3rd Annual Helping Hands Giveaway
Sunday, March 5, 2023
Annually in February we begin accepting nominations for BENS Hope Helping Hands giveaway. We feel called to offer financial support to our local community. You are invited to nominate someone you feel has blessed others with their kindness helping others, someone down on their luck needing help, or students attending college for mental health or social health service related majors. We are honored to be a part of your nominee’s story Because Everyone Needs Some HOPE.
- We read every submission
- Three nominees will be selected to each receive $500
- Recipients are announced March 5, on Ben’s Birthday
- Nominees must reside in Southwest Wisconsin
- Nomination deadline is Friday, February 24, 2023
Make a Nomination
We are not currently accepting nominations. Please check back in February to make a nomination.
Past Recipients
Congratulations Josh Reuter, Stacy Forbes and Sara Diaz! Below are their stories and each received $500.00❤️
Nominated by Sue Reuter
Nominee’s Story – Our son Josh has been thru alot since he turned 16… unbeknown to us(his parents) he was bullied after suffering his 5th and most severe concussion , he had started to gain weight and no longer play football and his so called buddies decided to start a social media chat about his situation. this started his junior year in high school and we didn’t find anything out until he was a senior in college…. by this time he was near graduating and had struggled thru major anxiety but did pretty well with handling it we thought. In the spring of 2020(height of the pandemic) he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Sports Marketing and Management , because of the pandemic both job offers were lost…… so he made the best of it and found another job locally to start making some money. We now know that his mental health was not good during the next couple of years and he finally opened up and told us this . It was a difficult and scary year for sure but he got the help and medication needed and continues to work on it. Amidst all of this he found what he considers his life passion….. he went back to school last fall to get his Masters in Clinical Mental Health and is working towards being able to help people the way others have helped him along the way. He tells us “I Know how they feel” and I can help them and give them HOPE he has student loans to pay off from his first 4 years, and now this Masters program comes at a cost of about $30,000 over the next 2 years. He would certainly appreciate the money, and put it to good use, and definitely PAY IT FORWARD someday!
Nominated by – Doug Forbes
Nominee’s Story – My wifes son Jacob ( my step son) passed on 11-15-19 by suicide. My wife would like to bury his ashes but there is just no money to do so. His plot and headstone are already purchased. The cost to bury the ashes is $500 ( per Hillside Cemetery) and the City of Platteville. Stacy made plans to keep some of his ashes in a small urn that was purchased for her by a friend and the rest of his ashes to be buried ( next to his grandmother and uncle). Stacy needs to be able to place Jake in his final resting place. She gives her everything to her children, never complains and never thinks of herself, but something always seems to come up and the money ends up going for a bill or car repair etc. I believe being able to place Jake in his final resting place would give Stacy some relief and closure and allow for her to continue on in her grief journey instead of being stuck in this place where she feels she is letting Jake and everyone else down because this has not been completed ( the final task in her mind). Thank you for all that you do and for taking the time to read this nomination. Doug & Stacy Forbes Platteville Wi
Nominated by – Caressa Abb
Nominee’s Story – Sara is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. She’s hardworking, a good friend, and just an overall good person. It doesn’t matter what she is doing, she will stop and listen to you and try to help you better your situation or just be there for you if you need a shoulder to cry on. Sara has struggled a lot in the past with mental illness and is a survivor of suicide attempts. Even though she was battling her own demons, Sara decided to get her human services degree. She was finally at a good place in her life. She was feeling good about herself, school was going great, and life just seemed to be going really well for her. This all changed when her professor, who had become a good friend, committed suicide. Losing her professor was extremely hard on Sara, so hard in fact that she dropped out of school. Eventually Sara returned to school to finish her degree in human services. Sara’s main goal is to help others who feel like they just can’t keep going. Sara is a single parent who works her butt off to make sure her son is taken care of and gets to do sports, while she works and goes to school. She currently is off work for the semester so she can complete the required internship hours so she can meet the required criteria for graduation. There is no person who deserves this more than Sara. I don’t know where I’d be without her in my life. I know once she finishes her degree, she will be great at her job. She will continue to help people who need help despite what she is going through herself.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/benshopewi/posts/pfbid0dgYMgoNLsuLAgHdzHD2kRmA5r6Tg9PwYgZw8rj4U6sdmkSZ7cvAjgiHzWmvsdEgml
Congratulations to Jodi Jenson, Sam Villeneuve, and Angela Gillen
We asked for permission to share these stories. We also want to give a trigger warning, as some of the stories contain sensitive details.
