Phoenix Indian Center

The Phoenix Indian Center (PIC) established in 1947, is the oldest and first social service agency in the United States dedicated to improving the health and well-being of American Indian people. As the oldest American Indian Center, we serve as the hub for the advancement of our urban American Indian relatives with culturally relevant essential services, programs, and initiatives. The Phoenix Indian Center envisions a healthy and thriving urban American Indian community!                            

Serving more than 9,500 urban American Indian community members annually, the Center provides quality workforce development, adult education, youth development/college and career readiness, cultural enrichment, language and culture classes, basic need provision and community engagement opportunities to help families maneuver through the difficult life situations they encounter.

The Center provides skill-building opportunities and helps to create strong outcomes for over 9,500 people annually and has reached over a million people in the seventy-eight years of service. In the Workforce Development Program, PIC staff help to prepare adults who have been out of the workforce for more than 120 days, to build their confidence and skills to secure employment; PIC continues to support them in the first full year of employment. The Center also provides youth development services as the health and well being of our American Indian youth is of vital importance. Our youth development, for middle school & high school youth, focuses on helping participants learn the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to live a successful life, utilizing culture as the core of their identity and strength. 

We know that in order to be successful in one’s personal, educational and professional life, we need to make good decisions and have a good network of support. This support can be from family, friends and from community organizations such as ours. We offer several programs to help support our urban American Indian families to increase communication, build community and to prevent risky behaviors and promote healthy choices.

Testimonials

"Well, personally, I'd just like to say that they've helped, not only me but my family. It's a place where I feel home and people can come for help when living in the city."

"The Phoenix Indian Center is someplace special, a remarkable organization with a remarkable product that touches lives in a way that other organizations cannot. And, I ask anyone who is remotely interested to please, go into the center and feel for yourself, because you will feel that difference that is being made."

"As a grandmother, you want many positive role models for your grandchildren so they will live a productive journey/life and I've seen how the staff are very involved in the student's lives as mentors."