8771 College Parkway, Building 2, Suite 201<\/p>\n
Fort Myers, FL 33919<\/p>\n
239-274-5900<\/p>\n
Fax 239-274-5930<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
FORT MYERS, Fla. \u2013Four local nonprofits, a church mission trip and a\u00a0high school senior\u00a0were\u00a0this\u00a0year\u2019s\u00a0recipients of funds from\u00a0the Jordan Ashley Gutheim Foundation Fund and the Jordan Ashley Gutheim Scholarship Fund, funds of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation.\u00a0 This is the second year for Jordan’s blessings, which now totals $226,700 with over $108,000 already distributed.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0funds\u00a0were established in memory of Jordan Gutheim, a 20-year-old\u00a0who\u00a0graduated from\u00a0Evangelical Christian School and\u00a0was\u00a0a junior at Florida State University. \u00a0Jordan and her boyfriend\u00a0Benji Piechoczek were\u00a0killed in a car accident on May 12, 2016 while waiting to make a legal turn. \u00a0Born in Fort Myers, Jordan was\u00a0known for her fun and loving spirit, her happiness, sensitivity and interest in going out of her way to help others.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s recipients included Cape Coral Animal Shelter,\u00a0the Lee County Sheriff\u2019s Office Teen Driver Challenge,\u00a0Valerie\u2019s House and the Dr. Ella Piper Center\u2019s Foster Grandparents Program.\u00a0In addition, Sylvia Canko of Cape Coral High School is the scholarship recipient of the Jordan Ashley Gutheim Scholarship for four years $2,000 per yearand a\u00a0grant\u00a0was made to New Hope Presbyterian Church to\u00a0aid with\u00a0a mission trip to Puerto Rico planned for this summer. $10,000 was also committed to While We’re Waiting, a faith based retreat for bereaved parents.<\/p>\n
According to her family,\u00a0Jordan was passionate about animals, seniors, families, and helping those in need\u00a0in\u00a0impoverished\u00a0countries. The funds support what Jordan loved, including no-kill animal shelters, seniors facing dementia, humanitarian mission trips,\u00a0driver safety\u00a0and family services.\u00a0Annually, the\u00a0foundation also awards a 4-year scholarship to\u00a0FSU.<\/p>\n
\u201cJordan’s light shined so bright with her outpouring of love for her\u00a0family, friends, and people in need.\u00a0 Our family, and the world for that matter, lost someone irreplaceable,\u201d said her family. \u201cJordan loved to travel, exercise, experience new things, and make\u00a0others laugh.\u00a0We miss her\u00a0more and more each day, and through this fund,\u00a0our\u00a0wonderfully kind and caring\u00a0daughter\u00a0will live on and continue to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fund is available for anyone who would like to contribute at\u00a0http:\/\/bit.ly\/JordanAshleyGutheim<\/a>, or send a check to the Southwest Florida Community Foundation.\u00a0For more information about Jordan, please visit\u00a0www.jordangutheim.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Southwest Florida Community Foundation, founded in 1976, cultivates regional change for the common good through collective leadership, social innovation and philanthropy to address the evolving community needs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. Last year, the Foundation partnered with individuals, families and corporations who have created nearly 400 philanthropic funds.\u00a0Thanks to them, the Foundation has invested $5 million in grants and programs to the community.\u00a0With assets of more than $93 million, it has provided more than $67 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves since inception. The Community Foundation is the backbone organization for the regional\u00a0FutureMakers\u00a0Coalition and Lee County\u2019s Sustainability Plan.<\/p>\n