Nikki Dunbar, a mental health specialist at Westerville North High School and Jenny Scherer, a school counselor at Hawthorne Elementary have been named neighborhood bridges’ first-ever Advocates of the Year, a new award celebrating the work of Westerville educators to support students and their families in need.
“They are relentless in seeking ways to drive support for their students in need,” neighborhood bridges CEO Rick Bannister said. “They represent the best of the best in our community and we wanted to simply say thank you.”
Dunbar and Scherer have regularly partnered with neighborhood bridges, which connect the district’s schools with community groups interested in supporting the basic needs of students and families.
Since the start of the pandemic, neighborhood bridges has served an additional 113,000 students and families — a 550% increase.
“Thanks to advocates like Dunbar and Scherer and our amazing community, Westerville led all neighborhood communities in terms of direct impact since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bannister said.
As part of the award, Dunbar and Scherer received gift cards to local businesses. The group kicked off the award in March, which is National Social Work Month.
In Westerville, neighborhood bridges is led by volunteer Area Directors Meg Hogan, Wendy Loeser and Molly Woodruff.