Press Releases

Palm Health Foundation ’s Scholarship Reception on November 2, 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 190 guests attended the event to celebrate 92 scholarship recipients, the largest group of scholars in the history of the foundation due to a generous gift from Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network (SEFBHN). Frances Fisher generously underwrote the reception at ANSG where she serves as chairwoman. ANSG’s natural gardens and monumental sculptures served as the perfect setting for scholars and their donors to meet each other, all expressing gratitude. Guests and donors thanked the scholars for their dedication to the healthcare workforce of South Florida, and scholars thanked donors for their generosity that enabled them to continue their education. “The scholarship recipients here tonight are not only the future of South Florida’s healthcare system, but also the heart and soul of our community,” said Fisher. “I am inspired by their dedication, and I am grateful to our donors who are helping to shape a brighter, healthier future for all.” The $530,000 awarded in needs-based scholarship funds will help address significant shortages in the nursing and behavioral health care workforce. Donor funding will also help humanize health by advancing the careers of healthcare professionals with lived experience and cultural competencies to serve South Florida’s diverse population, a need echoed by Abigail Goodwin, executive vice president of Palm Health Foundation, in her address to scholars. “Your ability to bridge languages and cultures is critical to providing quality care for our dynamic South Florida communities, making our entire region healthier and stronger,” Goodwin said. “You are here today because you’ve demonstrated dedication, perseverance, and a true desire to serve your neighbors. Palm Health Foundation is proud to support, honor, and uplift you as you continue your journey.” Goodwin closed the event by announcing another gratitude opportunity to donors. From December 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025, Palm Health Foundation is matching every donation to The Nursing Advancement Fund and all nursing scholarship funds—dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. Palm Health Foundation nursing scholarships support students with financial need in LPN, undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate programs in Palm Beach County. “Through our charitable funds and with the collaboration of donors, residents, and partners, we are building a culture of health for all in our community,” said Dr. Marsha Fishbane, chair of the Palm Health Foundation Board of Trustees. Notable attendees at the event included: Frances Fisher, PHF Trustee and scholarship fund holder; Dr. Marsha Fishbane, Palm Health Foundation chair, and trustees Dr. Naelys Luna, Barbara James, Clovis Moodie, and Nathan Nason; scholarship fund holders Debra Coffman Howe, Ann Berner, Dr. Alina Alonso, Denise Bober, and Carrie Browne and Donald Smith-Browne; and Tim Snow, president of George Snow Scholarship Fund.  To make a gift or create a donor advised fund to support health professions scholars, please contact Carrie Browne, director of stewardship and strategic partnerships, (561) 837-2281, carrieb@phfpbc.org .

Palm Health Foundation marked its eighth annual Train the Brain community health campaign during October 2024 with the unveiling of a significant collaborative initiative. On October 24, 2024, over 95 guests gathered at the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute at Florida Atlantic University for the launch of The Brain Coast: A Vision for South Florida , an aspiration endorsed by six Palm Beach County brain health and science visionaries who believe that shared vision, determination, science, education, collaboration, and investment can transform a region and change the world. The launch partners included: Palm Health Foundation Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute at Florida Atlantic University Stiles-Nicholson Foundation The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network Many more have committed to advancing this exciting vision with imagination, curiosity, and desire to push the boundaries of brain science and its promise. Guests at the event were eager to learn about the vision for The Brain Coast, which partners compare to President John F. Kennedy's ambitious goals for American space exploration that accelerated Florida's Space Coast. Evening highlights included ambitious initiatives demonstrating The Brain Coast Vision’s promise and the inspirational journeys that led local scientists, including Palm Health Foundation Computational Brain Science and Health Graduate Fellows, to dedicate their lives to advancing treatment for brain disorders as varied as depression, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and more. 

Leaders believe shared vision, determination, science, education, collaboration, and investment can transform the South Florida region and change the world.

Palm Beach County leaders will guide foundation’s grantmaking initiatives to help residents thrive and reach their full health potential. 

If anyone saw “Anthony Cannonball” Cannon do his famous dance to Teddy Pendergrass’s “Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose,” at the Fourth Annual Glades Tri-Cities Senior Citizens Prom on June 1, 2024, they would have thought he was back in high school.

Palm Health Foundation, Palm Beach County’s community foundation for health, has appointed Ernest Dumenigo as accounting and grants coordinator.

The inaugural Riviera Beach Youth Explosion on April 6, 2024, at the United House of Prayer drew 225 attendees to a talent extravaganza showcasing the incredible youth singers, dancers, and instrumentalists from Lake Park, Riviera Beach, and West Palm Beach. Over 80 youth aged 5-18 delivered eleven outstanding performances, including choirs, groups, and solo acts to entertain the awe-struck audience and compete for cash prizes ranging from $200 to $500. Judges Edwin Ferguson and Marsha Andrews from the School District of Palm Beach County and Shirley Lanier, Doug Lawson, and Julia Botel of the Riviera Beach City Council chose the winners in song, dance, and instrumental categories among a sea of talent. The winners, all from Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach, were: Singing 1st Place - Seanna Simmons 2nd Place - Nathan Butler 3rd Place - Caleb, Gabriel, and Jokim Washington Honorarium - Grace Rhoden Dance 1st Place – Faith’s Place Jubilant Dancers 2nd Place – RJH Praisers, R.J. Hendley Christian Community School Instrumental 1st Place - Faith's Place Marching Line 2nd Place - Jeremiah Aboderin 3rd Place - Nathaniel Gayle Honorarium - Elijah Jackson Honorarium - Travis Jackson II

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.