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 on May 12, 2016.

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, family, the elderly, children and serving the needy in impoverished countries. The fund supports efforts including no-kill animal shelters, elderly health and wellbeing, 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 six 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 workers and healthcare heroes in three departments at HealthPark Medical Center where Jordan was born.

The Jordan Ashley Gutheim Foundation has announced its sixth annual Jordan’s Blessings, which pledged a total $120,500. This year’s recipients include the PACE Center For Girls (Lee County) with a three-year pledge totaling $64,000 to support the Reach Program Services which offers social, emotional, behavioral and mental health counseling to girls ages 11-17 and their families. The funds will be specifically used to expand the counseling suite which will be named after Jordan.

Our Mother’s Home will receive a two-year pledge totaling $25,000 to fund the Early Childhood Learning Center which will be named after Jordan. Our Mother’s Home provides a safe and nurturing environment for young moms (ages 11-21) in foster care and their babies and will be moving into their new facility next year.

Valerie’s House is receiving a two-year pledge totaling $15,000 to fund the Art Shack in their new facility which will be constructed in late 2022 to early 2023. The art room is already named after Jordan. Valerie’s House supports children who have lost a parent and the surviving spouses.

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) will receive $2,500 and United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades and Okeechobee Counties received $1,000.

In addition to the above mentioned blessings, congratulations to Jalis Rodriguez who was selected for the Sixth annual Jordan Ashley Gutheim Four Year FSU Scholarship totaling $8,000.

Jordan attended Evangelical Christian School from preschool through high school and loved the school. Jordan’s love of the school extended to its teachers, students, athletics (playing both varsity soccer and track) and student government. For the fifth year, $5,000 was presented to the Lee County Sheriff’s 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 in June 2014.

Over the last six years, Jordan’s foundation has pledged $395,561 of which $335,561 has already been funded.

Jordan’s family is grateful to everyone who has donated to help keep Jordan’s memory alive and support all that she loved.

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