By Michelle Brown
DELRAY BEACH, FLA. —Local foundations dedicated to furthering education, preserving history and improving health outcomes have made two programs possible at The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum for the 2026-2027 season.
Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County awarded The Spady Museum a $40,000 Great Ideas Initiative grant for Season 3 of its Black History Study program. The grant funds curriculum development, instructional stipends, field trips and materials to bring history to life.
The Black History Study program is a free 7-month, immersive educational program for students of all cultures, from grades 3-12, to learn about the influence and impact of African descendants on global, national and local history.
By employing community partnerships and creative collaboration, The Black History Study program integrates technology, literacy, multi-generational experiences and cultural awareness with local, national and global history. The program’s long-term goal is to foster an appreciation and understanding of historical preservation.
Classes began September 19 and will continue for selected Saturdays through March 2027 at the Spady Museum and the Achievement Center of Delray Beach. Registration is on-going. Learn more at https://www.spadymuseum.com/black-history-study/
Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County is a local, special-purpose government created by Palm Beach County voters in 1986 and reauthorized in 2014. Funded with property taxes, CSCPBC provides leadership, funding, services and research on behalf of the county’s children so they grow up healthy, safe, ready for school, and ready for life.
Season 3 was also supported by the Lattner Family Foundation.
Quantum Foundation and the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation awarded grants, totaling $80,000, for a pilot interactive art-immersion program that addresses Alzheimer’s and brain health in communities of color.
“The House That Memory Built: The Memories We Weave” is an exhibition-based program that uses the historical and cultural environment uniquely offered by The Spady Museum’s Williams Cottage. The free, 12-month program weaves together cultural cues, historical stories and modern, clinical therapies to offer a series of cognitive-building and socially engaging experiences. Each activity is designed as a page from the participants’ memories and life experiences, centered in Black culture and the Black experience.
The free sessions are scheduled to begin November 2026 at the Spady Museum’s Williams Cottage, 170 NW 5th Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444.
Designed by Deborah Germain, MPH, CDP Principal Weaver/Consultant; Claudia Moore, MPH; and the team at The Mosaic Thread Practice, the program uses everyday activities, such as getting ready for church service, preparing recipes that have been passed down through generations, writing letters to family members and dancing to favorite tunes, to bring the patient’s childhood memories to life. Participants will also create a Legacy Quilt on select dates.
To receive more information on the Activity and Speaker Series schedule, call 561-210-4518 or email admin@themosaicthreadpractice.com
To register, visit www.spadymuseum.com/house-that-memory-built
Quantum Foundation’s mission is to inspire and fund initiatives that improve the health of Palm Beach County residents. The Foundation was formed from $125 million in proceeds from the sale of JFK Medical Center. Now in its third decade of community investment, Quantum Foundation has awarded $184 million to hundreds of Palm Beach County nonprofit grantees and continues to manage Foundation assets of approximately $172 million.
Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation invests in leaders and organizations that have the potential to transform communities. CADF aspires to be connectors and a go-to resource for transformational leaders and organizations. Our goal is to make a real and lasting difference in the communities we serve. Our founder, Carl DeSantis, was passionate about helping people. A legendary entrepreneur, Mr. DeSantis lived a life devoted to helping others reach their potential. His kind spirit inspires our work at the foundation and provides daily motivation. As Carl used to say: “let’s dig in and make good things happen.”
ABOUT THE SPADY CULTURAL HERITAGE MUSEUM:
The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum was established in July 2001 by the non-profit organization, EXPANDING AND PRESERVING OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE, INC., a 501(c)3 Florida organization. Located in the 1926 former home of educator Solomon D. Spady, the museum preserves and shares local Black history with Delray Beach Black archives, exhibits, bus tours, walking tours, commemorative events and youth mentoring. Hours: 12-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and from 12-8 p.m. on Thursdays. The Spady Museum and Williams Cottage are closed Sundays and Mondays. All other hours are by appointment. (561) 279-8883; wwwspadymuseum.com
