The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County and the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce are sister organizations committed to bringing advanced leadership, advocacy, and growth opportunities to our members. By combining our strengths, we offer a powerful, closer reflection of the Palm Beach County landscape and you get the benefits of two dynamic organizations. Join us today and give your growing business a voice that sounds like its community.

Community Notices

Congratulations to Chamber Board Member Ava Parker, president of Palm Beach State College, and her team for earning $3 million in grant funding, and achieving accreditation for an additional 10 years!

PBSC receives $3 million in federal grants to continue Upward Bound program and expand to the Glades 

(LAKE WORTH, Fla. – July 7, 2022) U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel announced that $3 million in grant funding has been awarded to Palm Beach State College by the U.S. Department of Education to expand the Upward Bound TRIO college readiness program.

A portion of the funding will enable PBSC to launch an Upward Bound TRIO program in the Glades to serve Pahokee and Glades Central high schools. This will mark the first Upward Bound TRIO program for high school students in those western communities.

“Although we know that not everyone has to go to college to be successful in life, we know from experience that there are benefits to earning a college degree,” Frankel said to high school students, administrators, parents and PBSC officials on hand for the announcement. She referenced a Georgetown University study that reports college graduates earn $1 million dollars more over the lifetime of their careers.

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Palm Beach State College earns reaccreditation

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has reaffirmed Palm Beach State College’s accreditation for an additional 10 years.

The SACSCOC Board of Trustees voted to approve the reaffirmation at its recent meeting. The decision followed an extensive process that included a virtual site visit in October 2021 by a SACSCOC on-site committee of higher education experts and leaders. During the two-day visit, the committee held more than 35 interviews with individuals and groups across PBSC to review the College’s programs, policies, and processes.

The SACSCOC reviewed institutional integrity, curriculum, facilities, faculty, student services, budgets and financial aid to see how it measured up to their 84 standards covering mission, educational programs, faculty, governing board, student achievement, academic services, administration, institutional planning and financial resources. The on-site team found that PBSC is 100% in compliance with all SACSCOC standards.

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About Palm Beach State College

Founded in 1933 as Florida’s first public community college, Palm Beach State College has been an integral player in the growth and prosperity of Palm Beach County. Our graduates impact every industry and are community and business leaders. With more than 130 programs of study, PBSC offers bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, professional certificates, career training and lifelong learning. More than 40,000 students enroll annually in face-to-face, online, live online and hybrid classes at five convenient locations in Lake Worth, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens, Belle Glade and Loxahatchee Groves. Learn more at www.palmbeachstate.edu.

Hurricane Preparedness Information

Click here to download a guide to help you get started on your business plan preparations courtesy of Florida Power & Light, Executive Board Member of the Central Palm County Chamber of Commerce.

Below, you will also find several resources to help enhance hurricane preparedness for you, your family, and business. Please take a moment to review the attached resources and share with anyone who may benefit.

Hurricane season starts June 1, and many of our Palm Beach County neighbors are making sure they are prepared. As you update hurricane supplies, keep in mind that some items should not be placed in the garbage, but instead, be brought to one of the SWA’s Home Chemical and Recycling Centers.

Supplies requiring special disposal include:

gasoline and oil from generators
propane tanks
rechargeable batteries from electronics or flashlights

These items (and other home hazards) can be dropped off for free by Palm Beach County residents at any of the Home Chemical and Recycling Centers listed below, where they will be recycled or disposed of properly.

For more information and locations, click here.

Community Events

Summer Drive Through Food Distributions
sponsored by WPTV and The Urban League of Palm Beach County
 

The Urban League of Palm Beach County is partnering with WPTV, Scripps Howard Foundation, Publix Super Market, Florida Crystals Corporation, The Kiwanis Club of Riviera Beach, AmeriHealth Caritas Florida, Guardians of The Glades and KOP Mentoring Network to host a three city Summer Drive Through Food Distribution, in West Palm Beach, Delray Beach and Belle Glade communities on Saturday, July 30 from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. We are looking for monetary donations to purchase food items, and volunteers to help distribute food to an estimated 3,000 families in need of food.

The Palm Beach County food banks distribute more than a million-and-a-half pounds of food a month, which puts food on the table for 100,000 families, this still is not enough to meet the overwhelming food shortage throughout Palm Beach County.

Look at these devastating numbers:

15% of Palm Beach County residents are “food insecure.”
Over 200,000 people, including 63,000 children, are unsure where their next meal is coming from….not so surprising when you consider that 57% of Palm Beach County students receive free or reduced-price breakfast & lunch during the school year.
Although 170,000 families, each month, receive food stamps in our “wealthy” county, they usually run out of these vouchers after 2 weeks. Plus, in the summer, kids no longer receive free breakfast and lunch so hunger remains a daily challenge for many children.

We are asking you to join us at the Summer Food Drive, to help make a difference in the lives those we serve!

Volunteers are needed at each location on July 30th from 7:00 am – 12:30 pm. Please ask your families, students, clients, and other stakeholders to register for the Summer Food Drive by clicking on the following link.

Volunteer (ulpbc.org)

Click on the link below to donate to our three city Summer Food Drive

https://ulpbc.org/summer-food-drive/

Get Involved!

For more information on the Central Palm Beach County Chamber, please visit cpbchamber.com, or to join the chamber, click here.

To get involved with digital advertising opportunities, please click here or email [email protected].