Farm workers and their allies in Immokalee are one step closer to making their dream of a community center a reality.

While they’ve been raising money to renovate the center since buying an old building in the center of Immokalee in 2004, they just got the needed permits from Collier County this week, and that means renovations can soon begin.

Farm worker Herardo Reyes Chavez, who works for the Coalition for Immokalee Workers, explains the need.

“It would actually belong to the community, because right now we’re renting. And we would have much more space for the community meetings that we have every Wednesday for community education formation. We would have space to show videos about other struggles, and to promote the campaign for Fair Food.”

The Coalition’s Fair Food Campaign seeks to get higher wages for tomato pickers. It recently won concessions from Taco Bell – and has now turned its sites on McDonalds.

Chavez says the building will eventually be home to a radio station, computer lab and kitchen. It’ll mainly be a place to meet and share ideas.