Immokalee High School teacher Steve Becker will compete in a 12.5 mile open-water swim race Saturday, June 22 in the annual Florida Keys Community College Swim Around Key West. Becker is swimming in support of The Immokalee Foundation, the nonprofit dedicated to building pathways to success for the children of Immokalee through programs focused on education, vocation and life skills. Becker’s goal is to raise $5,000 for the organization.

Twelve young men, including students from The Immokalee Foundation’s Career Development program, were honored at the 2012 Heavy Equipment Mechanics graduation celebration. The event recognized the first graduating class of the HEM program at the Immokalee Technical Center.

With the support of founding partners, The Immokalee Foundation, The Caterpillar Foundation, Kelly Tractor, Fites Family Charitable Trust, Kelly Foundation Inc., Collier County School Board and Immokalee Technical Center, the HEM program was launched in the fall of 2010.

The program is a state-of-the-art curriculum designed to prepare graduates to enter a field currently in high demand throughout the United States and Latin America. The program includes instruction for diesel engine technician, diesel engine mechanic/technician helper, diesel drivetrain technician and more.

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 Elijah Arreaga, John Henry, Kerby Henry, Elijah Basile

With the help of The Immokalee Foundation, the Greater Immokalee Front Porch Youth Empowerment Academy (YEA) held its second annual conference this summer in Immokalee, giving five highly driven students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, become better résumé writers, gain workplace experience, and generally grow on personal and professional levels. Above, the five students who participated in this year’s YEA pose for a picture with YEA leaders.

As part of the YEA experience, each student was asked to write an essay that answers the question: "What is your defintion of poverty and what would you do to change the way poverty looks in your community?" Click here to read the TIF student responses.

TIF student Alejandro Arreguin and TIF board member Louise Penta share a moment together this summer at Camp Joslin in Massachusetts — an experience Alejandro enjoyed thanks to TIF and our wonderful Fund A Dream™ donors.