Ben’s Way Forward

01/30/2026

Preston Alexander Kyles has done amazing work with building out this program for youth basketball players.

01/13/2026

We still have shirts left for sale! They’re $35 each and we have large, XL, and 2XL available for porch pickup in Morris. If you’re interested, you can message us to set up a time to pick up!

12/14/2025

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to drop off holiday gifts for several local families. A heartfelt thank you to We Care of Grundy County Inc. for organizing this effort, and to Jon Jeffrey for helping with gift pick-ups along the way.

We hope these gifts bring some joy to these children this holiday season. This is especially meaningful to our family, as Ben firmly believed in helping others rather than focusing on gifts for ourselves. Seeing our community carry on his thoughtful and generous spirit through efforts like this means more than we can say.

Also, many thank you to those who donated to us on Giving Tuesday. “Thank you,” doesnt adequately express our gratitude.

Wishing you all a warm and happy holiday season.

12/02/2025

PADS is a very important organization in our community. It’s hard to imagine the difficulty of not having a home, particularly in the harsh winter months. Thank you so much for the recent donations to Ben’s Way Forward. We were able to combine those and make a donation to help contribute to their motel-shelter fund for the homeless population in Morris. This is the perfect example of how together we can do more 💖

We wish you all a wonderful holiday season!

Emergency Shelter Notice for Season 2025/2026.
https://www.grundypads.org/

12/02/2025

After losing our son and brother, Ben, suddenly in 2022, our family was overcome with grief and disbelief. A loss like that reshapes your world in ways you can’t truly understand until you’re living it. For us, the only path forward and the only thing that made sense was to honor him by carrying his legacy into the world.

In our first year, we’ve been able to support a number of causes in Grundy County, including: stocking micropantries, school supply donations (both drives and direct family support), local animal and homeless shelters, holiday gifts for families and seniors in need, Walmart and gas gift cards for survivors of domestic violence, and a family who lost their home in a fire. These efforts reflect the causes Ben cared about most, and our mission is to continue stepping in where individuals and local groups may need a helping hand. We know there are far more people in our community who need help than we're able to reach.

On this , we appreciate your support of Ben's Way Forward more than ever. I know there are many deserving organizations, and it means so much to us when people choose to stand behind our mission and help continue Ben’s legacy.

11/12/2025

A quick update on what Ben’s Way Forward has been up to!

As we all know, the holiday season can be especially difficult for families facing financial hardship. Recently, we were able to make a monetary donation and deliver several turkeys and hams to We Care of Grundy County Inc, where they’ll be distributed to families in need for Thanksgiving.

We also helped with Christmas wish-lists for local seniors who are struggling with basic necessities. And with a growing need for food support in our communities, we’ve been stocking micropantries and donating non-perishables to help support neighbors who may be going without.

We know there are far more people in our community who need help than we’re able to reach. While we wish we could support every single one, we hope these small acts bring comfort to at least a few. We’re committed to continuing this work throughout the holiday season and beyond.

Thank you for your generosity—your support truly makes these efforts possible. We’ll continue to keep you updated on how your (very appreciated!) donations are being put to good use.

10/30/2025

We connected with Breaking Away a few weeks ago at the 100+ Women Who Care of Grundy County event. We knew it was a cause Ben would want us to support. Today we dropped off gas cards and gift cards to help support victims of domestic violence.

Huge shout out to Karen Ortiz with Ben's Way Forward, who donated gas cards and gift cards to Breaking Away to help support victims of domestic violence. Thank you so much for your generosity!!❤️

10/29/2025

Ben’s Way Forward recently hosted its first-ever benefit, and it was an incredible success! We’re so grateful to everyone who helped make it possible—our sponsors, donors, and volunteers.

A special thank you goes to the Chesareck family for hosting and planning the event. Your generosity and dedication were the driving force behind its success.

We’re also so appreciative of Feeney’s liquor for donating the alcohol and Bellacino’s and Nan’s Catering for their generous donations of delicious food! Everyone raved about how great it was!

And of course, a heartfelt thank you to our volunteers—KJ Olson, Mike Sikora, Morgan Feeney, Maddy Zink, and Sami Ehret Collier for keeping everything running smoothly throughout the event.

This event was a wonderful reminder of the strength and kindness of our community. Thank you all for your continued support of Ben’s Way Forward that allows us to give back to our community in Ben’s name

We also have some T-Shirts available for purchase (L, XL, and XXL). They are $35 —Venmo (), cash, or check accepted. Please message us to arrange a porch pickup in Morris.

10/16/2025

Christmas sign up happening today October 14 – 9am–Noon & 1:30pm–3:30pm.

Next signup this Thursday October 16 – 2pm–5pm

We Care’s Adopt-A-Family Program – 2025
We know Christmas can be a source of worry and stress if you’re already struggling. We Care is here to help.

Who Do We Help?
Adopt-A-Family is an income-based Christmas assistance program for struggling Grundy County families.

Requirements – Please Bring:
Photo ID for Head of Household
Proof of Residency
Proof of Custody of the Children
Proof of ALL household income (last 30 days)
If child is 18: Proof of High School Registration
A gift list for each child plus clothing/shoe sizes

This program is for children birth through high school senior. Must be custodial parent/guardian.

Questions? Call We Care at 815-942-6
389 ext. 3

IN-PERSON APPLICATION DAYS
Location: We Care of Grundy County, 530 Bedford Rd., Morris
October 7 – 2pm–5pm
October 14 – 9am–Noon & 1:30pm–3:30pm
October 16 – 2pm–5pm
October 21 – 9am–Noon & 1:30pm–3:30pm
October 23 – 9am–Noon & 1:30pm–3:30pm
November 3 – 9am–Noon & 1:30pm–3:30pm
November 4 – 9am–Noon & 1:30pm–3:30pm (FINAL DAY)
Please share! 🙂

10/14/2025

Thank you so much to 100+ Women Who Care of Grundy County and everyone who joined tonight. We are so thankful to have been chosen as the recipient of tonight’s grant 💙

09/19/2025

A quick update on what we have been up to:

Today we delivered a donation to Grundy County PADS, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing housing insecurity in our community. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, we provided numerous ALDI gift cards and essential cleaning supplies. These are practical items that help people rebuild their homes and lives as they transition out of homelessness. This is an organization that we plan to continue to support, as there is a huge need for these services.

09/06/2025

Today is Ben’s 31st birthday. We miss you so much Benny. We spent the day doing things you love. Happy birthday 💙🍔🏔️🐾💫