene and help resolve such issues. The Community Mediation Program will deal with disputes such as neighbor-to-neighbor, resident to HOA board or committee, landlord-tenant, consumer issues, resident to city, commercial and business disagreements, and workplace-related disputes. For more details, click on https://www.surpriseaz.gov/642/Mediation-Program
Women’s Education
Surprise Academy lectures give the hard-working women of Surprise an understanding of city government and operations, as well as training to become effective community servants and leaders. Visit this website for information: https://www.surpriseaz.gov/3528/City-Academy
- Financial Fitness Classes
The curriculum involves lectures on estate planning basics, text planning, home financing, college planning, and a wills and trusts workshop. For detailed class plans, visit: https://www.surpriseaz.gov/1996/Financial-Fitness-Classes
- Business Academy
This course of four sessions offers an interesting and inspiring introduction to the basics of business formation for women who are aspiring to become entrepreneurs. The students are split up into teams, and each team is foreseen to develop both a business concept and a business plan during the first three weeks of the course. Once the course is finished, each team will present its business idea and detailed plan to the entire class for review and scoring. More information can be found on https://www.surpriseaz.gov/2594/Business-Academy
Small Business Assistance Program
Presents the women of Surprise with quality, one-on-one lessons, training, and counseling. It is aimed at existing small businesses and even to those who are aspiring to become entrepreneurs and create a small business of their own, too. This program aims to help women establish detailed business plans and even provides them with exclusive access to private, as well as public resources. The Economic Development staff of Surprise is accompanied by a large number of volunteers with adequate expertise – they are more than pleased to assist and be of service to the women in their community. To learn more about this program, click on https://www.surpriseaz.gov/996/Small-Business
The Amber Grant
These grants were launched by WomensNet in praise of Amber Wigdhal, a young woman who died at the age of 19 unable to fulfill her entrepreneurial dreams. The Amber Grant delivers various financial support to ambitious and success-driven women throughout the whole year. To apply, visit: https://ambergrantsforwomen.com/get-an-amber-grant/apply-now/
Interim Office Space
The city of Surprise provides interim office space at its 60,000 square foot AZ TechCelerator business incubator to women’s businesses entering the market. This helps to create a base for business start-up operations, hiring and recruitment, and training needs while the planning and construction of a new, stable location is being searched for. For more operation assistance services, please visit https://www.surpriseaz.gov/3407/Incentives
Community Outreach Program
The main purpose of this program is to provide assistance to organizations through funding the City of Surprise for programs, events, and activities that improve the overall existence of the community. Grant requests can be made for $10,000 or less. To get better informed on this program, visit https://www.surpriseaz.gov/3142/Community-Outreach-Program
Housing Programs for Women
The city’s Neighborhood Services Division administers programs to assist eligible women with maintaining homes that experience minor-to-major component failure. More information on this program can be found on https://www.surpriseaz.gov/2892/Housing-Programs
- Housing Rehabilitation Programs
The mending and even the replacement of a home’s structure or mechanisms that are imperative for safe tenancy and function, such as the breakdown of an air conditioner, water heater, a leaking pipe, or roof, are offered through this housing rehabilitation program. To further look into this program, click on https://www.surpriseaz.gov/3788/Housing-Rehabilitation-Programs
- Tenant-Based Rental Assistance
Income-eligible women of Surprise are allowed to apply for and receive, rental assistance through a non-profit housing provider. To apply for this service, visit https://www.surpriseaz.gov/3799/Tenant-Based-Rental-Assistance