Palm Health Foundation, Palm Beach County’s leading community foundation for health, has released its 2024 Report to the Community, “From Strategy to Impact: Cultivating Thriving Communities.” Dynamic storytelling, supported by video and podcast links, showcases how the foundation’s $2.7 million in grant investments for 2024 addressed the county’s most pressing health challenges.

• Advancing brain health. According to the Dana Foundation, more than 8 in 10 Americans are affected by brain health issues. Palm Health Foundation’s investments through its Brain Health Innovation Fund continued to build a growing brain health network—from community-based solutions transforming behavioral health access and support for families and youth through BeWellPBC, to advancing science-based collaboration through the Brain Coast Alliance and the Palm Beach County NeuroArts Collaborative.

• Strengthening the health professions. There are 510 individuals for every one behavioral health practitioner and over 16,000 nursing vacancies in the State of Florida. Thanks to an outpouring of donor support, Palm Health Foundation awarded $687,000 in needs-based scholarships to 73 nursing and behavioral health students at local universities pursuing degrees to fill significant gaps in access to care across Palm Beach County. Many scholars come from diverse backgrounds and will have the competencies proven to improve patient health outcomes, satisfaction, and the overall quality of care.

• Activated, healthy, resilient communities. More attention has been given nationwide to the vital conditions—factors like access to quality housing, stable employment, healthy food, and safe communities—and their potential to contribute to health disparities. In 2024, Palm Health Foundation’s Healthier Lake Worth Beach initiative created impact by relieving the stress of code compliance among 55+ residents in vulnerable communities by collaborating with city government through the Neighborhood Health/Code Compliance Curb Appeal project. Recognizing homeowners’ inability to correct code violations due to health or aging, the project engaged volunteers to provide home repairs and improvements, relieving residents of violations and improving their quality of life. Palm Health Foundation also joined with fellow funders during the year to award 21 Community Changemakers Fund grants, seeding and supporting a network of individuals, organizations, and businesses with ideas to benefit resident health through enhancing vital conditions across Palm Beach County.

Palm Health Foundation president and CEO, Patrick McNamara, sees how the foundation’s innovative approach to long-term health solutions through community collaboration is paying dividends. “Since evolving our strategy from short-term grant-making to systems change and generational transformation in partnership with community and our donors, we have better recognized—and invested in—the incredible people and ideas for building a thriving community,” McNamara said. “At the same time, we are strengthening our entire health network through scholarships and game-changing collectives, like the Brain Coast Alliance. Our efforts are creating connections between philanthropists seeking breakthrough health solutions and the people who are leading the way for a healthier Palm Beach County.”

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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 $95 million in Palm Beach County health since 2001. For more information about Palm Health Foundation, visit palmhealthfoundation.org or call (561) 833-6333.