Jamie’s Smiles is accepts applications from organizations and programs helping children with special needs for their yearly grants. The grant period is open from September 1-October 1 every year. To read the requirement, please click to download below.
**PLEASE NOTE: The requirements have changed effective with the 2021 application period; please see documentation required below.
Jamie’s Smiles will be raising funds to help families with children with special needs through the Macomb Infant Preschool Program (MIPP).
This year Jamie's Smiles is adopting one family completely and helping dozens of others throughout the community.
We are adopting Sebastian (21 months), his sister Emma (4 years old) and Mom.
Mom and Dad were married in 2011. Mom gave birth to their daughter, Emma in 2018. With the suspending of visas and terminating of new citizenship opportunities under COVID, Dad lost his fight to gain citizenship. He was subject to voluntary departure in October 2020. Sebastian was born two months later. Since then, Mom has been struggling with medical appointments for both kids, MIPP therapy appointments for Sebastian, and day to day life by herself.
In May 2021 , Dad was able to meet Sebastian and see Emma. They continue to work with lawyers to be reunited as a family, but in the meantime, Mom is managing without any support. Both parents come from low income homes with limited family support. They pride themselves on building a stable and successful life for themselves and their children. When Dad had to leave for Mexico, it took away the security and emotional, physical, and financial support that he had provided to his family. Mom continues to work tirelessly to provide her children with everything they need. She is extremely devoted to her family and attends every appointment and MIPP session. She loves her family fiercely and does everything she can to meet their needs, but navigating life as a single mother she has been struggling to make ends meet.
They really need a hand up! Check out the details under the "More", then "Holiday Giving 2022" pull downs for their whole story and how you can help!.
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.”