WHAT: Grand Opening of Miami Lighthouse Academy Classrooms for visually impaired Kindergarten, First and Second Grade students.

WHEN: Friday, August 13, 2021 at 9:00 A.M.

WHERE: Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
601 Southwest 8th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33130

DETAILS: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, elected officials, civic leaders and donors will gather to celebrate the Miami Lighthouse Academy Classroom Expansion. Originally a 900 square-foot bungalow house in the 1930’s, Miami Lighthouse’s facility will now encompass over 150,000 square-feet of space dedicated to education, training, research and vision enhancement for the blind and visually impaired from babies to seniors. The expansion campaign was made possible by private donations in response to two challenge grants from local philanthropists. Additionally, the project was made possible by the investment of Northern Trust New Market Tax Credits and Enterprise Community Investment Inc. Tours of the new Miami Lighthouse Academy will be conducted immediately after the ceremony.

“The collaboration of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Wolfberg Alvarez & Partners architects and Miller Construction Company, who are sponsoring the event along with Starbucks, and the timely assistance of the City of Miami assured that a temporary certificate of occupancy would be granted prior to the fall semester so that visually impaired students enrolled in the Miami Lighthouse Academy will be able to move into their new classrooms on August 23rd,” said President and Founder Virginia A. Jacko.

Miami Lighthouse Academy LLC offers a nationally recognized inclusive classroom early learning environment for students in pre-kindergarten, half with and half without vision impairment. The new specialized classrooms specific for visually impaired Kindergarten, First and Second grade students includes learning from both a licensed classroom teacher and a licensed teacher of the visually impaired.

For nearly a century, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind has been working to build a more inclusive society for the blind and visually impaired. Our innovative programming removes barriers to education, jobs and critical eye care and unlocks the power of the internet and technology. No one’s potential should be defined by ability, age, zip code, income, race or ethnicity. Our program offerings reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and their unique needs. Approximately 90% of the constituents we serve are low income from underserved populations.



August 9, 2021 – Holy Cross Health has been recognized as a Best Hospital for 2021-22 by U.S. News & World Report. The non-profit hospital is ranked among the top 10 in South Florida and top 25 in the state and was also recognized as high performing in COPD, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, hip replacement, knee replacement and stroke.  

The annual Best Hospitals rankings and ratings, now in their 32nd year, are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or for common elective procedures.  

“We are committed to the highest quality, compassionate care,” said Holy Cross Health CEO and President Mark Doyle. “We are proud of our high performing ranking in seven key health specialties. This is an honor and a testament to the team at Holy Cross whose dedication to our patients during one of the most challenging years yet is unmatched. We continue to focus on enhancing and advancing technology, research and procedures to improve the health of our communities.”  

The U.S. News Best Hospitals methodologies in most areas of care are based largely on objective measures such as risk-adjusted survival and discharge-to-home rates, volume, and quality of nursing, among other care-related indicators. 

“This year’s expanded report from U.S. News includes new ratings for important procedures and conditions to help each patient pick the right hospital for the type of care they need,” said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News. “Hospitals faced incredible challenges this past year, and the best of them have provided great care throughout the pandemic and continue to offer excellent care today.” 

Best Hospitals was produced by U.S. News with RTI International, a leading research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. 

ABOUT HOLY CROSS HEALTH 

A member of Trinity Health, Fort Lauderdale-based Holy Cross Hospital, dba Holy Cross Health, is a full-service, non-profit, Catholic, teaching hospital operating in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy. Holy Cross has been named one of the top 10 hospitals in the Miami metro area and among the top 30 in the state in U.S. News and World Report’s 2020-2021 Best Hospital rankings. Through strategic collaborations and a commitment to being a person-centered, transforming, healing presence, the 557-bed hospital offers progressive inpatient, outpatient and community outreach services and clinical research trials to serve as our community’s trusted health partner for life. Holy Cross Health also encompasses Holy Cross HealthPlex outpatient facility, urgent care centers and more than 50 Holy Cross Medical Group physician practices. To learn more about Holy Cross Health, visit holy-cross.com. Connect @holycrossfl. 

ABOUT U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT 

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower citizens, consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C. 



