Norwood receives mini-grant to become WeThrive! community

Hamilton County Public Health’s (HCPH) WeTHRIVE! initiative announced yesterday the recipients of new community wellness mini-grants. A total of nine Hamilton County communities received funding of up to $24,000 to become WeTHRIVE! communities.

“We are excited about this opportunity to work closely with communities on this project,” said Tim Ingram, Health Commissioner, HCPH. “We have already seen the success of working with residents to implement healthy changes so we know this funding will make a great impact on the communities.”

Communities will utilize the funding to complete a community health assessment, adopt wellness resolutions, develop a community wellness action plan and implement policy and environmental changes that will promote and sustain community health promotion initiatives. Funding was available to political jurisdictions in Hamilton County and communities with a chartered neighborhood council. Each submitted a competitive application for a mini-grant award. The nine funded communities are:

· Village of Addyston
· Amberley Village
· Avondale Community Council
· City of Cheviot
· Madisonville Community Council
· City of North College Hill
· Northside Community Council
· City of Norwood
· City of Wyoming

HCPH staff members will work closely with each of the jurisdictions over the next several months to complete funding requirements and provide technical assistance. Communities will be able to do things such as enhance parks or walking trails, open up shared spaces for physical activity, provide healthy food options and healthy eating and physical activity policies. Awardees will have funding through February 29, 2012.

WeTHRIVE! is making it easier for people in Hamilton County to eat healthy, be more active and limit tobacco use. Visit us at WatchUsThrive.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. WeTHRIVE! is funded in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Communities Putting Prevention to Work grant.