Jordan Ashley Gutheim, a 20-year-old Evangelical Christian School graduate and junior at Florida State University, and her boyfriend Benji Piechoczek, were killed in a car accident May 12, 2016, by a careless truck driver.

The Jordan Ashley Gutheim Foundation was formed to spread “Jordan’s Blessings” which are presented annually every May to honor Jordan’s life. 

Jordan was passionate about animal safety, the elderly, children and serving the needy in impoverished countries. The fund supports efforts including no-kill animal shelters, elderly health and well-being, humanitarian mission trips, driver safety, family services and an annual 4-year scholarship to FSU. Born in Fort Myers, Jordan was known for her kind and loving spirit, her joyful personality and her willingness to go out of her way to help others.

Over the past 5 years, the foundation has supported a variety of non-profits including: MADD, Lee County Sheriffs Youth Activities League Teen Drivers Challenge, Dr. Piper Center for Social Services grandparents program (senior classroom mentors), Community Cooperative (soup kitchen), Valerie’s House, While We’re Waiting (Christian based organization for bereaved parents), the Gulf Coast Humane Society, the Cape Coral Animal Shelter, the annual FSU scholarship, three mission trips, and provided food to frontline worker and healthcare heroes in three departments at HealthPark Medical Center where Jordan was born.

The Jordan Ashley Gutheim Foundation announces its fifth annual Jordan’s Blessings which total $60,000. The foundation funded and completed in advance its multi-year blessings to two non-profit organizations: $30,000 to Valerie’s House, which supports children who have lost a parent and the surviving spouses (the Fort Myers art room is named in Jordan’s memory); and $16,000 to the Cape Coral Animal Shelter, a no-kill shelter, who’s construction was completed last year. The Cat Wing is named in Jordan’s memory.

In addition to the above mentioned blessings, Jordan Walker was named the winner of the fifth annual Jordan Ashley Gutheim Four Year Scholarship totaling $8,000. Also, $1,000 was donated to Community Cooperative in honor of Sam Galloway Jr.

Jordan attended Evangelical Christian School from preschool through high school and loved the school. For the fourth year, $5,000 was presented to the Lee County Sheriffs Youth Activities League for the Teen Driver Challenge class. Seniors at ECS take the class and learn how to keep safe on the roads. The Jordan Ashley Gutheim Foundation donated the blessing in Loving Memory of three of her classmates Jordan Sadler, Jon Valentin and Joe Marcelek who died in a car crash.

Over the last five years, Jordan’s foundation has donated $275,160.

The fund is available for anyone who would like to contribute by visiting http://bit.ly/JordanAshley Gut-heim or sending a check to the Southwest Florida Community Foundation,” visiting http://bit.ly/JordanAshleyGutheim or sending a check to the Southwest Florida Community Foundation.”