Nonprofit addressing poverty in Collier County adds board members

The Immokalee Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on education, families and breaking the cycle of poverty in the rural east Collier County community, has named two new board members. 

One new board member is Mary Babson. Her career spanned over 20 years with public accounting firm Arthur Andersen & Co., first in the firm’s Denver office as a CPA and later in the firm's Chicago headquarters, where she held various positions in the professional education, marketing and communications areas. "I care deeply about inspiring and developing future leaders and have a passion for this work," Babson says in a statement. "The Immokalee Foundation has ambitious goals, meaningful metrics to measure the impact of its work, and an exemplary success rate."   

Southwest Florida banker Trisha Hare is the other new board member. Hare is a senior vice president and relationship strategist for PNC Private Bank, according to a statement.

"I have a passion for ensuring every child has access to a higher education, and The Immokalee Foundation fits this passion," Hare says in the release. "After hearing Foundation President and CEO Noemi Perez speak and listening to the extraordinary student success stories, I knew I had to get involved."

Babson and Hare also cite The Immokalee Foundation's 100% high school graduation and postsecondary enrollment rates as instrumental in their decision to join the Board. 

"Both of these extraordinary women bring a sincere passion and a fresh new perspective to The Immokalee Foundation's Board," Pere says in the release. "We know their contributions will greatly impact our ongoing ability to positively change the lives of Immokalee's most vulnerable — its children."

The Immokalee Foundation was founded in 1991. It had $4.18 million in revenue in its most recent fiscal year, according to public tax filings.