neighborhood bridges is growing! Key staff addition to help us reach ONE MILLION students in need.

neighborhood bridges is growing!

Charity selects Jenn Necker as Director of BHAG 

With goals of reaching ONE MILLION students in need, expanding service area

          WESTERVILLE, Ohio, (March 30, 2026)—Neighborhood bridges, a 501(c)(3) charity that alleviates basic needs insecurity in the school communities it serves, today announced that Jenn Necker has been selected to serve as Director of BHAG. The neighborhood bridges board of directors approved the BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) of reaching 1M at-risk students by the end of 2027, and has recommended and funded this new position to help all current neighborhood bridges communities expand their impact, while also looking for ways to add additional communities to its five state, 120,000 square-mile footprint.

Necker is the proud mother of two Buckeye Valley students who attend East Elementary and the Middle School. She is a passionate small business owner, and is deeply committed to building-up the local community through connection, support, and shared purpose.

As the founder of Intentionally Speaking, Necker has helped entrepreneurs and small business owners develop strategic, intentional plans that prioritize what matters most. She believes success comes from clarity, collaboration, and taking thoughtful action. brings this mindset to everything she does. Necker also co-founded Intentionally Rising, an in-person and virtual networking community where business owners collaborate, grow, and lift each other up through workshops, speaker events, and peer support. They are guided by the idea that no one has to do business alone, and their community proves that every day businesses are better together. She also serves as a communications specialist for Buckeye Valley Local School District.

In addition to her professional roles, Necker serves as the communications and media chair for the Buckeye Valley East Elementary PTO and as an area director for neighborhood bridges- Buckeye Valley. Supporting neighbors through challenges and celebrating their successes is at the heart of everything she stands for. Connecting with schools, families and communities has been deeply impactful and has created a ripple effect of kindness, support and hope.

The Founder & CEO of neighborhood bridges, Rick Bannister adds, “Jenn has amazed me with her intelligence, business skills, thoughtfulness, and most of all the collaborative way she approaches service and problem solving. She is a perfect fit for the opportunities we face as we double down on our commitment to engage entire communities in driving impact and removing barriers for students and families in need.  More will be shared in the coming days about the amazing opportunities that lie ahead.  Jenn coming on board is a big win for neighborhood bridges and more so for the students we serve.  The number of students in need is dramatically increasing, and we need to do more.”

Now in its 10th year as a charity, neighborhood bridges was founded and launched on Martin Luther King Day (January 16, 2017), in Westerville, Ohio by Bannister. Through good will and effective management, neighborhood bridges has grown to serve 68 school district communities in five states and has supported more than $13.5 M in giving to impact over 654,800 students in need. The organization has continued to receive the Platinum Seal for Transparency from national charity watchdog, as well as, CANDID for maintaining an industry leading administrative overhead of 4 percent.

Neighborhood bridges drives direct support and care by inviting school counselors, social workers, mental health agencies, churches and other service organizations to advocate for those in need. Advocates post needs via a secure portal that maintains recipient anonymity. Neighborhood bridges then shares those needs with subscribers and followers through daily emails and social media posts engaging community members to fulfill them. Typical needs include food, clothing, shoes, coats, eye exams, school supplies, school fees, furniture, household items, and monetary donations for household expenses.

 For more information or to contact neighborhood bridges: 

Website:  https://neighborhoodbridges.org  

Email: contact@neighborhoodbridges.org 

 Follow our stories of impact on social media: 

 Facebook: @neighborhoodbridges1              

Instagram: @neighborhoodbridges 

 ###