Jamie’s Smiles Grants $3,000 to Help Children with Special Needs
Jamie’s Smiles is a fund held and administered by Four County Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3), in memory of Jameson Bates. Their mission is to supply supplemental funding to outstanding programs that benefit special needs children, through grants and other financial means. Gretchen Bates said, “We are pleased to share that Jamie’s Smiles has released our annual grants in the amount of $3,000 to help programs assisting children with special needs in our local communities.”
On October 21, 2022 the Macomb Infant Preschool Program (MIPP), Glen H. Peters School, and Romeo Community Schools Early Childhood Special Education services, serving a combined total of over 1240 students with special needs in Macomb County, each received a $1,000 grant for a total of $3,000 from Jamie’s Smiles for current projects and equipment.
The money from these grants is for the purchase of items and toys that will promote expressive communication skills, enhance speech therapy, enhance feeding methods for struggling children, therapeutic positioning balls and rolls that will promote skill acquisition and milestone development, as well as flexible and adjustable height seating. Some items will be used on site at their locations and other will be utilized as short-term loan equipment for families to use for child development and in-home teaching.
When asked about their projects Bates said, “I am passionate about helping children, especially children with special needs. These programs are amazing and have adapted their teaching and therapy methods to continue to improve the lives of children with special needs like our son even over these past several unusual years. We support them in their efforts, and we are thankful to have such amazing early intervention programs in our own backyard to continue to help so many children progress and excel.”