Immokalee, Fla. – On January 9, Guadalupe Center received a grant of $20,000 from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to strengthen its nationally accredited Early Childhood Education Program, which provides high-quality early learning opportunities for children ages six weeks to five years old in Immokalee.
The funding will help provide tuition assistance for families and ensure children have access to educational materials that promote curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.
Serving more than 550 children across five campuses, Guadalupe Center’s Early Childhood Education Program lays a strong foundation for success by nurturing academic, social, emotional, and behavioral development during the most critical years of growth. The program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), a distinction that reflects the organization’s commitment to excellence.
“Suncoast Credit Union Foundation’s continued partnership reflects a shared belief in the power of education to transform lives,” said Dawn Montecalvo, President and CEO of Guadalupe Center. “This grant helps ensure that more children in Immokalee have access to the quality educational programming that builds confidence, ignites curiosity, and prepares them for future success.”
Tuition for families enrolled in the program is on a sliding scale based on household income, keeping education accessible through the support of philanthropic partners like the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. The latest grant from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation will ensure more children in Immokalee have access to high-quality early learning opportunities that set them on a path to success in elementary school and beyond.
“When we provide education based on curiosity, communities thrive,” said Jeffrey Kunberger, Executive Director of the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. “Satisfying the desire to know and understand is fundamental to problem-solving, which is how we grow and prosper individually and collectively,” he added.
Since its establishment in 1990, the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation has raised and donated millions of dollars to support educational initiatives and improve the lives of children and families across Florida. Guadalupe Center is honored to partner with the foundation in its mission to break the cycle of poverty through education for the children of Immokalee.
