Dr. Joaquín García

Co-Founder/Past Chair

Dr. Joaquín García passed away on November 28, 2021, at the age of 65 years old. He was a native of Cuba who spent his early years in Spain and later in Puerto Rico. He earned his M.D. in the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

He was a man of great conscience and was active in many community endeavors in Palm Beach County including The Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County, Compass, International AIDS Education Foundation, Cycle for The Cause, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Health Education Outreach, and many others.

Dr. Joaquín García was a successful businessman who contributed to the community. He co-founded El Cid Animal Clinic as well as GG Enterprises which encompass a significant number of real estate holdings in the area.

His greatest passion was the Hispanic Education Coalition of Palm Beach County (HEC). He was a founding member and served as chairman of the organization for more than 12 years. Dr. García frequently stated, “ I did not have any natural children, but I consider the tens of thousands of students in the district to be my children and my responsibility”. Dr. García’s fierce advocacy for the education of all children is impossible to overestimate. He was an avid supporter of dual-language programs in the Palm Beach County schools. He extended his advocacy efforts to other immigrant groups collaborating closely with the Guatemalan Maya Center, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, and various Haitian organizations in the community. For these and other efforts, he received the Orden de Merito Civil, an order awarded by the King of Spain in recognition of civic virtues and extraordinary services.

Dr. García is survived by his husband of 40 years, Dr. Xavier García.

Dr. García was a community icon in Palm Beach County for 40 years. He leaves a legacy of commitment to educational equity for all students in the Palm Beach County schools, setting a service trajectory that the Hispanic Education Coalition will continue to pursue.