Ben’s Way Forward

07/16/2026

Back to school is such an exciting time but can also be a huge financial burden for families. No child should have to start off their school year without all the supplies they need.

Yesterday we dropped off a variety of school supplies at We Care of Grundy County Inc for their Stuff the Bus event this weekend. We hope that this donation helps some of our local families who need a little extra help and look forward to helping our community more this year!

07/13/2026

Today our family spent the day together in one of Ben’s favorite places. We did some of his favorite things and ate his favorite food. (Of course, we ended with dessert).

It’s hard to fathom that four years have passed. Thank you to everyone who shared kind words and memories of Ben. We miss him endlessly 🤍

07/11/2026

Our website got a makeover!

As we approach the four year mark of Ben’s passing, it felt like the right time (and distraction) to make a few updates. We are excited to share the initiatives we have been working on and what’s to come. Everything we do is in honor of our brother and son who is missed so much 💙

Support community initiatives and honor Ben Ortiz's legacy through meaningful action and donations. Join us to make a positive impact today.

05/26/2026

This year, Tim Ortiz presented the annual Ben’s Way Forward MCHS scholarship to Madison Malick. We are honored to play even a small role in Madison’s bright future.

There were many great applicants, and we wish all of the MCHS 2026 graduates the best of luck in wherever their future takes them 🎓

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.