Local Organizations Unite to Show Appreciation for Nurses

Palm Beach County Foundations, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park and Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens Unite to Thank Nurses

Oct 25, 2021

Palm Health Foundation and Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties fund Thank Our Healers program to recognize nurses’ important contributions during COVID-19 and beyond.

West Palm Beach, FL– John D. MacArthur Beach State Park and the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens are welcoming Palm Beach County nurses and their guests to enjoy complimentary admission thanks to the Thank Our Healers program funded by Palm Health Foundation and Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Thank Our Healers follows the successful launch of the program in May 2021 during National Nurses Week as a way to show appreciation and offer nurses a time for respite and relaxation in support of their mental health during exceptionally challenging times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both art and nature have been shown to have positive effects on mental health, and the combination of the two in “creative green prescription programs” have demonstrated synergistic benefits on psychosocial wellbeing. On any given day, nurses experience anxiety and burnout, and there is strong evidence that the pandemic has caused nurses to experience unprecedented levels of stress.

Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park will provide complimentary entrance fees for nurses and their families (a carload up to eight people) to enjoy this beautiful barrier island paradise and its many amenities to relax and recharge. Commenting on the success of the program, Veronica Frehm, executive director of John D. MacArthur Beach State Park shared, “This grant has brought much happiness to so many people already. We are so thrilled to be part of this effort to thank local nurses for their dedication to the health of our community.” To enjoy free entrance, nurses will drive through the main entrance, show their nurse ID and then are welcome to explore the beautiful park. Passes are available until they run out.

When the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens opens for the season on November 3, 2021, it will welcome Palm Beach Nurses to visit for free as well. The complimentary admittances will allow for 1,000 nurses to visit the Gardens with a guest from November 2021 through June 2022 or when passes run out. Visiting nurses and their guests will enjoy an urban sanctuary of almost two acres, including Norton’s historic house with exhibition galleries, her studio, monumental sculptures and tropical gardens of rare palms and cycads, and the opportunity to enjoy programs and events, including the Jazz and Gospel in the Gardens series in honor of Black History Month in February. Nurses will receive a gift of Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens signature notecards. Reservations are required and nurses must show ID upon admission.

Also opening on November 1, 2021, is Palm Health Foundation’s call for scholarships for nursing and mental/behavioral health professions. The foundation’s scholarships are intended to encourage individuals with financial need to enter and advance in the nursing and mental/behavioral health fields and build a highly skilled workforce. Applicants must be residents of Palm Beach, Broward or Martin County, Florida, and apply by the February 1, 2022, deadline. The application, eligibility criteria and instructions are available on the George Snow Scholarship Fund website at www.scholarship.org.

“Nurses are at the core of a healthy community,” said Patrick McNamara, Palm Health Foundation president and CEO. “We are dedicated to helping nurses achieve their highest ambitions while supporting their own mental health and wellbeing through programs like Thank Our Healers. We are grateful to the Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park and Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens for helping us take care of those who take care of us.”

If You Go

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park

10900 Jack Nicklaus Dr,

North Palm Beach, FL 33408

macarthurbeach.org

To enjoy free entrance, nurses will drive through the main entrance, show their nurse ID and then are welcome to explore the beautiful park.

Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens

253 Barcelona Rd.

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

ansg.org

Reserve tickets through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ansg-thank-our-healers-2021-2022-tickets-123085525119. Nurses must show ID upon admission. The Gardens are closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays.

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 $85 million in Palm Beach County health since 2001.

Since the foundation’s inception in 2001, it has granted more than $3 million in nursing scholarships and invested more than $10 million in initiatives to build a highly skilled nursing workforce that provides care across all settings and supports optimal health in the community including care transitions and care coordination. As Palm Beach County’s community foundation for health, Palm Health Foundation works with donors to make contributions to its Nursing Advancement Fund or to create donor advised funds in support of nursing, behavioral health, or any health-related cause to benefit Palm Beach County.

For more information about Palm Health Foundation, visit palmhealthfoundation.org or call (561) 833-6333.

About the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties strives to serve as a catalyst for building vibrant communities through meaningful philanthropy. The nonprofit organization has provided more than $150 million in grants and scholarships over its nearly 50-year history. With more than $250 million in assets, it is one of Florida’s largest community foundations. Through the support of its donors and fundholders, the Foundation has been able to address some of the community’s most pressing needs, including hunger, housing and education. www.yourcommunityfoundation.org

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27 Mar, 2024

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21 Feb, 2024

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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.”

Dr. Marsha Fishbane Elected Palm Health Foundation Board Chair

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.

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