Grants awarded from
The Sammy Fund
When the Sammy Fund first began in the fall of 2000, we had no idea how generously our mission would be supported! Because of the tremendous outpouring of generous support, we have been able to grant the wishes and dreams to thousands of area children every year, through either grants from The Sammy Fund or the Samantha Otte Youth Opportunity Fund.
It is only because of the sustained loyal support of so many that have made this healing comfort takes place. We are deeply and eternally grateful for all the incredible opportunities that area under-served children have been able to experience in Sammy’s memory.
The Sammy Fund, as a 501(c)(3) registered charitable organization, directly supports the involvement of disadvantaged kids in a variety of worthwhile pursuits. These are examples of some of the many Sammy Fund grants awarded to brighten the lives of under-served children.
Sewessentials
to purchase sewing machines for use in teaching children to sew
Connect Child & Family Services
to purchase a box truck for use in serving foster, intact and DCFS families in transition
Unmet Needs Committee of Quincy IL
for children in crisis
Quincy Neighborhood Federation
annual bike & helmet giveaways
Good News of Christmas
Hannibal Middle School
field trip transportation for special needs class
BlackStar Tutoring Program
Quincy Arts Classroom Fund
Jackson-Lincoln Pool
family water aerobics classes
National Youth Sports Program
People to People Leadership Training
Byram Healthcare
for after-insurance cost of insulin pump for a child
LeadAmerica Conference
YoungLife
camp fees
The Outfitting Project at Quincy TeenReach
to purchase school clothes for three children in need
Township Assistance
For emergency transportation funds for medical treatment of 9-year-old battling a brain tumor
Back to School shopping for Junior High student with no other funding sources
United Way of Adams County
Run for the Cross
school supplies for indigent children
Quincy University's "Water Works"
therapeutic swim program for handicapped kids
"Seven Habits for Teen Leadership"
Anti-bullying program at QJHS
"Girls on the Move"
program at Veterans Elementary School, Hannibal
YMCA Swim Team
Veterans Elementary School
Christmas class trip
Heartland Roadrunners and Walkers
Fostering Hope
to provide duffel bags of comforting supplies for foster children in transition
Christ Lutheran Church
to help fund safe handicap-accessible playground equipment for church members and neighborhood children
Quincy Neighborhood Federation
to purchase computers and other technology for their after school and remote learning programs
Grants awarded from the
Samantha Otte Youth Opportunity Fund of The Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri
Cheerful Home
art kits for children to create canvas art works displayed at the childcare center, musical instruments and music from around the world, for school-age theater production in collaboration with Quincy Community Theater
Advocacy Network for Children
for personal safety program support
Bluff City Theater
for the Youth Education in Theater Initiative
Muscular Dystrophy Association
to provide two Adams County children living with muscular diseases a week-long summer camp experience at the Timber Pointe Outdoor Center in Hudson, Illinois
Blessings in a Backpack, Inc.
to support food availability program for Madison and Monroe Schools
Canton Community Center
to purchase classroom supplies and educational software for students
Hannibal School District #60
to purchase a “team swing” for use by special needs students
Madonna House
for the After School Everyday Life Skills Program to be run at Redmon and Lee Center
Quincy Public School District #172
swimming for K-3 special needs students at the YMCA
Teen Reach
general support to allow 50 children to attend the Teen Reach program
GPS Ministries
to assist with children’s snack and food pantry program
Junior Achievement
to support expansion of the Junior Achievement program in Quincy schools
Payson Elementary School
to purchase art supplies for a volunteer-based art education program for kindergarten through sixth graders
Quincy Christian School
to provide a learning and enrichment field trip for Teen Reach students, and to provide take-home art kits for students attending Quincy Christian School
Quincy Public Library
to support early literacy by purchasing resources to be used for Story Times at the Quincy Public Library, including Literacy Learning with Legos
Quincy University Waterworks
to purchase equipment for special needs children to use in water therapy
Girl Scouts of Central Illinois
to fund troops at Washington School, Harrison Hills and Walter Hammond Daycare and provide camping fees for low-income scouts, and for the “Staying Safe” program at Baldwin School
Quincy Community Student Theater
for children's theater classes, productions, class tuition and outreach programming in Adams County Schools, including the On the Road Bus Tour
Quincy Art Center
to underwrite funding for art education at low-income schools and to provide educational programs for under-served youth who show promise in the visual arts, and to fund an art mentoring program at Washington School, and to fund Art on a Cart Outreach Program and smART Kids
Camp Callahan
to provide camping fees so handicapped children can experience a week's camping at Camp Callahan
Jackson-Lincoln Pool
for pool operations and swimming fees for children who would not otherwise have the ability to pay admissions fees and to host Family Swim Nights
The Salvation Army
to purchase string instruments, music and supplies for children's music program and for the Kroc Academy after-school program
Douglass Community Service for Kids In Motion & Teens in Motion
scholarship support for children to attend summer youth program.
