Guadalupe Center 2020 & Beyond builds Endless possibilities

Since 1984, Guadalupe Center has been making a significant difference for students and families in Immokalee. Through its extraordinarily successful educational programs, more than 1,300 students are reached per year! At every key educational milestone, Guadalupe Center works with the children of Immokalee, helping them see that they have what it takes to overcome the profound challenges of living in an impoverished community.

Starting from as young as six weeks old, Guadalupe Center helps children through their early childhood develop the social, emotional and academic foundation to be kindergarten ready. Then, they are by their students’ sides in those early elementary years, building up strong reading skills so they’re ready to learn. And when students enter high school, they give them the skills, resources and confidence to become first generation college graduates.

However, there is still a great need to expand Guadalupe Center’s transformational programs. In Collier County, an estimated 5,000 children under age five live in poverty. Of these, less than 1,000 are enrolled in a high quality preschool program. Guadalupe Center’s Early Childhood Education Program is currently operating at full capacity, serving 307 children, and has a wait list of more than 500 infants and
toddlers.

Each year as Guadalupe Center board members and staff evaluated the progress of its programs and areas for development, they came to the same conclusions; the programs were truly life changing for students, and the need for high quality educational opportunities along with their wait list continued to grow. Committed to the children of Immokalee, a group of passionate leaders and philanthropists began to take action! A Long Range Strategy Committee was formed in 2015, and by Fall 2017, Guadalupe Center’s 2020 & Beyond campaign started taking shape.

“We started with ideas about expanding access to early learning and watched these ideas blossom into two new locations and 218
additional children served each year,” shares Linda Yost, board member and campaign chair for Guadalupe Center 2020 & Beyond, “As we have shared our goals and dreams, we’ve seen it evoke great passion and generosity from donors who clearly and wholeheartedly believe in our vision.”

On February 6, 2020, Guadalupe Center celebrated the completed Monaghan Family Early Childhood Education Campus which will provide 64 little ones, from infancy to age three, with early learning each year. “You’ll be touched by what an organization like Guadalupe
Center can do for students in real need. There’s been significant progress made, but it’s now time to focus on the future, to secure this
positive, high-impact program,” encourages Richard Monaghan, Guadalupe Center Trustee.

In the spring of 2020, Guadalupe Center will break ground on the van Otterloo Family Campus for Learning. Longtime supporters and champions for education, the van Otterloo family made a powerful impact with a $5 million lead matching gift to establish the campus.
In addition to increasing access, Guadalupe Center 2020 & Beyond is about making a lasting impact by ensuring that its programs continue to meet the community’s educational needs for generations to come. An endowment will sustain the organization’s mission for the future.

We are inspired and grateful to everyone who has contributed to date – including 100% of our amazing board and full-time staff,” says Dawn Montecalvo, President of Guadalupe Center, “Their investment in this campaign speaks volumes!” Guadalupe Center’s vision is bigger and farther reaching than the tangible things that can be built. It’s about building endless possibilities for students today, tomorrow and beyond – breaking the cycle of poverty through education in Immokalee!

Guadalupe Center invites you to invest in its vision through Guadalupe Center 2020 & Beyond. Contact us to learn more about making a personal or corporate pledge.

Guadalupe Center, Morgridge Family Early Childhood Education Campus, 509 Hope Circle,                                                                                        Immokalee, FL 34142, 239-657-7711    www.GuadalupeCenter.org

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