Pat and Jill Ortiz: Champions of Opportunity

Pat and Jill Ortiz are Heroes of Hope who helped lay the foundation, quite literally, from which Hope Builders continues to empower young people to build a pathway to prosperity.

Their journey began in 1997, when Hope Builders was still in its early years and bench making was one of the few hands-on opportunities available to students. As a seasoned professional in the construction industry, Pat saw potential. He and Jill jumped in offering financial support, rallying friends, and opening doors to industry connections.

Pat advocated moving beyond benches to full-scale construction training. As the program expanded, it became clear Hope Builders needed more space in which to accomplish this. Soon after, our founder Sister Eileen dragged Pat to any and every rundown location in Santa Ana. Pat and Jill encouraged her to dream bigger. Together, they helped secure a newly built warehouse a few blocks from the downtown location and raised funds to make the construction training center a reality.

Additionally, Pat served as a board member for 9 years and was Chairman for 3 years. During his tenure, he worked with the management team to provide guidance for the development of the training curriculum. Ultimately, this approach to skills training laid the foundation for the programmatic framework the organization continues to use today—hands-on training coupled with mentorship, employment and life skills.

Through their involvement, Pat and Jill Ortiz have helped young people like Frank build careers, confidence, and hope for their future. At age 18, Frank knew he needed to make a change. After spending much of his teenage years getting into trouble, he started working in a café to keep himself busy, but he knew it wasn’t a long-term path. A high school counselor told him about Hope Builders and he decided to apply.

Frank found direction as a trainee in the Construction Training Program. He learned skills to start a career in construction and prepared for employment by setting and achieving goals, like earning his driver’s license and saving for his own car.

Today, Frank is thriving in his first construction job, earning $24 an hour and building a foundation for his future. “Hope Builders has given me purpose,” Frank says. “I don’t feel lost anymore. I’m on a journey to my own success.”