Healthier Lake Worth Beach (HLWB), a Palm Health Foundation Healthier Together initiative focused on supporting the behavioral health and well-being of residents, held their Second Annual Anniversary Celebration on December 7, 2019 at the Osborne Community Center. Two hundred community members attended the event to recognize achievements, honor volunteers and showcase the impact sponsorship award recipients have made in the community.

Talented youth groups performed Haitian Konpa and folklore singing and dancing routines and sponsorship recipients shared their successes to support HWLB’s goals to improve neighborhood health, the community environment and safety—all social determinant factors that affect resident behavioral health.

HWLB has granted a total of $50,000 in sponsorships during the past two years ranging from $2,000-$10,000 to provide community organizations with the resources they need to increase capacity and efficiency of existing programs or serve as a catalyst to fund new projects that align with HLWB and the community’s priorities. These include food insecurity, increasing youth literacy, access to sports/outdoor activities for youth, increasing youth resources and reducing the perceived stigma around addiction and mental health. The sponsorship recipients recognized at the second anniversary celebration were:

• South Grade Elementary School. Funding for student safety patrol trips to Washington D.C. Students and their parents give back by participating in neighborhood clean-ups. 

• Lake Worth Library CREATeLab Project. Support to purchase iPads, laptops a charging station and printing toner for school-age children to have access to computer resources.

• Haitian Evangelical Lutheran Church. An award to purchase equipment to support the church’s food pantry, resulting in increased provisions for those most in need and enhanced safety.

• Art of Recovery Film Festival. Support to create a platform for substance abuse and behavioral health education and awareness to decrease stigma.

• Arms of Hope Soup Kitchen and Pantry. Funding to purchase equipment that increased productivity and resulted in hotter, tastier meals.

• Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. A sponsorship to support a Fitness, Unity, and Neighborhood “F.U.N.” mobile sports program that brings equipment for various sports activities to parks, allowing youth ready access to recreation. 

Carmelle Marcelin-Chapman, project director of Healthier Lake Worth Beach, has seen the impact the initiative has made in the community since it began two years ago and was pleased to recognize the wide range of people and organizations that have joined the cause. 

“Research shows your ZIP code and the environment in which you live can be one of the major risk factors for behavioral health issues,” said Marcelin-Chapman. “We started with creating a cleaner, greener environment in Lake Worth Beach to promote a positive outlook, increase pride in where our residents live, decrease crime and encourage children and adults to go outside and enjoy their neighborhood. We’re now recognized by our city as the go-to for improving quality of life, contributing to greater behavioral health and wellness for all.” 

About the Healthier Together Initiative

Healthier Together is a resident-led, community-driven, grantmaking approach developed by Palm Health Foundation, Palm Beach County’s community foundation for health. This strategic initiative convenes residents to address a variety of social, economic and environmental factors that affect health outcomes. Healthier Together empowers residents to create their own solutions to make positive, healthy changes in the neighborhoods where they live, work and play.