Aug. 9, 2021) — With more than 30 years of healthcare experience, including a decade in home health leadership, Jonathan Hollander has been selected to receive the Home Care Association of Florida’s 2021 Excellence in Home Care Award in the category of Outstanding Leader.

Hollander began his career at Lee Health as a registered nurse at Lee Memorial Hospital and earned several promotions before being named clinical director of home health services, a role he’s held for the past two years.

The honor Hollander received recognizes home care professionals for their dedication to the provision of quality home care and for their exemplary service to those they serve.

The recipient of the Terri Santangelo Outstanding Leader Award, which is named in honor of the HCAF’s former president, must “exemplify all the qualities that Terri consistently displayed as a true leader in the home care industry” and must also possess personal and professional leadership qualities, exemplary team spirit, excellent problem-solving skills, creativity, innovative spirit and dedication to patient and staff satisfaction.

“Jonathan is an inspirational leader and dedicated team member at Lee Health, and it was no surprise to learn he’d earned this prestigious honor in home care leadership,” said Dr. Scott Nygaard, chief operating officer of Lee Health. “I can’t commend him enough for all that he does on a daily basis for our staff and our patients.”

Hollander received his award at the Home Care Association of Florida’s Annual Conference & Trade Show in Orlando.

About Lee Health

Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Staffed by caring people, inspiring health, services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.



Sixty-six Members of the Schmidt College of Medicine’s

Incoming Class Receive First Doctor’s White Coat at Ceremony

August 9, 2021 — Facing intense competition, members of this year’s incoming class of Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine were selected among more than 6,000 applicants nationwide. The medical school received 6,032 applications for 66 spots, up 61 percent from last year. This upward trajectory in medical school applications is a national trend, which indicates that aspiring physicians were not deterred by the stress of COVID-19 and they are eager to do their part.

“According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States will need about 133,000 more doctors by 2033,” said Sarah K. Wood, M.D., interim dean and senior associate dean for medical education, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. “This boom in medical school interest nationally and especially for our medical school is happening at a critical time in Florida’s and our nation’s history. We couldn’t be more proud of the perseverance and enthusiasm from the talented members of our class of 2025.”

On Friday, the medical school’s class of 2025 received their first doctor’s white coat during the White Coat Ceremony. This time-honored event is celebrated at medical schools around the nation and symbolizes entry into the medical profession as medical students are cloaked with their first doctor’s white coat. For more than a century, the white coat has been the symbol of the medical doctor. 

The 66 members of the class were selected from a diverse and highly accomplished group of applicants. Twenty-four percent represent racial and ethnic populations underrepresented in medicine, which will help to advance the medical school’s mission to enhance diversity in the physician workforce. This year, as part of the medical school rankings, the Schmidt College of Medicine was ranked No. 24 in the nation in the “Most Diverse Medical Schools” category by U.S. News & World Report, which is based on the percentage of underrepresented minority students.

Fifty-two percent of the class of 2025 is female; 48 percent is male. Seventy-three percent of the class members are from Florida and 27 percent are from out-of-state. Eleven members of the class received their bachelor’s or master’s degrees from FAU.

This year’s keynote speaker was Allison H. Ferris, M.D., an associate professor of medicine in the Schmidt College of Medicine who serves as program director for FAU’s internal medicine residency program.

“The pandemic placed us in a constant state of uncertainty that required us to utilize never-before-seen methods to recruit students and to teach medicine. However, it highlighted a major strength of our medical school, our community of learners and our educators,” said Jennifer Caceres, M.D., senior associate dean for student affairs and admissions. “Students, staff, and faculty stepped up to help the admissions team deliver a unique and successful first-time ever virtual recruitment season. One silver lining of this pandemic is the reminder of the noble nature of medicine as we all witnessed the sacrifices made by the front-line workforce. It is revitalizing to see how this inspired so many to pursue medicine and has increased the level of passion and enthusiasm in the applicant pool this year. We cannot wait to see what the class of 2025 will bring to the Schmidt College of Medicine and what they will accomplish as future physicians serving our diverse communities.”

