OnDefend Helps Power Change at Jacksonville’s Give A Hack

A packed room on a random Thursday afternoon set the scene for one of Jacksonville’s most inspiring community events : Give A Hack, where local technologists came together to use their skills for good.

Over one high-energy weekend, developers, designers, and innovators teamed up to create real solutions for real challenges faced by nonprofits in our community. It wasn’t just a hackathon it was proof that when people care enough to give a hack, incredible things happen.

Where an Idea Sparked a Movement

“Basically, I asked for help, and our entire community showed up,” said Jennifer Bradshaw, VP at NLP Logix and the creator behind Give A Hack Jax.

Bradshaw’s vision was born from a personal challenge , wanting to make a difference but realizing how hard it can be to do so alone.

“I was trying to donate my time, donate my old clothing,” Bradshaw said. “And I realized how hard it is to make an impact just as a single person.”

So, she called on her peers in Jacksonville’s tech community including,  OnDefend CEO Chris Freedman,

“There are companies for profit who want to give their goods and services at a discounted price,” Freedman said. “But there’s no connective tissue. There has to be a better way. The problem hasn’t been solved — and we’re here to solve it.”

Together, they built an event centered on collaboration, innovation, and community. A way for local talent to use their skills to build something that lasts.

Innovation Meets Impact

Participants were divided into four teams and given one challenge: solve the gap.

For Madison Mina and her team, “Jax to the Max,” that meant tackling the housing crisis.

“As the cost of living increases in the U.S., we want to give people an app that helps them explore neighborhoods — block by block — to find affordable housing,” said Mina.

Entrepreneurs like Lucas Wyman also took part, recognizing that this kind of innovation could have an even greater reach.

“It all starts here in Jax,” Wyman said, “but it can expand to wherever.”

Wyman’s team partnered with the nonprofit Mission House, developing a simple but powerful way to connect donors directly with people in need, using a single hashtag.

“They’re calling our phone number or reaching out by email,” said London from Mission House. “But if we could just use a hashtag to find them and immediately get them resources, it’s two birds with one stone.”

And the Winner Is…

After a weekend of problem-solving and creativity, the winning team was announced: The Black Bees.

Their project, JaxLink, is a platform that connects nonprofits, donors, and those in need — all in one digital space. By centralizing communication and resources, JaxLink helps remove the barriers that often prevent help from reaching where it’s needed most.

“What do we want people to take away from this weekend?” asked OnDefend’s Marketing and Communications Director Lauren Verno.

“We want them to give a hack. These problems are solvable. We have the people who want to solve them and if we just connect everyone together, we can make things better for those in need.”

Amazing, what you can really do when you, well… give a hack.

OnDefend’s Commitment to Doing Good

Give A Hack Jax wasn’t just an event it was a reflection of what OnDefend stands for: using technology, teamwork, and innovation to make a lasting difference.

At OnDefend, our mission goes beyond cybersecurity. We believe in strengthening both organizations and the communities behind them. By helping lead initiatives like Give A Hack, we’re proud to support the innovators who make Jacksonville a better place to live and work.

Give a Hack isn’t the only way OnDefend is giving back. In a public-private partnership, the City of Jacksonville, the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida, and Jacksonville-based cybersecurity firm OnDefend announced Securing Nonprofits’ Mission, a free cybersecurity program for nonprofit organizations across Northeast Florida.

Learn more at the link below:

City of Jacksonville, Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida, and OnDefend Partner to Launch Free Cybersecurity Program to Protect North Florida Nonprofits’ Missions

About OnDefend

OnDefend is a cybersecurity services firm specializing in proactive security testing and advisory. Its breach and attack simulation platform, BlindSPOT, helps organizations validate that their tools and teams can detect and respond to real-world threats. Founded in 2016, OnDefend supports global clients in strengthening their cyber resilience. Learn more at www.ondefend.com.

For Media Inquiries:

Lauren Verno, Media@ondefend.com
904-299-3669