Jordan Benedyczak was just 16-years-old when his life was taken, leaving a devastated family and community.
His mother, Paula, and the rest of the family are committed to a lifetime of keeping his name and his legacy bold and bright.
“I am so afraid that Jordan will be forgotten,” says Paula. “I want him to live on forever.”
Jordan is described as a funny kid, who wanted to make people smile. Paula believes her son is smiling down every time someone in need is impacted by “Jordan’s Journey”. Each year, since his passing in 2011, Jordan’s Journey has been raising funds for worthy causes. Causes including a scholarship fund at Jordan’s alma mater of North Tonawanda High School. It has also helped little league baseball and football teams, The Boys & Girls Club of the Northtowns, Music is Art and efforts for special needs children.
In total, close to $50,000 has been raised.
“The pain is very hard when you lose a child, and this journey is my way of helping with the struggle. Jordan played baseball, so we wanted to help with the purchase of new batting cages. He also played football, so we helped with a need there. The list goes on.”
As Jordan lives on through this charitable giving, we thank Paula and Jordan’s Journey for picking Hope Rises as another outlet of giving. Paula met up with Hope Rises to donate toward our “Hope Rises Celebrity Happy Hour for Bella’s Bumbas” that was held on February 22nd at Flying Bison Brewing Company.
Bella’s Bumbas is a nonprofit providing the gift of mobility to toddlers and young children in need. Free wheelchairs are gifted to children across the globe, who are unable to walk unassisted, and who have limited independence as a result.
Jordan’s Journey sponsored one wheelchair in full, along with other donations to help make the event the success it was. In total, Hope Rises, along with the community, raised enough to sponsor 51 wheelchairs for 51 children in need. INCREDIBLE.
To learn more about Jordan’s Journey, including a fundraiser coming up in April to support local nonprofits, click here.
