Creating solutions with our community
BeWellPBC Efforts in Motion
Community Connectors
BeWellPBC’s Community Connectors are passionate and dedicated Palm Beach County residents who engage their fellow neighbors to have meaningful conversations about mental health, behavioral health, and overall well-being. They serve as a bridge between residents, organizations, and system leaders, bringing their unique insights and lived experience to the conversation, helping to identify the needs and priorities of their communities.
Through their grassroots efforts, Community Connectors facilitate conversations that reduce the stigma around mental health and encourage open dialogue, advocate for equitable access to wellness resources and services, and collaborate with organizations, leaders, and residents to co-create solutions that address community challenges.
By amplifying the voices of their neighbors, Community Connectors are transforming Palm Beach County into a place where everyone feels supported, valued, and connected. Their work exemplifies BeWellPBC’s mission to ensure mental health and wellness for all.
For more information, contact Katrina Blackmon at kblackmon@bewellpbc.org.
Stewards of the Stewards
Meet Your Community Connectors
Rosa White
Gurunam Khalsa
Yolanda Bates
Emma Ramos Garcia
Aida Smith
OJ
Sherrah Lavin
Brandon Lavin
Carine Emile-Joseph
Noris Morales
Kristin Carstarphen
Shalanda O’Neal
Ron Dixon
Deborah Powell-Skinner
Angela McDonald
Kalimba Yancey-Love
Freshandra West
Alondra Colon
BeWellPBC Keeps Moving
BeWell Clubs
Residents are taking the lead to create spaces across the county for resource-sharing, advocacy, and to connect. The Caregivers Club and BeWell Gathering Place are just a couple of great clubs on the move.
Our Featured Clubs:
The Caregivers Club, a partnership with Healthier Boynton Beach and BeWellPBC, welcomes caregivers across Palm Beach County to join. The Club is a safe space for caregivers to come to care for one another. Through sharing experiences and resources, the Club gives you permission to be you. Come laugh, cry and be empowered with caregivers just like you.
The BeWell Gathering Place is a vibrant community center located at 19 Everglades Street in the Okeechobee Center Housing Complex in Belle Glade. Operated by the Belle Glade Housing Authority, this historic facility, once a grocery store, now serves as a hub for mental health and social services, thanks to a partnership with the Federation of Families of Florida, Inc.
Under the leadership of CEO Mrs. C. Veree’ Jenkins, the center introduced the concept of BeWell Clubs—inclusive gathering spaces offering community connection without fees or membership requirements. A standout program, “Coffee, Chat, and Chew,” initiated by Pastor Willie Lawrence, brings seniors together twice weekly for support, friendship, and activities like exercise, field trips, and volunteerism.
Through partnerships like AARP’s senior training program, members also engage in meaningful roles, from running food drives to community gardening, fostering a sense of purpose and belonging. The BeWell Gathering Place embodies a legacy of empowerment, unity, and joy for the diverse residents of the Okeechobee Center Housing Complex.
Peer advocates formed the Peer Leadership Council to function as an advisory group for local policy and practice, as well as to find support in their important roles as peer specialists. The Council is meeting monthly with increased representation from peer organizations and groups in Palm Beach County. They are focused on leadership training, capacity-building, and determining advocacy opportunities.