Live Well Switzerland County Launched

At the end of 2022, the Community Foundation of Switzerland County, Inc. (CFSCI) began a community-wide needs assessment that concluded in the first quarter of last year.   Through the data and statistics, community input and interviews of those with lived experiences, CFSCI’s Board of Directors recognized that bettering the overall health of our community is of the utmost importance.  As a result, CFSCI launched the Live Well Switzerland County initiative at the beginning of 2025.  It is a three-year pilot program aimed at improving the overall health and well-being of Switzerland County residents.  CFSCI is collaborating with multiple public and nonprofit organizations to bring select health-related services closer to residents in greatest need, especially those who currently cannot drive to Vevay or beyond for essential health services.

The following projects have already gotten underway during the first half of 2025:

Girls Inc. of Jefferson County Programming

Girls Inc. programming was offered at both Jeff-Craig Elementary and Switzerland County Elementary this Spring during the Excel After The Bell program.  In addition, girls at both elementary schools had the opportunity to participate in the Girls Inc. To Go program, which lasted for eight weeks.  A variety of physical and mental health topics were covered. 

During the summer, Girls Inc. of Jefferson County provided their programming at both the Switzerland County YMCA and the Patriot Annex.  Both sessions lasted six weeks and programming focused on health-related topics.

Live Well Switzerland County Blessing Boxes

The Advanced Manufacturing classes at Switzerland County High School began constructing the Blessing Boxes in January.  Students worked through the Spring semester and completed the boxes by the end of the school year.  In the coming months, the Blessing Boxes will be strategically located throughout the county to help combat food insecurity in Switzerland County.

Live Well Switzerland County Garden

Switzerland County FFA students developed a plan for the garden in March by establishing a budget and designing the garden beds, which are located on Switzerland County School Corporation property.  They began construction of the beds in April and by mid-May, they planted a variety of produce such as peppers, broccoli, cabbage, zucchini, tomatoes and green beans.  Starting in June, the FFA began harvesting their produce and 100% of it is being donated to the Switzerland County Food Pantry, which is administered by INcompass Healthcare. 

Live Well Switzerland County Weekend Snack Program

CFSCI, in partnership with the Switzerland County School Corporation, began the Weekend Snack Program in January.  It provides a bag of nutritious snacks each Friday during the school year to select elementary students.  The program targets food insecure elementary students in Switzerland County and is free of charge.  A parent/guardian must register a student to participate in the Weekend Snack Program and acceptance is based on a first come, first serve basis.  Community volunteers assist CFSCI with assembling the snack bags.  A survey that was conducted at the end of the Spring 2025 semester concluded that every parent/guardian either agreed or strongly agreed that the program made a difference in the well-being of their child. 

Switzerland County Food Pantry

INcompass Healthcare administers the Switzerland County Food Pantry, which serves well over 200 families per week and reaches approximately 2,100 Switzerland County residents each month.  The needs of the households utilizing the food pantry vary so it was determined that the best way that CFSCI could assist the food pantry was to allot them a monthly stipend to meet those needs as they change.

Town of Patriot Annex & Food Pantry Equipment

CFSCI, in partnership with the Town of Patriot, recently renovated a vacant Annex building in downtown Patriot.  The work was completed from February through the end of May.  The Annex will serve as a community center that can be utilized by various service organizations serving the Patriot community.  To kick off the use of the Annex in June, Girls Inc. of Jefferson County brought their programming to Patriot for the first time ever by offering a six-week summer camp.

CFSCI was also able to contribute to the Town of Patriot and the Patriot Passion Project by assisting the Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank with the purchase of commercial refrigerators and freezers that will be used for the monthly food pantry at the Patriot Town Hall.  This will enable the Patriot Passion Project to offer perishable foods to individuals visiting the food pantry.

In the upcoming months, INcompass Healthcare will be introducing a new mobile health clinic in Switzerland County.  This mobile clinic was purchased by a grant that CFSCI received from Lilly Endowment Inc.  CFSCI will continue to keep the public updated on the mobile health clinic once it starts serving the community.

If you have any questions regarding the Live Well Switzerland County initiative, please stop in the office at 303 Ferry Street in Vevay, call 812-427-9160 or email info@cfsci.org.