Building a Culture of Health Stories

Hospital conversion foundations are unique and powerful forces in advancing community health. These charitable organizations are born when non-profit hospitals are sold and converted to for-profit entities. A foundation is then established from the proceeds of the sale or “conversion.”

In April, Palm Health Foundation and partners convened at the Community Changemakers Gathering to celebrate the Culture of Health Network that formed The Community Changemakers Fund , and learn about the projects that applied for and received funding to continue their health advancement work.

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.

"Mama Said, Daddy Did” is a 3-episode podcast mini-series that explores brain health wisdom passed down through generations and how we as a community can apply that wisdom into our daily practices for a healthier, more balanced life.

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.

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. 

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.

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