Guadalupe Center of Immokalee: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Through Education

A group of clergy and lay people working together evolved into Guadalupe Social Services and raised more than $200,000 to remodel a building owned by the Catholic Church of Immokalee. The same building is used today to house the Guadalupe Center of Immokalee soup kitchen, clothing, and shower program.

• 1985, a Board of Trustees was formed at the Guadalupe Center.
• 1990, the Guadalupe After-School Tutoring Program was established which employed local high school students to tutor elementary school students in the community.
• Early 90’s, the After-School Tutor Program was expanded to include Holiday Education Camp Program to provide structured learning activities for the children when school is not in session.
• 1996, a group of Bonita Bay residents purchased a building on Hope Circle which was named in memory of Jim Near. This building became the location of the Early Childhood Education Program.
• 2004, the Guadalupe Center formed the Tutor Corps Program. Students are employed by the center, and have adult mentors, professional college counseling, and scholarship funding.
• 2005, the Guadalupe Resale Shop opened in downtown Naples.
• January 2006, with financial assistance from the Morgridge Family, a new, 17,000 sq. ft., state of the art building was completed and became the Morgridge Family Educational Building.
• 2008, a new 15,000 sq. ft. Jim Near Building at the Guadalupe Center is being constructed.