About the Immokalee Initiative

Immokalee has the highest concentration of child poverty in Collier County.  Approximately 9,000 children reside in Immokalee.  Three thousand of them are under five years old.  The Immokalee Collaborative Proposal, commissioned by the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) and researched and written by the University of Florida, addresses specific gaps in service in early learning in Immokalee.

Collier Child Care Resources, Inc. is working strategically and proactively in collaboration with the early learning providers and support agencies, specifically Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA), Guadalupe Center, Immokalee Child Care Center, Immokalee Housing & Family Services (IHFS) and the Collier County Public School System’s ELLM leadership.

The Immokalee early learning programs expressed the need for support with employee recruitment and retention, career advancement, local education and training, financial supports and a centralized professional development agency to administer such supports.  With the help of  NCEF and the Immokalee Community, Collier Child Care Resources, Inc. opened the Collier Childcare Training & Resource Center on April 1, 2008 and has had many successes thus far in providing the support that will help lead to positive outcomes for Immokalee’s children. Under this initiative, CCCR is addressing the early learning Professional's "career ladder" by coaching and mentoring them to seek state mandaed and non-mandated trainings, their Staff Credential/CDA and then ultimately higher-education courses; working towards a two-year degree in Early Childhood Education

Supporting the Professional Development needs and coordinating and/or providing quality education and training will lead to positive outcomes and ultimately increase the quality of care given to Immokalee's children, often at-risk of school failure.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PICK UP A SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION:

Call: Lynn Bowen (239) 657-2134 or (239) 233-9005

Visit: Collier Child Care Training & Resource Center

TMI Bldg. 2050 Commerce Avenue Unit 1

Immokalee, FL 34142

(Across from the Airport in the Tradeport Technology Park)

For information about Mandated & Non-Mandated training or to register for a class contact:

Collier Child Care Training & Resource Center at 239-657-2134 (Immokalee)