Celebrating WeTHRIVE! communities, schools for strides made in 2023

On December 7, 2023, Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) held the annual WeTHRIVE! Recognition Event to celebrate WeTHRIVE! communities and school districts for their commitment to building a culture of health, safety, and vitality throughout the county in 2023. Twenty-two communities and eight school districts received a proclamation from the Hamilton County Board of Health for meeting the 2023 WeTHRIVE! recognition requirements.

“The Recognition Event gives us a chance to reflect on the past year,” says Mary Ellen Knaebel, director of health promotion and education with Hamilton County Public Health. “Throughout 2023, WeTHRIVE! teams found creative and innovative ways to improve the health, safety, and well-being of their communities and schools.”

You can see pictures from the 2023 WeTHRIVE! Recognition Event here.

Connection was a common theme

While each WeTHRIVE! school district or community is unique, the main theme for much of their work over the past year centered on social connectedness. Mary Ellen says this was fitting, given that the U.S. Surgeon General identified social isolation and loneliness as a public health concern in 2023. 

WeTHRIVE! communities and schools embraced connectedness, implementing a wide range of strategies, all with the goal of bringing residents, youth, and families together.

Teams held community clean-up days, recycling events, produce pop-ups, and food distribution events. They provided more opportunities for physical activity with pickleball, fitness classes, and park updates. And they hosted speakers, forums, and educational events.

Watch the WeTHRIVE! 2023 Year in Review video here!

“Coretta Scott King said, ‘The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members,’” Mary Ellen says. “We could not think of a more appropriate quote to describe WeTHRIVE! communities and schools in 2023.”

Congratulations to the following communities and school districts for meeting WeTHRIVE! recognition requirements for 2023!*

WeTHRIVE! Communities:

• Addyston – 5^th year
• Amberley Village – 9^th year
• Anderson Township – 9^th year
• Arlington Heights – 6^th year
• Cheviot – 7^th year 
• Deer Park – 6^th year
• Delhi Township – 5^th year
• Elmwood Place– 3^rd year
• Evendale – 7^th year
• Forest Park – 9^th year
• Golf Manor – 4^th year
• Green Township – 4^th year
• Lincoln Heights – 9^th year
• Lockland – 9^th year
• Miami Township – 4^th year
• Montgomery – 9^th year
• Mt. Healthy – 9^th year
• North Bend – 9^th year
• North College Hill – 6^th year
• Reading – 7^th year
• Woodlawn – 9^th year
• Wyoming – 2^nd year

WeTHRIVE! School Districts:

• Lockland City Schools – 7^th year
• Mt. Healthy City Schools – 7^th year
• North College Hill City Schools – 6^th year
• Northwest Local Schools – 2^nd year
• Reading Community City Schools – 5^th year
• St. Bernard/Elmwood Place City Schools – 4^th year
• Three Rivers Local Schools – 6^th year
• Winton Woods City Schools – 6^th year

*While the WeTHRIVE! initiative started in 2009, annual recognition requirements were added in 2014. The numbers above represent how many years a community or school district has met these requirements. Some communities have been a part of WeTHRIVE! since the beginning!