Jameson Bates’ short 19 month life inspired his family to establish memorial and endowment funds to award at least two yearly grants to programs assisting children with special needs. The “Jamie’s Smiles Memorial Fund” and the “Jamie’s Smiles Endowment Fund” are the names of the tax deductible funds held and administered by the IRS
non-profit Four County Community Foundation as his legacy as a special needs charity. The original memorial fund was created in the spring of 2006 and in 2007 the endowment fund was finalized. As of
October 30, 2023, we have over $151,700 in total cash and investments between our Memorial and Endowed funds and we have given away over $193,400 in grants and donations to assist programs for children with special needs. We help approximately 1,000 children with special needs and their families every year and have helped more than 20,600 people since our inception. We are pleased to announce that we have our goal as a nonprofit children's charity to raise enough endowed funds to make three yearly grants available to programs for children with special needs on a permanent and perpetual basis. We are now striving to help even more children via programs for children with special needs by working to make additional grants available or to add additional grant money to existing annually. Stay tuned!