A Palm Health Foundation Scholar is Breaking the Chains of Disparity in the Glades

January 31, 2023

The sign outside the new Empower Healthcare clinic in Pahokee, Florida, pledges to provide “The healthcare you deserve.” Inside the modest tan and brick building that sits on the grounds of First United Methodist Church, nurse practitioner and Palm Health Foundation nursing scholar Dr. Jinga Oglesby-Brihm is delivering on the clinic’s promise by providing much-needed health services interlaced with dignity, trust, and love—a word she often uses to describe her care for the people of the Glades region.


“I want this to be a place where we are loving on the community,” she said.


Dr. Oglesby-Brihm fell in love with the Lake Okeechobee community while studying for her doctorate at the Florida Atlantic University Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, a dream made possible by a Palm Health Foundation scholarship. As a Doctor of Nursing Practice student, Dr. Oglesby-Brihm made house calls in the Glades, an experience that opened her eyes to the rural area’s healthcare disparities. Affordability, transportation, and access (many women’s, mental health, and specialist services are 20 miles away or more) impact the health of residents. Encouraged by her late husband, Mashawn Brihm—her clinic partner, inspiration, and legacy—Dr. Oglesby-Brihm began to envision a new dream: to strengthen the Glades community by increasing access to healthcare regardless of ability to pay via a clinic, virtual visits, and house calls.

“FAU taught me that you should honor yourself as you work hard to service the community,” she said. “Honor your degree and training and disseminate what you know to help people.”


When Dr. Oglesby-Brihm met Annie Ifill, project director of Healthier Glades, a Palm Health Foundation initiative, her dream started to become a reality. “A lot of folks have gone for years without getting any type of medical care,” Ifill said.  A Healthier Glades mini-grant funded Dr. Oglesby-Brihm to deliver healthcare services through churches in the Glades, which are places of trust—a deeply needed component for residents who have suffered inequities for generations. “As a nurse, I had to dig deep, to understand how trust holds community back from the services or people who want to serve them in the right way,” Dr. Oglesby-Brihm said.


Believing she needed to make the services a permanent fixture, Ifill helped her connect with First United Methodist Church, now home to Empower Healthcare, a primary healthcare center and women’s health provider. The clinic opened on September 10, 2022. Funding, partnerships, and recognition quickly followed. The Promise Fund of Florida funds pap smears and mammograms. A partnership with Project ECHO® will link a comprehensive model of care and specialists via teleconferencing in early 2023. Incorporating mental health services through the Sandler School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University integrates mental and physical health for Glades residents “to change behavioral patterns to achieve the health they want.”


Dr. Oglesby-Brihm’s comprehensive, innovative care for the rural Glades community has captured national recognition. She placed second in the American Heart Association’s Empowered to Serve Business Accelerator, awarding her training and a grant of $25,000 to help her grow her health clinic. For Dr. Oglesby-Brihm, her ability to grow is so much more than providing needed services.


“My moon shot is breaking the chains of healthcare disparity; to meet residents where they are, provide the healthcare they deserve, and help them achieve the best quality of life they want to have so they can reimagine their future.” 



About Empower Healthcare
empowerhealthcare4all.org

Our desired outcome is to empower individuals with accurate knowledge and proficient skills to advocate for their healthcare and personal needs and to close the gaps in care and healthcare disparities in a comprehensive community-centered approach.


Offerings:

  • Adult primary care services
  • Women's health
  • HIV prevention
  • Cancer, diabetes, and hypertension preventative screenings
  • Mental health (coming in 2023)
  • Free health educational seminars, and chronic disease management programs

Healthier Boynton Beach Honors 130 Family Caregivers at 9th Annual Recognition Luncheon

January 27, 2026
Healthier Boynton Beach, a Palm Health Foundation initiative, recently celebrated the unwavering dedication of family caregivers at its 9th Annual Caregivers Recognition Luncheon at Benvenuto Restaurant in Boynton Beach. More than 150 guests gathered for an afternoon of appreciation, connection, and joy. "Caring Hearts & Strong Hands – Celebrating the Love and Dedication of Family Caregivers," honored 130 family caregivers during a celebration that featured laughter, music, and meaningful moments, giving caregivers a well-deserved respite from their daily responsibilities. Montre Bennett opened the program with a mindfulness moment, followed by Boynton Beach Mayor Rebecca Shelton’s heartfelt welcome and personal caregiving story. Vice Mayor Woodrow Hay delivered the invocation before lunch, then handed the microphone to event host Rod-Z, who entertained guests with comedy, songs, and dancing. The JSharp Band provided outstanding live music that had caregivers on their feet throughout the afternoon.  Highlights of the event included keynote speaker Charlotte Wright’s moving message acknowledging the challenges and profound rewards of family caregivers’ service, and the presentation of the prestigious Caregiver Award to Angela T. Williams of Delray Beach, recognizing her extraordinary dedication and selfless service to her husband.

