The Ibis Charities Foundation has been supporting local nonprofit organizations since 2012. In 2024-2025 the charity donated over $500,000 to 40 local organizations that provide family and social services, food, medical care and cultural and environmental programs in Palm Beach County.

One of these nonprofit organizations is Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Palm Beach County, (HMHB) that has been in existence for 40 years. The Ibis Charities Foundation donated $20,000 to HMHB last year and joins the approximately 90 other donors who support HMHB. The charity relocated to a new modern location last year on North Military Trail in West Palm Beach.

Everything about the facility is welcoming from the large bright lobby to the friendly personnel who staff 

the pantry. The emergency pantry, open Tuesdays and Thursdays, provides mothers with food, diapers and formula for families who face financial hardship.  (These items are meant to supplement not sustain.) Babies age out of formula and food at their first birthday. Diapers currently are provided until age 4. On average the pantry serves 1,000 infants per month. 

Mothers must fill out an intake form to take part in the programs. These track the children and distribution of inventory. Language assistance is provided in English, Spanish and Creole.

A beautiful classroom environment is provided for the staff and mothers which can accommodate up to 75 people at a time. Topics include breastfeeding and child safety, newborn care, infant feeding, and postpartum care.

HMHB sees 250-300 pregnant moms currently each month. Additionally, clients are also served through other programs including Caps and Cribs Teen Mom Mentoring, Circles of Moms and Dad, Couples Becoming Parents and grief support groups for those experiencing pregnancy or infant loss. 

 

HMHB’s Centering Pregnancy program is an evidence-based model of group prenatal care that combines health assessment, education and social support were cohorts of women whose babies are due the same month, get their prenatal care together over ten sessions.

Also included in this special facility is a 15-month program in birthing and postpartum doula training and certification. The program is free in addition to a stipend paid to each doula for two births during their training period. There are more than a dozen classes available in this program where HMHB clients of the same culture are matched with each doula and receive doula support at no cost as part of the certification program from prenatal through three months postpartum.

A mobile pantry unit services North and South Palm Beach twice weekly. The unit functions exactly like their brick and mortar. It provides the same materials, functions the exact same way, just out of their bus rather than their office.

 

Michelle, Gonzalez, chief executive officer, has been with HMHB for 12 years and heads a staff of 68 people.  She commented, “HMHB is a family. The culture of this organization, and the passion our entire team must ensure positive maternal health outcomes for our clients, is what keeps me focused and motivated to do more. I have nearly 30 years of nonprofit experience in Palm Beach County, and I have never loved a mission more than I do this one. I thrive on this work and the impact we make for mothers every day.”

Further information on HMHB, to donate, volunteer or participate in fundraising events, may be found at www.hmhb.org or at 561-665-4500.