Maryvale was birthed in the 1950’s as a sparkling oasis – a flourishing planned village in the desert beckoning families to a new suburban community. John F. Long, an innovative community planner and developer and his wife Mary created homes for young families and a planned village that won multiple awards as a model for city planners. Maryvale is one of the villages in metro Phoenix.

Now the sparkling innovative community is in decline. The new reality that faces Maryvale demands critical care to meet the community’s increased poverty, homelessness, crime, and great social needs.