Strengthening the Health Professions Stories

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.”

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. 

Give to nursing students who never give up on their dreams—or their patients.

The Madeline and Delaney Scholarship Fund

Groundswell of donor support enables foundation to provide nearly $687,000 in scholarships to 73 healthcare professions scholars dedicated to serving Palm Beach County’s diverse communities.

Palm Health Foundation supports T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society , a professional organization that helps underserved populations in our community through health education, youth mentoring programs, health fair medical screenings for children and adults, scholarships, and more.  The foundation recently provided sponsorship for the organization’s Healthcare and Science Stars of Tomorrow Career Symposium, held at Inlet Grove Community High School and attended by more than 500 students in the PBC School District’s medical magnet programs.

Palm Health Foundation Philanthropy Committee member and former board chair Denise Bober established The Sutton Kailey Nursing Advancement Fund to support quality nursing care in our community. This year, Denise and her family selected two passionate nurses to receive scholarships that will support their further education and skill development, ultimately leading to excellent care for local patients. Denise’s fund is named in honor of her twin granddaughters, Sutton and Kailey. The girls were born at 24 weeks, weighing only 1.2 lbs and 1.1 lbs. Kailey shined her presence on this earth for 24 hours. Baby Sutton remained brave and strong, surviving heart surgery and spending 111 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Do you remember a childhood experience that shaped your life or guided your path forward? It likely didn’t include viewing human specimens, but for some who dream of a career in medicine, that is exactly the type of defining experience that inspires future achievement.

Palm Health Foundation granted over $2 million during its 2022 fiscal year, investing in innovative, long-term solutions that are building a culture of health in Palm Beach County. The foundation collaborates with community partners and donors to lead change for better health across areas vital to a healthy, thriving, community, including advancing brain health and strengthening the healthcare workforce. Grants support programs and initiatives that are pioneering new ways to improve conditions impacting residents’ ability to be well and live into their fullest health potential. The foundation has invested over $91 million in Palm Beach County health since 2001. “Over my years of service to the foundation, I’ve witnessed our definition of health expand to include the social, economic, and environmental factors that impact our neighbors,” said David Wisehaupt, Chair, Palm Health Foundation Board of Trustees. “With community leading the way, we are embracing this broader idea of health and co-designing solutions with residents, grassroots organizations, system partners, and donors, resulting in national funding and recognition, including our role in Palm Beach County winning the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize .” Palm Health Foundation’s grant funding is paving the way for everyone, from residents to leading health and academic institutions, to contribute to long-term impact. Examples include: Cultivating Activated, Healthy, Resilient Communities Pahokee resident Josie Hernandez had a vision for bringing the Hispanic community together in the Glades around health and wellness through a shared cultural experience – soccer. But the community had no soccer field. Palm Health Foundation’s Healthier Glades initiative invested in Hernandez to take advocacy training to be a catalyst for positive change. She utilized her learning to work with the City of Pahokee to create an agreement for the field and asked teachers and coaches to volunteer their services. Healthier Glades assisted with purchasing equipment and uniforms. When registration opened for the very first youth soccer club, 66 kids signed up immediately. The field is a permanent place for health and well-being, bringing together the Hispanic community. Advancing Brain Health The foundation granted $1 million from The Brain Health Innovation Fund to the Florida Atlantic University Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute to help launch its new Program in Computational Brain Science and Health. The gift supports new technologies, treatments, resources, and educational tools, including a fellowship program, to advance local brain health. Research fellows funded by the foundation’s gift will target data-intensive investigations underlying Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, depression, among others, contributing important knowledge and discoveries that will help to address some of our most pervasive and debilitating brain disorders. The foundation’s significant investment is one way they are working with partners to develop a brain-forward ecosystem in Palm Beach County that connects science, research, community, youth, health professionals and donors. Addressing the Healthcare Workforce Crisis Palm Health Foundation awarded $400,000 in scholarships for nursing and behavioral/mental health professions during 2022 to address the healthcare workforce crisis. The Florida Hospital Association and the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida is predicting a catastrophic nursing shortage in the state by 2035 and data from Kaiser Family Foundation shows the current supply of Florida’s working mental health professionals meets only 21% of the state’s need. The foundation’s scholarships address several needs for growing and diversifying the workforce pipeline, including increasing faculty and graduating health professionals with cultural competencies. “Together with donors, residents, and community partners, we are growing a culture of health for all in Palm Beach County where new ideas and opportunities can flourish,” said Patrick McNamara, president and CEO of Palm Health Foundation. “As we look ahead to the next five years, we see ourselves as a health innovation hub, building connections and networks where everyone who is passionate about leading change for better health is welcome.” Palm Health Foundation’s grant and scholarship funding is made possible by the generosity of donors who contribute in a variety of ways, including through donor advised and endowed funds. The foundation works closely with donors to help them connect deeply with the local organizations and causes that resonate with them now and in the future. To learn more about giving at Palm Health Foundation, contact Carrie Browne, Director of Stewardship & Strategic Partnerships, carrieb@phfpbc.org, 561-837-2281.  To learn more about Palm Health Foundation’s community impact, visit palmhealthfoundation.org/stories-of-impact .