Stories of Impact

All stories of impact

06 Mar, 2024
On February 3, 2023, the Empower Healthcare clinic in Pahokee, FL, partnered with Healthier Glades, a Palm Health Foundation initiative, for “Know Your Numbers by Heart,” a special event to promote heart health during American Heart Month. Fifty attendees came to the Senior Resource Room in Pahokee for rapid A1C and cholesterol screenings, nutritional counseling, live CPR demonstrations, and education about preventing heart disease. Testing and information were provided by seventeen community partners, including the American Heart Association, Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and the Diabetes Coalition of Palm Beach County. According to the 2022 Palm Beach County, Florida Community Health Assessment, heart disease was the leading cause of death in Palm Beach County. What’s more, Black Americans—the majority in Pahokee—are 54% more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than White Americans, due to distinct risk factors like genetics and systemic disparities. Empower Health, under the leadership of its founder Dr. Jinga Oglesby-Brihm, has been focused on comprehensive and innovative chronic disease management for the rural Glades community since the clinic opened on the campus of First United Methodist Church in 2022. The heart health event is one of many ways she integrates local and county partners to improve patient health education and access to care. “We are grateful for the opportunity to connect with the community to provide free potentially lifesaving screenings and educational sessions,” she said. Healthier Glades and Palm Health Foundation have invested in Dr. Oglesby-Brihm to support her goal to “break the chains of healthcare disparity.” A Healthier Glades mini-grant provided funding to deliver healthcare services through churches in the Glades, and a Palm Health Foundation scholarship supported her doctoral studies at FAU College of Nursing, her first exposure to the Glades’ healthcare disparities. 
21 Feb, 2024
Palm Health Foundation , Palm Beach County’s leading community foundation for health, announced the release of its 2023 annual report . Entitled "Humanizing Health," the report describes the foundation's innovative approach to health philanthropy and how it is maximizing the impact of donor contributions.  The foundation’s president and CEO, Patrick McNamara, believes the report demonstrates the value of community collaboration fueled by philanthropy. “We are prioritizing the lived experiences of our neighbors and fostering community collaboration to guide our solutions to Palm Beach County’s greatest health needs,” he said. “Artists and musicians are coming together with world-class brain institutions to enhance the well-being of residents with Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. Scholarship donors are developing bonds with nursing and behavioral health students. And health, government, and faith leaders are joining together with residents to create new solutions for health and wellness in their communities.” The foundation granted $2.4 million in 2023 and reported nearly $86 million in total assets. Highlights from the report include: Advancing Brain Health. Through The NeuroArts Fund, the foundation and its donors and partners are pioneering an emerging “brain coast,” with a vision to become as highly recognized as Florida’s Space Coast. Funding in 2023 supported learning about the neuroarts’ potential to impact mental health and neurodegenerative diseases. Building a Culture of Health. A collaboration with fellow Palm Beach County funders resulted in the new Community Changemakers Fund at Palm Health Foundation with $250,000 raised in 2023. A portion of the funds supported education for nearly 40 local change agents to advance their skills and increase their networks. The majority of the fund will support grants for resident and community-led ideas to address health inequities in vulnerable neighborhoods in 2024. Strengthening the Health Professions. Over $192,000 in scholarships was awarded to nursing and behavioral health students with lived experience and a desire to serve Palm Beach County’s diverse communities, especially those with health disparities. The report also shines a light on the meaningful connections made between donors and beneficiaries. With Palm Health Foundation's donor-advised funds, families can build their philanthropic legacy while supporting the change leaders in our community. “Our donors help us fulfill our mission and our aspiration for all residents to have opportunities to thrive and reach their full health potential,” said David Wisehaupt, immediate past chair of the foundation. “We always come to better solutions together than any of us would come to alone.” About Palm Health Foundation Palm Health Foundation is Palm Beach County’s community foundation for health. With the support of donors and a focus on results, the foundation builds strong community partnerships, respects diverse opinions, advocates for its most vulnerable neighbors, and inspires innovative solutions to lead change for better health now and for generations to come. The foundation supports health equity for Palm Beach County residents of all backgrounds, heritage, education, incomes, and states of well-being. Palm Health Foundation has invested more than $93 million in Palm Beach County health since 2001. For more information about Palm Health Foundation, visit palmhealthfoundation.org or call (561) 833-6333.
