When you know the story, you know the meaning. This notion rings particularly true when we consider The Immokalee Foundation, where understanding the narrative sheds light on the meaningful impact made over its remarkable 33-year history. By examining the Foundation’s origins and journey, we gain deeper insights into its vital role in transforming the lives of children in Immokalee.
In 1991, philanthropist Parker Collier founded The Immokalee Foundation to address the needs of children in the little-known agricultural town of Immokalee. She began raising awareness and financial support from neighboring Neapolitans. Soon, The Immokalee Foundation started to provide financial assistance to existing initiatives focused on education, health care and career development — contributions that served to uplift the children of Immokalee and the community.
Parker’s generosity and commitment attracted other philanthropic pioneers who helped shape the vision of The Immokalee Foundation as we know it today.
By the late 1990s, The Immokalee Foundation expanded its role by developing in-house programs focused on empowering children through opportunity and accountability.
From 1999 to 2001, these early leaders launched the Millenium Fundraising Campaign, which brought influential speakers to discuss world events, history and culture. And it worked! This campaign formed the backbone of The Immokalee Foundation’s endowment.
In 2001, The Immokalee Foundation began partnering with the Take Stock in Children (TSIC) scholarship program, recognized as the nation’s premier college access program for underserved students. As a result, many of Immokalee’s youth received financial support to reach major educational milestones they had never dreamed possible—including going to college.
Soon after, The Immokalee Foundation expanded its professional development offerings to include summer camps and workshops, continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance students’ experiences and success.
Fast-forward to 2019, when The Immokalee Foundation launched its groundbreaking Career Pathways program. This initiative involved a redesign of the Foundation’s existing college preparatory programming, making it more career-focused. Research revealed that nationally, over a third of college graduates were in jobs for which they were overqualified, earning a salary that did not reflect their education levels.
To address this issue, The Immokalee Foundation adopted a data-driven approach to identify high-demand, well-paying job categories that lead to professional careers in Southwest Florida. Foundation-supported high school students now follow individual Pathways focused on Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Education & Human Services, Engineering & Construction Management, and Healthcare.
The result was an innovative career model that prepares students for professional careers while catering to the evolving needs of a growing Southwest Florida community.
To grow this initiative, The Immokalee Foundation collaborates with local middle and high schools, industry professionals, and higher education institutions. This model benefits not only the students but also the community.
Career Pathways recently received the Florida Leadership Impact Award for transforming the future of our region and having the potential to transform Florida as a whole. The program was also selected as a 2024 Example of Excelencia for culturally relevant, evidence-based practices that strengthen the skills and needs of Latino students and surrounding communities.
Today, The Immokalee Foundation has transformed the lives of over 16,000 students and serves over 1,300 students each year — from kindergarten through postsecondary education.
So what does this all mean?
It means that:
- Students supported by The Immokalee Foundation are no longer bound by limitations associated with low educational attainment and low-paying jobs.
- Over 700 elementary school students receive after-school literacy support, which lays the foundation for the rest of their educational journey.
- Our middle school students are getting a head start on their futures by being exposed to a broad range of career paths during out-of-school programs.
- Every Immokalee Foundation-supported high school student fully immerses themselves in their career path of choice through internships, workshops, networking opportunities, career panels and more.
- 100% of our students graduate high school with a postsecondary plan for a professional career.
- Many students are the first in their families to go to college, creating a cycle of empowerment that lasts for generations.
- Students benefit from mentorship opportunities that provide them with life-changing wisdom, guidance, and new friendships.
- Higher education is made accessible to all Immokalee Foundation students thanks to scholarship support.
- By the time Immokalee Foundation students reach the workforce, they are well-equipped with the necessary tools to contribute and succeed.
- The entire Southwest Florida community is impacted thanks to Foundation graduates eager to give back to those who so generously nurtured their success.
Whether by becoming a mentor, hosting an internship, touring our facilities, or donating, we invite you to expand your role in The Immokalee Foundation’s story as you create new meaning in your own life—and the lives of deserving children in Immokalee.
