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What the

Immokalee Foundation’s

Class of ‘ 24

Means to SW Florida.

By Noemi Y. Perez
President and CEO
The Immokalee Foundation

Caps, gowns, diplomas, sashes, and commencement These hard-working men and women often work to feed
speeches—these classic elements define an often highly millions of people in SW Florida and beyond, yet they can find
emotional graduation celebration. it challenging to feed their own families.
For many, the act of graduating is a given. However, in Thanks to the support of donors, mentors, volunteers, and
Immokalee, graduation is never guaranteed—it's often community partners, The Immokalee Foundation provides the
elevated to the status of "a dream come true." youth of Immokalee with life-changing education, career-
That's precisely what happened for the 86 Immokalee readiness, and professional development programs.
Foundation high school and postsecondary students we Starting in elementary school and continuing through
celebrated this year. postsecondary education, our students take an educational
journey that sets them up for career success and financial
And why are these graduates so important to us? independence. The Foundation provides mentoring and
tutoring as well as access to field trips, career panels,
The Immokalee Foundation's innovative education programs internships, scholarships and so much more.
equip Immokalee's best and brightest young people with the
skills, knowledge, and confidence to achieve their full One hundred percent of the students we support graduate
potential and prepare them to make a meaningful high school, compared to 88% statewide.
contribution to the community we share. Ninety-three percent earn a postsecondary degree or
In the decades ahead, Immokalee Foundation alums will certificate compared to the statewide statistics of 41% for
engineer and build our homes. They will oversee our health Hispanic students and 31% for Black students—two groups
care. They will teach, protect, and lead us. Their innovation, primarily served by The Immokalee Foundation.
creative thinking, and entrepreneurial spirit will change how These powerful metrics reflect the significant effort made in
we do business. Our collective future depends on their preparing our students for tomorrow's workforce, especially
success. as labor economists predict that more than 60% of jobs will
require a degree or credential beyond high school by 2030.
This year's postsecondary graduates join a group of over Today, only 50% of working-age (ages 25-64) Floridians hold
16,000 Foundation alums already making their mark on our such a credential, leaving a considerable gap in workforce
region and beyond. talent.

Then there's Immokalee, the small town and tight-knit While most of our high school graduates will attend a college
community that shaped their young lives. Some may not or university, some will pursue a military career, and others will
realize Immokalee is a town located 35 miles outside of follow a professional path at Immokalee Technical College. All
downtown Naples, not just a major thoroughfare in North in preparation for becoming productive citizens and fulfilling
Naples. the workforce needs of a rapidly growing community.
We celebrate the extraordinary young men and women they
Immokalee is home to a large, primarily migrant, farming are today just as we celebrate the leaders they will become in
community with a population of 40,000 during the winter the years ahead—new leadership we can all find comfort
season. Many residents are forced to labor in agricultural knowing is on its way.
fields, move their families with the harvesting seasons, and
suffer low wages. Still more fill vital, yet under appreciated
blue-collar roles throughout the region.

Immokalee is where a significant migrant farming community resides, with a population of 40,000 during the winter months. Numerous
residents are compelled to work in the agricultural fields, relocate their families based on harvesting seasons, and endure meager
wages. Additionally, many others play essential, albeit undervalued, blue-collar positions across the area.
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