Mission Trip: Immokalee, FL 2019

Who are we?

We are a group of students from Duquesne University participating in the Spiritan Campus Ministry Cross-Cultural Mission Experience. During our Spring Break in March 2019, we will be traveling to Immokalee, Florida to support and work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) in their fight for fair wages and working conditions. This once-in-a-lifetime experience will allow us to put Duquesne's mission of "serving God by serving others" into action.

What is the CIW?

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is a worker-based human rights organization advocating social responsibility to end human trafficking and gender-based violence at work. Their main focus is the Campaign for Fair Food which ensures fair labor practices in Florida’s tomato fields and beyond. This is enacted through the support and collaboration of allies (students, people of faith and food justice advocates). The CIW has successfully committed corporations like Walmart, McDonald’s, and Subway to fair food practices and continues to work diligently to secure better wages and working conditions for migrant farm workers.

Duquesne University has had a long-standing partnership with the CIW for the past 30 years.

Why Immokalee, Florida?

Immokalee, known for its vast growth of tomatoes, is one of the smallest and poorest towns in Florida. Yet, it is less than 50 miles outside of one of Florida’s wealthiest cities, Naples. 40% of Immokalee’s population lives below the poverty line because it is heavily populated with farm-workers who pick 32-lb buckets of tomatoes for only $.50/bucket daily.

Where does your donation go?

Your donation to our mission trip will go directly to the organizations and causes that we are working with during our week in Immokalee, Florida. We will be continuing our partnership with the CIW and Guadalupe Social Services, along with Habitat for Humanity.