Page 52 - LIN November 2022 Issue

NOEMI Y. PEREZ, President & CEO, The Immokalee Foundation

The Immokalee Foundation’s Family Society

CONNECTS

OUR FAMILY WITH YOURS

’ve always been fascinated by the concept of family. Looking at my
background, how could I not be? I was born and raised in Immokalee.
IAs one of nine children, I was part of a large, caring family. However,
as I would come to appreciate more and more over the years, I was also
part of another, even larger family that totals over 28,000 members —
the hardworking, compassionate people of Immokalee, Florida.
As the President and CEO of The Immokalee Foundation, I am
responsible for leading an organization whose mission is to support
the education, career-readiness, and professional development of
over 1,300 students a year, ranging from kindergarten through post-
secondary education. Left: Immokalee Foundation students and sisters Jennifer, Flor, and Karen attend an
The Immokalee Foundation is forging new pathways to success and Immokalee Foundation event with their proud father.
financial independence for the youth of Immokalee with robust pro- Right: Immokalee Foundation alumnus and Family Society member Jesus Abarca, Jr.
gramming that prepares students for well-paying, in-demand profes- Today, Jesus is a graduate of Florida State University with a degree in
sional careers in Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Education Economics. He lives in Livermore in the East Bay Area of California and
& Human Services, Engineering & Construction Management, and works as a Production Manager at HelloFresh, one of the largest meal
Healthcare. kit suppliers in the country where he oversees a team of 140 people.
Family is a significant part of the culture in Immokalee and at The Despite being away from his hometown of Immokalee, when he
Immokalee Foundation. The numerous sibling combinations currently learned of the launch of the Family Society, he immediately stepped
benefiting from our programs are a testament to that. Siblings play an
even more significant role when looking at families whose members up and became one of the first to join and donate.
include our alumni, and current and future students. “I always thought you needed to be further in life to give or to start
There are Foundation staff members whose children, nieces giving,” Abarca said. “This is just a start. I know that I can contribute
and nephews participate. A growing group includes the children of more over time and create an even bigger impact.”
Immokalee Foundation alumni, our legacy students who are now To the other members of our Collier County family, I invite you
discovering their pathways to success. to get to know more about our Foundation Family. Joining the Family
Parents are always encouraged to participate in activities that will Society is an excellent way to start. Our family is big but we are
enhance their understanding of the Foundation’s capabilities and their always looking to make it bigger. For more information, please visit
child’s career potential. immokaleefoundation.org/ family society today.
With our love of family at the forefront, we recently launched “You can have all the success in the world, but if you are not using
The Immokalee Foundation’s Family Society. This monthly giving it to change someone’s life, what good is having it? If you are not using
campaign celebrates the generational impact made on families. When it to lift other people up or change someone’s life, it doesn’t fill your
members join, they receive updates, photos, and videos of students soul in any meaningful way,” Abarca says. “Family means having a
whose lives they are changing. group of people who can support and be there for you. The Immokalee
Take for example, Alumnus Jesus Abarca Jr. who was a part of Foundation reinforced that idea because they were with me throughout
The Immokalee Foundation for six years. He joined us in 7th grade my childhood and are still there for me. And now, I’m proud to be there
and stayed active through his 2009 high school graduation. for them, too.”

ABOUT THE IMMOKALEE FOUNDATION
For more than 30 years, The Immokalee Foundation has been preparing the next generation of leaders
through a 100% focus on education, career readiness, and professional development for students in
Immokalee — from kindergarten to postsecondary education. The Immokalee Foundation offers new
pathways to success and financial independence through robust programming that prepares students for
well-paying, in-demand professional careers in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Education
and Human Services, Engineering and Construction Management and Healthcare. For more information
call 239-430-9122 or visit immokaleefoundation.org.

52 Life in Naples November 2022