In our THRIVING for 10 Years series, we’ve looked back on the early days of WeTHRIVE!, caught up with former staff members, and heard from WeTHRIVE! communities. This month, we’re taking a look at some of the organizations that support our goals and objectives in the community – our WeTHRIVE! partners.
Through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), Ohio State University (OSU) Extension-Hamilton County provides nutrition education classes to limited-resource families with children. The program is free, but it’s a challenge to find partners to host the classes and get people to attend. “We’re a great community resource,” said Amy Hollar, EFNEP program specialist, “But only if we’re being utilized.”
As a WeTHRIVE! partner, OSU Extension has been able to connect with WeTHRIVE! communities that are looking for ways to help their residents be healthier. It all started when EFNEP program assistant Margarita Lewis met Jermaine Hill, leader of the Forest Park WeTHRIVE! team, at a WeTHRIVE! Learning Collaborative meeting.
Forest Park was the first WeTHRIVE! community to host the series of nine EFNEP classes. They were a big hit (see our story) and other WeTHRIVE! communities began to take notice. North College Hill and Whitewater Township have hosted the EFNEP series. Classes will start in Cheviot in September.
Our partnership with OSU Extension is a win for all involved. “WeTHRIVE! has identified people who are actively working to make their community better,” Amy said. “These are the most valuable partners for us to connect with, and we connect with them because of WeTHRIVE! That allows us to bring our services, which are totally free, to the communities WeTHRIVE! wants to help.”
For more information about OSU Extension-Hamilton County and EFNEP, call 513-946-8989.
Read all the stories celebrating WeTHRIVE!’s 10th anniversary:
- Our partnership with PreventionFIRST! is a win-win
- OSU Extension partners with WeTHRIVE! communities
- WeTHRIVE! began with Strategic Alliance for Health
- THRIVING in Amberley Village
- Cheviot revitalized parks & rec
- Addyston makes the healthy choice the easy choice
- North Bend values WeTHRIVE! network
- Woodlawn wins with WeTHRIVE!
- Planting a seed in Lincoln Heights
- When passion meets passion
- Looking at Lockland with Joyce Campbell
- Together, we can do so much more
- Full circle with Kiana Trabue
- Ten years of WeTHRIVE! with Tonya Key
- THRIVING for 10 years!