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Sam Villeneuve
We have three children; 4, 2, and one due in April. Our 4 year old has a long list of disabilities and number three came as a bit of a surprise to us. We are a one income family so that I(mom) can stay home and work with our 4 year old on therapies and get him to appointments. As our family continues to grow(unexpectedly), one income is getting harder to live on. Our dream is to build an accessible home so our oldest can get around freely and as independently as he can. We have considered daycare but with the pandemic still raging, we can’t risk our oldest getting COVID, so we continue to live on one income and make things work.
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Jodi Jenson
Depression and anxiety have been a part of my life since I was a child as it seems to run in my family. My dads only brother, who was not only my Uncle, he was my Godfather committed Suicide. We had no idea that he was suffering. My dad obviously took it hard as he didn’t know what he was dealing with. Through my life, I have had the feelings of not wanting to go on anymore. So many people don’t understand what it means to have anxiety and depression. I had a former Manager who ridiculed me for having a “mental illness”. That is what she called it. I was admitted to the hospital for a panic attack. I then gave my notice at that job as I could no longer take it. I took a huge pay cut in doing so but I do believe it saved my life. With making less money, I have accumulated more debt which I hate and just want to go away. I still have bad days but my kids, husband, pets and family are my reason for still being here. I am trying to find out my purpose as both my kids are married now. I miss being needed by them. I feel so alone. The money would me out a great deal. Just writing this to you has been therapeutic for me. You have come into my life for a reason and for that, I am very grateful. Thank you so much for listening, caring and understanding. ❤️
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Angela Gillen
The last few years have been difficult for everyone. I had a job I loved and it disappeared. I applied for similar jobs and told I wasn’t a good fit or bilingual. Both jobs were exactly what I was doing for over a year and a half. Then the world shut down. Still tried to work, US Census, Merchandising, when schools open in the fall substituting. At that time I had my youngest 2 in High school jr/sr. If I wasn’t home they were truant. Got a job working from home. made $15000 less than year before. Still not making what I was. I have tried hard for years to be better, do better. High school I graduated with 2 children. Was married the 1st time then. I’m now 45 married 19yrs to 2nd husband, have 7 children(28-18), earned my associates and bachelor’s degrees. My health has been a rollercoaster for years. Depression, Lupus, colitis, fibro and a few other issues. I go from I can to I want to die. People would be better off, I can’t do anything right, work points out what I do wrong, I can’t help my children, can’t pay my bills. I love to craft and make things for others. Never know what to charge so I just let them pay what ever. I can, sew, quilt, paper craft, card make, scrapbook, repurpose things, garden. Those things make me happier. Been trying to figure out how to make that my business. But I 2nd guess everything. Haven’t been to dr for a while, just cant afford it. The youngest has had chronic migraines for almost a year. Is 100% virtual now. Most of his medical wasn’t cover by insurance. He doesn’t care. He used to go to therapy but when covid happened he stopped. He doesn’t self harm anymore but has an attitude about everything. I have tried to show him that finding something he likes as an outlet helps. Trying to help him and I want to give up… kind of do as I say ..sorry if this doesn’t make sense. I have always been a “helper” if I can I do. I pay it forward, or donate with no reconiction(like Mary Kay kits for cancer) I dont want people to know. I can’t talk to others about how I feel either. I have been told “your not bad enough” ” you should be..”
