Naples, FL—09/10/26— The Immokalee Foundation's Career Pathways Learning Lab was created to give Foundation students something few high school students ever experience: the opportunity to learn about engineering, construction, sales and land development by helping build a neighborhood from the ground up. Now, through a new partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, the innovative 18-home project is creating another pathway; helping qualified buyers achieve homeownership.

The hallmark of The Immokalee Foundation’s Engineering & Construction Management Pathway, the Learning Lab is an 18-home residential community in the heart of Immokalee that also serves as a hands-on training environment for high school students preparing for high demand careers in engineering, construction management and related fields.

Through partnerships with Immokalee Technical College (iTECH), BCB Homes the Ray Foundation, and Collier Enterprises, The Immokalee Foundation provides after-school and summer programming that combines classroom instruction with experiential learning and paid internships, leading to three industry-recognized credentials. Students learn under the supervision of industry professionals, gaining experience in the construction of three-bedroom, two-bathroom homes from foundation to finish.

Since the project launched in 2020, The Learning Lab has served 335 students, providing real-world experience while helping address the region's need for a skilled construction workforce.

The completed homes are sold at market rates, adding quality housing for middle-income families and individuals in Immokalee.

As the Learning Lab moves closer to completing its 18-home neighborhood, the new partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Collier County is extending the project's impact beyond workforce development.

Through the partnership, Habitat for Humanity is making its no-interest mortgage financing available to qualified Learning Lab homebuyers. The program serves income-qualified, first-time homebuyers who meet all of the organization’s guidelines and for whom a conventional interest- bearing mortgage tips the scale of affordability. Qualified buyers receive a no-interest, 30-year mortgage and must meet Habitat's income, credit, mortgage and resale requirements.

For Eulalia Andres, the partnership has brought the Learning Lab story full circle. Andres serves as the Lead Middle School Advocate at The Immokalee Foundation and supports students who will one day have the opportunity to participate in the Foundation’s Career Pathways high school and postsecondary program that leads to professional careers and financial independence.

“Owning a Learning Lab home is incredibly meaningful to me because it represents something our students helped build while building their own futures,” said Andres. “I’m proud to share this home with my family, knowing the students who helped create it gained skills and experience that can lead to rewarding careers and help strengthen the Immokalee community.”

“When we created the Learning Lab, our goal was to give students an opportunity to learn by doing and to see firsthand how a community is built in order to build their own futures,” says Noemi Y. Perez, President and CEO of The Immokalee Foundation. “What makes this project even more meaningful is seeing its impact come full circle. Through our partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, the homes our students helped bring to life are creating new opportunities for homeownership while contributing to the growth of their own community.”

“Every day, we meet hardworking families who are doing everything right but still find themselves in a difficult gap, where homeownership remains out of reach,” says Rev. Lisa Lefkow, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Collier County. “Our work has always been about building pathways to affordable homeownership through the strength of community partnership. This partnership with The Immokalee Foundation gave us an opportunity to reach beyond our traditional program and help another local family find a path home. That’s what can happen when a community comes together around a shared purpose.”

About The Immokalee Foundation

Founded in 1991, The Immokalee Foundation prepares the next generation of leaders through a 100% focus on education, career readiness and workforce development for students in Immokalee—from kindergarten through postsecondary education. To learn more about The Immokalee Foundation, become a mentor, host an intern, take a tour, volunteer as a career panel speaker or host, donate, or include the Foundation in your will, please call 239-430-9122 or visit immokaleefoundation.org.

About Habitat for Humanity of Collier County

Since 1978, Habitat for Humanity of Collier County has partnered with more than 2,800 local families to build pathways to affordable homeownership. As one of the oldest and most successful Habitat affiliates in the nation, Habitat Collier works alongside families, volunteers, donors and community partners to build and sell quality homes with affordable mortgages, helping ensure that hardworking families can afford to live and thrive in the community they call home. For more information, visit HabitatCollier.org.