08 Feb, 2024
Palm Health Foundation ’s Scholarship Reception on January 24, 2024, brought together nursing and behavioral health scholars with their donors for an inspiring evening at the stunning Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens (ANSG) in West Palm Beach, FL. Over 150 guests attended the event to celebrate 73 scholars and the spirit of philanthropy that resulted in $687,000 in awarded scholarships to support the future careers of aspiring South Florida health professionals. Frances Fisher generously underwrote the reception at ANSG where she serves as chairwoman. An unprecedented number of donors contributed to Palm Health Foundation’s scholarship funds in 2023, including a pivotal $400,000 contribution from the Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network (SEFBHN). Dr. Marsha Fishbane, Palm Health Foundation board chair, noted the significance of the scholarship program to Palm Beach County. “Through our support of the nursing and behavioral health professions, we are ensuring that our residents receive the person-centered care they need and deserve.”  One of the evening’s highlights included foundation trustee Dr. Christine Koehn sharing why she and her husband Rich decided to create The Koehn Family Fund for behavioral health and nursing scholarships. “We know that there aren’t enough behavioral health and nursing professionals in the field,” she said. “After hearing the scholars’ stories of the financial barriers they face and the heart they want to give, we knew we wanted to help.”
08 Feb, 2024
Dr. Fishbane has also been a key advocate of the foundation’s Healthier Together place-based funding effort, which was a major contributor to Palm Beach County winning the 2020-2021 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health Prize . “I’m proud to lead Palm Health Foundation at a time when they are capturing local and national attention for their ground-breaking health initiatives,” said Dr. Fishbane. “The foundation’s staff, board of directors, and community partners are dedicated to building a culture of health, advancing brain health, and strengthening the health professions—all initiatives I am personally and professionally committed to advancing.” Dr. Fishbane is a resident of Singer Island and a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Her pediatric training was completed at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar and obtained a master’s in science from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As a medical professional, she was in private pediatric practice for six years before moving into a 30-year career in public health with the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, where she held the positions of community and school health division director and school health medical director before her retirement. Her leadership commitments have included the Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County, the Teen Pregnancy Prevention/Teen Parenting Coalition, the Florida Coordinated School Health Partnership, and the Wellness Promotion Policy Task Force with the School District of Palm Beach County. Dr. Fishbane’s favorite pastimes are traveling and keeping up with her three daughters and three grandchildren. About Palm Health Foundation Palm Health Foundation is Palm Beach County’s community foundation for health. With the support of donors and a focus on results, the foundation builds strong community partnerships, respects diverse opinions, advocates for its most vulnerable neighbors, and inspires innovative solutions to lead change for better health now and for generations to come. The foundation supports health equity for Palm Beach County residents of all backgrounds, heritage, education, incomes, and states of well-being. Palm Health Foundation has invested more than $93 million in Palm Beach County health since 2001. For more information about Palm Health Foundation, visit palmhealthfoundation.org or call (561) 833-6333.
30 Jan, 2024
Code violation may not seem like a health issue to some, but the immediate stress it creates—and the prolonged stress from living in a home in need of repair—can affect residents’ mental and physical health.
30 Jan, 2024
When Ruth Schwarzkopf completed her nine-year term as a Palm Health Foundation (PHF) trustee in December 2023, she left a legacy that began not in the boardroom, but a ballroom. About a decade before she joined the board, Ruth attended the foundation’s inaugural Nursing Celebration at The Breakers Palm Beach. She was a hospital nursing director at the time and had never seen any significant acknowledgement of nurses anywhere. “To have somebody say nursing is a special and unique profession and recognize the dedication and the hard work we do every day was amazing to me,” Ruth said. She was hooked. Ruth advanced as a nursing leader within Tenet Health while at the same time becoming one of the foundation’s most dedicated volunteers. In the years prior to joining the board, she took on numerous committee and advocacy roles to support the foundation’s work to strengthen the nursing profession and improve the quality of healthcare in Palm Beach County. 
30 Jan, 2024
Funding puts the power of change in the hands of residents and nonprofit agencies.
05 Jan, 2024
Give to nursing students who never give up on their dreams—or their patients.
28 Nov, 2023
The Madeline and Delaney Scholarship Fund
28 Nov, 2023
Palm Health Foundation is proud to support Wellington Cares , an organization dedicated to serving the aging and isolated. With limited free resources available to seniors, Wellington Cares steps in to provide services that allow our neighbors to age in place and improve their quality of life. This volunteer-run organization is lead by individuals who feel that helping their neighbors is actually improving their quality of life in turn. Strong friendships and bonds drive Wellington Cares’ success, and volunteers are often the first to notice a health issue and intervene on behalf of their neighbor in need.  Palm Health Foundation is building a culture of health for all in Palm Beach County by partnering with impactful organizations like Wellington Cares.
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