Palm Health Foundation Grant Brings Day of Wellness to School Behavioral Health Professionals at Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens

January 27, 2026
Thanks to a grant from Palm Health Foundation , The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens (ANSG) in West Palm Beach recently hosted a Day of Wellness for Palm Beach County School District Behavioral Health Professionals, who dedicate their lives to providing behavioral and mental health services to students. Seventy frontline mental health staff enjoyed a day of reflection, relaxation, rejuvenation, self-care, and professional development. The Day of Wellness was created in recognition of professionals’ deep commitment to the county’s youth and the emotional toll of the high-impact services they provide as challenges among school-age children continue to rise. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health , between 2016 and 2023, the prevalence of diagnosed depression among 12–17-year-olds increased by 45 percent, and diagnosed anxiety increased by 61 percent.  Set amidst ANSG’s beautiful and peaceful landscape of the sculpture gardens and the historic, inspirational Artist Studio, the program featured a series of therapeutic experiences led by local expert facilitators, including Creating a Garden of Gratitude and Hope, a therapeutic experience blending visual arts with personal reflections by Tiffany Mitchell and Amy Case of Rhythms of Hope, and Music for Mindfulness and Intention led by Bree Lukosavich. Participants also enjoyed creating a watercolor mindscape with art therapist Alicia Ballestas, exploring self-care with Shabrae Jackson, joining in a pollinator planting activity with ANSG Master Gardener CJ McCartney, and closing the day with a drumming circle led by Abasi Hanif.

Christina Worley Joins Our Finance Committee

December 9, 2025

The Healthier PBC Endowment Fund

November 26, 2025
The Palm Health Foundation Endowment Fund provides the financial foundation for long-term strategic action.

Healthier Glades Celebration

November 21, 2025
This fall, Healthier Glades , a Palm Health Foundation Healthier Together initiative , hosted a celebration event with community and partners to honor the resident-led work accomplished over the years of the initiative’s existence. In addition to food and fellowship, attendees shared aspirations for the initiative’s future and reflected on highlights, such as: The impact of Healthier Glades’ mini grants offerings Reduction of youth violence through collaborations with the “Dads on Duty” initiative The air quality initiative spearheaded in partnership with PHF Trustee Dr. Lisa Wiese The Safety Walk – an effort to identify unsafe areas on children’s walk-to-school routes, leading to the establishment of flashing lights in critical areas Resident connection to Mental Health First Aid training , strengthening the recognition that mental health is health Palm Health Foundation is honored to be part of the work that continues to advance health in the Glades communities.

Meet Our New Fellow: Amy Ferguson

November 21, 2025

Train the Brain Campaign Connects All Ages and Communities

November 21, 2025
Palm Health Foundation ’s October 2025 Train the Brain community health campaign, themed “Brain Health Across the Lifespan,” offered opportunities all month long, drawing nearly 300 community members to connect with local brain health champions, access practical, science-backed information, and take meaningful steps to support brain health for themselves, their families, and their neighbors – at every age and stage of life. Train the Brain inspired local organizational collaborations from Belle Glade to Boynton Beach to offer a range of community programs to help residents of all ages recognize that taking care of the brain is just as important as taking care of the body. At “Arts on the Muck,” Glades community elders engaged in arts activities, memory boosting games, music, and movement during a football-themed afternoon. The Schoolhouse Children’s Museum joined with The Center for Child Counseling to bring the brain-boosting benefits of yoga, art making, and music to children, while their parents and caregivers learned practical, science-based tips to support brain health and emotional well-being at home.  “Collaborations such as these create partnership opportunities though which we can further strengthen our communities,” said Ljubica Ciric, Senior Director of Strategic Impact, Center for Child Counseling.

Cultivating Compassionate Leaders: PHF's Scholarship Reception

November 21, 2025
Palm Health Foundation ’s Scholarship Reception on October 28, 2025, brought together nursing and behavioral health scholars with their donors for an inspiring evening at The Center for Philanthropy in West Palm Beach, FL. Over 90 guests gathered in the center’s tropical courtyard to celebrate 62 scholarship recipients, with musical entertainment provided by orchestra students from Grace Notes Music Foundation . Together with donors, Palm Health Foundation has awarded more than $4.6 million in health professions scholarships since 2001.  Gratitude flowed throughout the evening as scholars met their scholarship donors—many for the first time—and two former recipients shared their personal stories of overcoming barriers to continue their education and become health professions leaders thanks to The Debra Coffman Howe Nursing Scholarship Fund at Palm Health Foundation. Dr. Alice Brumley spoke about how her scholarship supported her through the challenges of nursing during the pandemic. “More than financial support, it was knowing that someone believed in me, and my community was supporting me,” she said. Today, Dr. Brumley serves as Interim Director of the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center at FAU, leading compassionate, community-centered care for individuals and families affected by memory disorders.

Palm Health Foundation to Launch “Brain Health Across the Lifespan” During October’s Train the Brain Month

August 27, 2025
Community campaign to highlight brain health at every stage of life, aiming to boost resilience and prevent neurological issues. 

Healthier Glades Launches Free Five-Week Mini Grant Workshop Series

August 21, 2025
Applicants must attend at least one workshop to be eligible for Healthier Glades 2026 mini grants.