In June, we shared that the roof and window installation would be completed in July, and we are right on schedule! Additionally, we said farewell to the dirt roads and now have a paved street for our future community. Currently, the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical rough work is finishing up, and the interior walls are being framed. We are excited to share that we recently passed our window and fire inspections thanks to the hard work of the Heatherwood team! | |
While we are on track with our first building, we need your help reaching our overall goal of $30 million. This will fund the construction of 128 safe, affordable rental units for farmworkers and their families, as well as other low-income Immokalee residents. With your support, we can build secure, sustainable homes that help strengthen the community by fostering health, education, dignity, and financial stability, improving the quality of life for local families. We are grateful to you and your caring heart for helping us build homes. | |
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If you or your organization wants an up-close look at our progress, we invite you to schedule a private tour. We look forward to sharing our progress with you! | |
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Community Partner Spotlight:
Immokalee Friendship House
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The Immokalee Friendship House was established over 35 years ago and is overseen by St. Matthew’s House, a Christian ministry. The House provides shelter to over 1,000 people and feeds over 25,000 meals each year.
The IFHA and Immokalee Friendship House are working together to provide support, resources, and assistance to the people of Immokalee. We recently spoke with Steve Brooder, CEO, and Ray Steadman, VP of Programs, about our shared vision and partnership in Immokalee.
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Introducing Our Building Partner:
Heatherwood Construction
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When it came time to begin the first construction phase, we knew we wanted to find a building partner that supported our values and vision. Led by owner and CEO, Walter Crawford, Heatherwood Construction benchmarks unparalleled standards of excellence, integrity, and good old-fashioned values.
With a long history of working with other community non-profit organizations and with a commitment to responsibility, accountability, and communication, Heatherwood Construction was a clear choice as our building partner.
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Julie Borden is Helping to Break Down Barriers | |
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Long-time real estate agent Julie Borden is familiar with the barriers to homeownership many families face and wants to help. After learning more about IFHA, Julie proposed to her broker, Adam Ruud, at Domain Realty that they encourage their 300+ agents to donate a portion of home sales to the organization. Since Domain Realty was already in the process of creating a foundation for similar projects, it was a perfect fit. Now Julie hopes to bring the idea to real estate boards around SWFL.
“While living in Naples is paradise to most, we live so close to such a sad situation that we can’t just turn the other way,” shared Julie. “It’s about caring for others, and my gift is connecting people not just to their dream home but to a great cause… while we can’t fix everything, we can make a big impact for the families in Immokalee.”
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Meet the Team: Julia Perkins | |
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After Hurricane Irma brought devastation to the already brutal living conditions in Immokalee, the Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance was created, and Julia Perkins immediately joined the Board.
A representative of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Julia interacts with Immokalee workers and receives questions daily about the availability of the new IFHA homes and how to apply.
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Courtesy of Coalition of
Immokalee Workers
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She is truly excited about seeing our first building rising from the ground, and she points out that there is much excitement in the Immokalee community as well. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is a worker-based human rights organization internationally recognized for its achievements in fighting human trafficking and gender-based violence at work. The CIW is also recognized for pioneering the design and development of the Worker-driven Social Responsibility paradigm, a worker-led, market-enforced approach to the protection of human rights in corporate supply chains. Built on a foundation of farmworker community organizing starting in 1993, and reinforced with the creation of a national consumer network since 2000.
Over the past several years, through the Campaign for Fair Food and CIW’s anti-slavery work, and culminating with the emergence of the Fair Food Program, Immokalee has evolved from being one of the poorest, most politically powerless communities in the country to become today an important national and statewide presence with forceful, committed leadership directly from the base of our community – young, migrant workers forging a future of livable wages and modern labor relations in Florida’s fields.
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A Tart & Sweet Gift For IFHA | |
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Recently, Carleton Cleveland, Executive Board member and Chair of Development for Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance, led a tour of the construction site and the Immokalee area. The tour included Nancy Van Fleet, Director of Children & Youth Ministries, and several other employees and members of the First Presbyterian Church of Naples.
Bringing back stories about IFHA’s mission and progress, the Church’s youth group set up a lemonade stand after a Sunday morning worship service. The stand sold tart, ice-cold lemonade, and sweet and tasty cake slices and cookies, with all the proceeds benefiting IFHA. It was a success, raising over $385!
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For the latest updates, please join us on our social media | |
IFHA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by call toll free (800-435-7352) within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. Registration # CH59730. www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com | | | | |
