Immokalee Foundation Board Chair and student mentor Jerry Belle meets with Foundation students at the summer educational camps hosted at FGCU.
The Immokalee Foundation has continually adapted to its students’ needs while making an impact in Southwest Florida. The Foundation has enriched the lives of motivated students from Immokalee for 34 years—over 18,000 students since its inception and 1,300+ this year alone.
The objective from the beginning has been to support students after school and during the summer through programs to ensure they successfully navigate the many demands on their time.
It is a focus on comprehensive and individualized support that differentiates The Immokalee Foundation from other organizations with similar goals. The Foundation is Southwest Florida’s first and only organization offering a full continuum of support—from middle school through postsecondary education and into a professional career—with impressive measurable outcomes that transform lives.
Our emphasis on scholarships is part of our legacy as an awarded affiliate of the state of Florida’s Take Stock in Children program. The goal of many students and their parents has been to ensure that the student has the financial means to provide it. But in the current environment, it is becoming clear that not all students need to graduate from a four-year university to be successful.
There is growing support demonstrating that postsecondary focus should be on a successful career, not just a diploma. That may even mean that certification in a field of study from a technical school provides a better opportunity for some students to secure a well-paying job than the investment in a four-year college education. This philosophy is reinforced by local businesses, which are struggling to find well-prepared young professionals.
The Immokalee Foundation is positioned to benefit the workforce needs of all of Southwest Florida through our award-winning Career Pathways program. Each year, over 370 Foundation students are guided from middle school through high school to select an in-demand career pathway that aligns with their interests. Pathways include Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Education & Human Services, Engineering & Construction Management, and Healthcare.
Specifically, the Foundation provides guidance, programs, summer camps, and internships to participating students in their chosen career fields. Support also includes a focus on soft skills development to better prepare students for real-world experiences. Much of this is achieved through 100+ volunteer mentors, who meet regularly with their respective mentees. From personal experience, I can assure you that mentoring provides a true sense of added purpose to both mentor and mentee.
The result? The Immokalee Foundation is creating the well-trained workforce of the future.
Even today, Immokalee Foundation alumni design and build the homes you live in, and operate many of the businesses you patronize regularly. They teach your children, fulfill vital roles in the nation’s military, and work on your healthcare teams. It’s comforting to know they will be there for us when we need them the most.
If you are a current or prospective donor, rest assured that your investment is appreciated and directed entirely to the support of Foundation students. Plus, by joining our mentor team, you can assume a vital role in supporting our region’s economic future.
Regardless of the charitable pathway you choose, please join us in supporting these deserving students in their pursuit of successful, impactful careers. Southwest Florida’s economic future depends on all of us doing our part.