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And that is part of our mission, to support survivors of suicide, to increase knowledge and education of mental health and well being and above all, to offer hope. We are so honored to be a tiny light in these folks lives. And to everyone who entered, thank you, we see you, too! Stay tuned for more outreach efforts and events through BENS Hope, Because Everyone Needs Some Hope
–Patti and Terry
Source: https://www.facebook.com/benshopewi/posts/pfbid031oHePjv2sPPytZsfZTPjkrW9iirwTnasrRbpJT2TojYepc6pG5Ua36pyktKnZYSUl
Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Jake Grinnell and Jolene DeNure nominated by Terri Hayes-Ellefson, and Chelsea Rohner. Congratulations to all!
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We asked for permission to share these stories that moved us. We also want to give a trigger warning, as some of the stories contain sensitive details.
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Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a group of volunteers dedicated to building, assembling and delivering top-notch bunk beds to children and families in need. The organization has grown steadily over time and now has a chapter in Grant county. They fully believe that a bed is a basic need for the proper physical, emotional, and mental support that a child needs. All children deserve a safe, comfortable place to lay their heads. The Grant County Chapter started in 2020 and they have plans to start making beds in the Spring. Their goal is to build 20 beds for local children this Spring. When a bed is donated it comes with frame, mattress, pillows, sheets & blankets and is assembled by area volunteers. Recipients of the beds are kept private and are referred by public schools. We are proud to support this effort.
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Jake and Jolene are both heroes, aka teachers! Jake works as an elementary teacher for the School District of Monroe and Jolene is a special education teacher. Jake and Jolene got engaged August of 2020 (wa-hoo!). The start of the school year was very different for them with COVID-19, but they are so amazing at their jobs and were encouraging of their students.
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The Fall brought some heaviness to their lives as Jolene’s dad contracted – Covid 19, 1 week later was being Med Flighted from Monroe to Madison and was placed on a ventilator induced coma for 6 long weeks. Then around Thanksgiving he woke up. Once he awoke, he needed to learn to talk, walk and many other things that we do daily and take for granted. Jolene along with her brother were trying to balance advocating for her dad along with working.
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2021 started with Jolene’s dad now home recovering and hope that the terrible events of the past 3 months were behind them. But then they again received some very devastating news. On January 5th Jake lost a very important and strong man in his life, his dad James to suicide. This came as such a shock and to their whole family.
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Jolene and Jake have had a very turbulence 6 months. They both have given to so much through their passion and love for their students and their families together and we are happy to support them now and continue supporting them through BENS Hope.
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Chelsea Rohner shared an incredibly raw, heartfelt story. She talked about watching her single mother graduate with honors from UWP and getting a teaching position she was passionate about. Then finding out the devastating news that her Mom was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She watched her Mom fight and beat cancer AND earn her Masters degree (incredible!). Chelsea described her mom as her best friend, always there to support her and offer her a shoulder to cry on.
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But in 2015 things changed, Chelsea noticed her Mom pushing her out of her life. Her Mom switched jobs, and then ended up quitting her job altogether. These things were adding up to red flags for Chelsea. And then Chelsea saw her Mom had searched online for ways to end her own life. Chelsea saw the last Facebook post from her Mother she would ever see on June 3, 2020.
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Chelsea said in hindsight, it was clear that last post was a goodbye. Her Mother did her best to protect Chelsea, as many of our loved ones do. Chelsea wishes her mom would have reached out for help. She wishes that the doctors her mom did reach out in the months prior to her death would have been better equipped to see the signs, educate and help folks who are suicidal. We are here to support Chelsea, now and always.
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And that is part of our mission, to support survivors of suicide, to increase knowledge and education of mental health and well being and above all, to offer hope. We are so honored to be a tiny light in these folks lives. And to everyone who entered, thank you, we see you, too! Stay tuned for more outreach efforts and events through BENS Hope, Because Everyone Needs Some Hope
–Patti and Terry
Source: https://www.facebook.com/benshopewi/posts/pfbid0xFRmGw92KvPmighWCGdKKqUrueg1v5TXVV8cxVgBGQpqq7vuVUgwNevhXk7cRo3ql