The Community Changemakers Fund (CCF) at Palm Health Foundation announced its first 21 grant awards totaling $186,500. Seven local funders are supporting the fund, all part of a growing Culture of Health Network comprised of changemakers committed to improving Palm Beach County’s health. Funders include the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, the Frederick A. Deluca Foundation, Lost Tree Foundation, Palm Health Foundation, Quantum Foundation, and the United Way of Palm Beach County.  Funders were inspired to create the CCF after Palm Beach County won the 2020-2021 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize in recognition of the way residents take the lead in creating solutions to build healthier communities. The CCF is investing in the individuals, organizations, and businesses committed to community change and is connecting them with like-minded changemakers to share project ideas and resources.

“Dr. Wiese has brought knowledge, experience, and investment to Palm Beach County and our Glades region to empower and improve the lives of residents,” said Patrick McNamara, Palm Health Foundation president and CEO. “She includes community in every stage of her work, from training residents to collect health data, to profiling their contributions in her scholarly presentations and publications. Dr. Wiese exemplifies our belief in resident-led health solutions and will be a guiding voice on our board of trustees for years to come.” Dr. Wiese is the recipient of over 5 million dollars in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Florida Department of Health. She is the principal investigator for a recent five-year, $4.2 million R01 grant from the National Institute on Aging of the NIH in collaboration with the University of Miami, Colorado State University, and Washington State University to study “The Role of Air Quality and Built Environment in Social Isolation and Cognitive Function Among Rural, Racially/Ethnically Diverse Residents at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease.” The project will involve 1,087 Glades region adults ages 45 and older who have not been previously diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. A key factor in the work has been the continuous engagement of rural community residents and organizations in the design, implementation, and evaluation of research to decrease dementia risk. Dr. Wiese received her M.S. in Nursing from the University of Virginia, her Ph.D. in Nursing from Florida Atlantic University, and a post-graduate certificate in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Drexel University. She is board-certified in Advanced Public Health Nursing, Gerontological Nursing, and Rural Health Nursing. Dr. Wiese was selected as a 2021 Hartford Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing and 2023 Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. She serves on the Florida State Health Improvement Plan taskforce and co-launched a new Rural Health Disparities workgroup of the Alzheimer’s Association Diversity/Disparities PIA of ISTAART. She was selected to attend the first annual Alzheimer’s Association Interdisciplinary Summer Research Institute (2021) and the 2023 IMPACT-AD training, related to her work with rural, racially/ethnically diverse older adults. This workgroup's investigation into global rural health disparities was recently published in the Alzheimer's and Dementia journal. ### 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.

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. 

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.

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. 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.

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.

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. 

Funding puts the power of change in the hands of residents and nonprofit agencies.