West Palm Beach, FL–Recognizing the growing demands and complexities nurses are facing, Palm Health Foundation and the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens (ANSG) are joining together to offer a free day of art and nature to healthcare heroes through Healers in the Gardens. The program is funded by a grant from Palm Health Foundation and will offer 500 Palm Beach County nurses and their guests complimentary admittance to ANSG to acknowledge the community’s gratitude and respect for their devotion to patient care. The program begins on October 1, 2020 as part of Palm Health Foundation’s Train the Brain: Resiliency and Self-Care in the Face of Adversity campaign. The Healers in the Gardens program runs through June 30, 2021, or until guest passes run out.

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.

Frances Fisher, chairwoman of Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens and a Palm Health Foundation trustee, saw how bringing the two organizations together could benefit nurses’ mental health while recognizing the important contributions they devote to patient care. “Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens believes that those who create an environment of compassion deserve heartfelt appreciation for the crucial difference they make in the lives they touch,” she said. “From my service with Palm Health Foundation and understanding their dedication to nurses as well as behavioral health, I know that nurses are having an especially profound effect on patients, but also need to take time for self-care.”

Patrick McNamara, Palm Health Foundation president and CEO, sees the partnership as a meaningful extension of the foundation’s long history of recognizing the contributions of nurses and its dedication to growing and strengthening the nursing workforce in Palm Beach County. “We are grateful to Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens for bringing us this unique opportunity to offer nurses a day of peace and respite in beautiful surroundings as appreciation for their selfless and courageous service,” said McNamara. “We need to take care of our nurses so that they can continue taking care of us.”

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. 

Nurses can claim their free guest pass to the gardens on a first-come, first-served basis by visiting the Eventbrite link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ansg-healers-in-the-gardens-2020-2021-tickets-123085525119.

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 $83 million in Palm Beach County health since 2001. For more information about Palm Health Foundation, visit palmhealthfoundation.org or call (561) 833-6333.

About Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens

The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, Inc. is a non-profit foundation established in 1977 by resident sculptor Ann Weaver Norton (1905-1982). An urban sanctuary of almost two acres, the compound comprises Norton’s historic house with exhibition galleries, her studio, monumental sculptures and tropical gardens of rare palms and cycads.

Located at 253 Barcelona Road in the historic El Cid neighborhood of West Palm Beach, the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens is open Wednesday through Sunday (starting October 1 – outdoors only), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Normal admission has been discounted while the Norton House and Artist Studio are under renovations: free for members and children under five, $12 for non-member adults, $8 for seniors (age 65 and older) and $5 for students and children five years of age and older. Special event pricing will vary. Garden Tours and Talks are available at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. The Gardens are also available for private events and are closed on major holidays. For more information, please visit www.ansg.org or call 561-832-5328.