Community Outreach
We help the community, and they help us! The students at Gargiulo enjoy helping and spending time with the seniors in Southwest Florida. In return, our community helps the students at Gargiulo. Our students appreciate everything that the community does for them. Below is a photo of them writing their thank you letters.
We would like to thank:
Mediterra Bible Study and the Community Foundation of Collier County’s grant funds which were used develop our STEAM program and purchase equipment and supplies such as two 3D printers, four iPads, multiple musical instruments, 15 robots, 20 headphones, and numerous computers along certified STEAM instructors.
United Art Council donates weekly art classes and supplies on site for all students and for GEC’s summer camps.
Thank you to NCEF Winter Wine Festival and their Good Wheels Grant Program. On each experiential education outing we have students acting as the stewardess; making sure everyone is buckled in, pass drinks and snacks, and then collect the trash. All but one student has never been on a plane before.
Maria’s Birthday Wishes for the Homeless donates 60 cupcakes once a month to help celebrate the students’ birthdays for that month.
Read to Rabbits Program, originally started by Andrea Stetson, has been running for seven years!!!
Catholic Charities providing food and diapers to Gargiulo families
The Migrant Parent Institute through partnership with Collier County Public Schools
Students receive hundreds of Christmas gifts from the Cypress Woods Golf and County Club, Mediterra Community, and the annual Chick-Fil-A Breakfast with Santa provided by Maria’s Birthday Wishes for the Homeless!
To show our thanks, the students of Gargiulo Education Center enjoy visiting and spreading cheer to the senior community:
The students spending Thanksgiving with Alzheimer’s Residents
For Christmas, the students made tree ornaments and brought them to Alzheimer’s patients, sang Christmas carols and gave out holiday hugs.