GAHANNA BRIDGES + LIONS LOCKER

GAHANNA BRIDGES + LION'S LOCKER TEAM UP TO HELP THOSE IN NEED

By Sarah Sole

When Gahanna Middle School reached out to Gahanna Bridges this past September for help securing beds for three middle school students who were stuck sleeping on lawn chairs, the nonprofit organization jumped into action.

Ron Smith, who heads up Gahanna Bridges and serves as Director of Business Development for umbrella organization Neighborhood Bridges, said he put an alert out on the Gahanna Bridges network to get the word out.

The response was swift.

“Within eight minutes, I had three twin beds that I could deliver to the family,” Smith said.

With community organizations in Alabama and Ohio, Neighborhood Bridges connects people with services or resources to those in need of them. Gahanna Bridges also works closely with the Lion’s Locker Pantry, started by Gahanna Lincoln High School staff members to provide food, toiletries, school supplies, and other items to PreK-12 students in Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.

Gahanna Jefferson high school teacher Marcie Aiello said she and fellow high school teachers Ryan Callihan and Tracy Dyckman started Lion’s Locker about five years ago after seeing a need for students to have immediate access to school supplies, food, and toiletries.

“Gahanna Bridges is able to assist with larger needs than we can provide through Lions Locker. For example, when a family experiences a fire —Bridges is able to rally additional community and business donors to help with furniture, appliances, etc. Lions Locker addresses short-term, immediate needs for students and their families so they don't have to wait. Then we provide a connection to additional community resources when there are additional needs.”

“We have a fantastic community here,” she said. ♦

To learn more or to help support these organizations, visit @lionslockerpantry and @gahannabridges on Facebook.