Most of the major colleges in Florida are represented in the class of 2025 in addition to Boston University; Duke University; Johns Hopkins University; New York University; Northwestern University; University of Michigan – Ann Arbor; Vanderbilt University; and the University of Southern California.

Although most of the class members majored in traditional pre-med subjects, the class also is comprised of students with humanities and social science degrees, in keeping with the college’s recognition in 2020 by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top medical schools in the country for liberal arts majors.

The medical school’s White Coats-4-Care fundraising program for scholarship and student support set an all-time record this year raising nearly $600,000. Bonnie and Jon Kaye chaired the event for the 11th consecutive year. In addition, the college established the Robert A. Wood FAU Medical Scholars Fund supported through the generosity of Ann and John Wood, which will support 10 medical students through all four years of medical school. Through a leadership gift from Nancy Flinn, the medical school also established an Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Scholarship fund this year. The Schmidt College of Medicine receives many other gifts annually ranging from $100 to $2,500 to support incoming students’ first white coats, scholarships and medical school programs.

Through the leadership of Michael T.B. Dennis, M.D., chair of the medical school’s advisory board, each new medical student received their first stethoscope, generously donated by the Palm Beach County Medical Society. The stethoscope, a vital tool for conducting physical examinations, is one of the most enduring symbols of the medical profession.

The White Coat Ceremony was founded in 1993 by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation. The Foundation concluded that the beginning of a student’s journey into medicine is the best time to influence standards of professionalism, humanistic values and behavior.

– FAU –

About the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine:

FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine is one of approximately 157 accredited medical schools in the U.S. The college was launched in 2010, when the Florida Board of Governors made a landmark decision authorizing FAU to award the M.D. degree. After receiving approval from the Florida legislature and the governor, it became the 134th allopathic medical school in North America. With more than 70 full and part-time faculty and more than 1,300 affiliate faculty, the college matriculates 64 medical students each year and has been nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum. To further FAU’s commitment to increase much needed medical residency positions in Palm Beach County and to ensure that the region will continue to have an adequate and well-trained physician workforce, the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Consortium for Graduate Medical Education (GME) was formed in fall 2011 with five leading hospitals in Palm Beach County. The Consortium currently has five Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited residencies including internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and neurology.

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.



Free Back-To-School Immunizations and Low-Cost Physical Exams For Uninsured Children

August 9 2021 – Broward Health Community Health Services is offering free immunizations and low-cost physical exams at two community health centers during Mobilize to Immunize.

Caregivers at Community Health Services will provide immunizations against infectious diseases such as whooping cough, measles, mumps, rubella, influenza, Hepatitis B and polio. Immunizations prevent dangerous sometimes life-threatening diseases, such as chickenpox, diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, HPV, IPV, measles, meningitis, mumps, whooping cough, pneumonia, polio, rubella and tetanus.

“Obtaining a school physical and immunizing your child is one of the best things you can do to safeguard their health,” said Margaret Lott, M.D., pediatrics, Broward Health Physician Group. “This free vaccination program offers, in many cases, lifesaving care to some of our most vulnerable children.”

Free immunizations and $30 school physicals are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., through August 13, at the following locations:

  • Cora E. Braynon Family Health Center, 200 NW Seventh Ave., Fort Lauderdale
  • Broward Health Pompano Pediatric Primary Care Center, 601 W. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach

To schedule an appointment, please call 954-302-3935 or visit browardhealth.org.

Free immunizations are available for children 4-18 years old who are uninsured, American Indian or Alaskan native or Medicaid enrolled patients. A parent or legal guardian must be present and have the child’s immunization record. Please bring the child’s current 680 immunization form to be updated. Privately insured children must see their assigned pediatrician to obtain their vaccine.

About Broward Health

Broward Health, providing service for more than 80 years, is a nationally recognized system in South Florida that offers world-class healthcare to all. The Broward Health system includes the statutory teaching hospital Broward Health Medical Center, Broward Health North, Broward Health Imperial Point, Broward Health Coral Springs, Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital, Broward Health Weston, Broward Health Community Health Services, Broward Health Physician Group, Broward Health Urgent Care, Broward Health International, and Broward Health Foundation. For more information, visit BrowardHealth.org.