In a region known for luxury spas and boutique fitness studios, Rose Mallow Market is creating something different: a community-driven approach to holistic health that prioritizes accessibility over exclusivity. “True well-being isn’t achieved in isolation—it thrives in a supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to grow,” says Jennifer Barrell, founder of the Naples nonprofit.
Since launching Rose Mallow three years ago, the registered dietitian has built a tight-knit community around wellness-centric events and helped expand access to high-quality, preventive healthcare with payment assistance programs, referrals and partnerships with local providers.
In 2004, Jennifer was a middle school English teacher pursuing her master’s degree in higher education when a six-year teaching journey through Asia and the Middle East shifted her perspective on health. The radical dietary changes that accompanied life abroad, including cutting out dairy and gluten, triggered a notably positive shift in her gut health and mood. Her stomach issues improved, her energy skyrocketed, her sinus issues disappeared and she felt more mentally focused. The more Jennifer scrutinized her health, the more she realized that she had been living in a state of disease.
Soon after, tragedy struck in waves. In two years, Jennifer lost her stepfather to brain cancer and her mother to breast cancer. Then, as she grappled with her mother-in-law’s early-onset dementia diagnosis, her firstborn daughter began suffering from seizures, kidney reflux, acid reflux and colic. Throughout, Jennifer felt traditional medicine was merely focused on sustaining, not healing, her family. “There are alternatives that can be explored, such as changing diet and lifestyle and looking at our body as a whole,” Jennifer recalls, longing to see Western treatments combined with holistic therapies. Suddenly, her recent experience with nutrition’s transformative power felt prophetic: there was a tool that might help prevent the kind of suffering she witnessed in her family. “I want to live long. I want us to all live long, healthy lives,” she thought as she charted a new course.
The Connecticut native redirected her academic focus, earning a master’s degree in human nutrition and functional medicine from the University of Western States. She spent the next 10 years working as a dietitian, where she grew frustrated watching patients struggle to find accessible healthcare beyond basic emergency needs and annual checkups.
Jennifer started envisioning a new model for local health, one that would make holistic care accessible to all. She launched Rose Mallow, named for a Southwest Florida native hibiscus varietal that attracts butterflies and bees. “[We are creating] a space to attract and help educate and inform and provide resources,” she says about the name. Since its inception, the nonprofit has helped 63 patients access services that, locally, had been reserved for affluent retirees who could afford hefty out-of-pocket costs.
Care seekers apply for aid with a one-time $79 application fee (which covers all future care applications). If approved after a board review of their financial and health needs, they pay a maximum copay of $20 per visit—including for treatments requiring multiple sessions over weeks or months for optimal results.
While the team uses Medicaid eligibility as a standard for determining who qualifies for care, they go beyond the federal poverty guidelines. “It’s so easy in Naples to not make a living wage,” Jennifer says, noting the city’s high cost of living. “Income only tells part of the story.” The review board considers other expenses like outstanding medical and legal bills, back taxes, rent, or if someone’s bills have suddenly increased. “One of the biggest critiques of holistic or preventive medicine is that it is out of reach because insurance companies do not cover it—that is where we come in,” Jennifer says.
During the first appointment with a Rose Mallow partner, the provider assesses the patient’s needs and provides a recommended course of treatment and any relevant referrals. Afterward, the patient assesses the practice, documenting their experience. That way, the nonprofit can constantly reassess their collaborators’ efficacy.

Photography by Brian Tietz
Recent recipients include a 16-year-old athlete with plantar fasciitis who was able to return to their sport after a series of physical therapy treatments that included massage and noninvasive shockwave therapy. Another, an elderly, uninsured Spanish speaker who suffered a concussion-inducing fall, made a full recovery after 18 chiropractic and hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions. Rose Mallow waived her application fee and reduced the copay to $10 to ensure complete care regardless of financial barriers. A young retail employee working paycheck to paycheck found relief from her crippling depression and anxiety through 15 sessions of neurofeedback, where neural activity is monitored in real time to help the brain learn to regulate. The $260-per-hour treatment would have otherwise been out of reach for the woman.
Rose Mallow works with 10 (and counting) local providers—a vetted network, including psychotherapists, chiropractors, physical therapists, sound healers and nurses. Each partner undergoes rigorous screening, including board review, credential verification and patient testimonials. “I’ve seen [this kind of care] heal folks, prolong lives, improve the quality of lives,” Jennifer says. “If we don’t have our health, what do we have?” The verified providers are also featured on Rose Mallow’s website, serving as a go-to guide for trusted practices in alternative health fields that often lack standardized oversight and where identifying quality care can be overwhelming.
Beyond facilitating care, the team nurtures community through innovative programming that bridges education and experience. Rose Mallow’s serialized MedTalks and SoulTalks have local health experts leading candid conversations about integrating Western and holistic approaches to healing. The String Series reimagines a traditional yoga practice with live string instrument performances and ethereal light projections, creating an otherworldly atmosphere for movement and meditation.

Photography by Christina Bankson
Their annual SoulFLO fundraiser returns on February 1 for its second year, transforming Shangri-La Springs in Downtown Bonita Springs into an immersive space for wellness and celebration. During the daylong event, The Naples Players performers trace a journey of healing through movement and story while a sound healer creates a meditative space with singing bowls. Between massage demonstrations and wellness experiences, attendees can shop local artisan goods and foods, and catch live DJ sets. “[The] events capture what the community needs right now, and that’s more knowledge [and] more fun,” says Kim Quan, a yoga instructor and Rose Mallow’s director of community outreach.
It’s all in the spirit of connection and education, two of Rose Mallow’s key pillars for a healthy life. “We’ve seen firsthand how strong community can amplify individual efforts,” Jennifer adds. “The more people who participate, the more successful the event becomes for everyone involved.”

Photography by Christina Bankson
The group’s big SoulFLO Festival returns on February 1, when wellness demos, live music, food and interactive art fill Shangri-La Springs in Bonita Springs.