Walter Hammond Daycare
for two listening center tables, science and library material for a literacy program and daycare field trips.
Quincy Society of Fine Arts
to help fund Arts = Education Programs at Irving School, an art mentoring program at Washington School
Great River First Tee
to provide operational support enabling First Tee classes to be offered to more children and provide program fees for income-eligible children and to provide Life skills training for kids at Walter Hammond Day Care and Cheerful Home Child Care & Learning Center, and to purchase SNAG golf equipment
Midsummer Arts Faire
to assist in developing children's art area and collaborative programs with local childcare and day camp organizations, for an art outreach program and Washington and Berrian Schools
Hungry for Music
to connect low-income music students with instruments, and to repair donated instruments and to buy additional instruments
Griggsville-Perry Community School District # 4 Foundation
for playground swings at the middle school
Jensen Camp Foundation
to purchase playground equipment for children camping at Jensen Woods
Community Foundation for the Quincy Area
for the unrestricted endowment fund, which helps support the Community Foundation's programs and grants for eligible area non-profit groups.
Quincy Family YMCA
for Head Start swim lessons children, to underwrite the expense of a 4th-grade free membership program, financial assistance for school age childcare, and the “Safety Around Water” program for all Adams County children
Paw Pals, Inc.
to fund educational programs at Washington, Dewey and Berrian Schools on basic animal care and dog bite prevention
American Red Cross
to fund babysitter training programs, first aid and safety courses for youth
Big Brother / Big Sister
to support program services for one-to-one relationships between adult volunteers and children
TeenREACH/Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials
to fund awards banquet and support program
Faith in Action
to support youth volunteer training
Boy Scouts of America, Mississippi Council of Boy Scouts
to support outreach programs for low-income scouts and to subsidize leader training of volunteers
John Wood Community College
to enable low-income children to attend College for Kids, later known as JDUB Academy
Quincy Humane Society
for pet care educational programs for low income scouts and a summer education program for at-risk children
Redmon and Lee Association
for children's work stations, literacy and math skills materials
Transitions of Western Illinois
to purchase a physical therapy mat platform table, electronic hardware and software for children with severe developmental disabilities, therapeutic games for use in counseling for children, a Rifton on the Toilet, and a bounce house for students with severe disabilities/autism spectrum
Cornerstone: Foundations for Families
for therapeutic materials for counseling low-income families, to support the Comprehensive Youth Services program, and to purchase games, materials and videotape curriculum for counseling services for low-income families
University of Illinois Extension Foundation Adams/Brown Unit
to support a Northwest Quincy youth community development project
Fall Creek 4-H Club- through U of I Extension Foundation
to fund the creation of a general store inside the historic Lewis round barn at the Adams County fairgrounds
Friends of the Trails
to assist in launching citywide bicycle lending program for children & families who do not have access to a bicycle
Two Rivers Council Foundation
for support of the Teen Reach program and an awards banquet for Teen Reach participants
Muddy River Opera Company
to support opera availability for elementary-aged students in Quincy schools, including production of “Alice in Wonderland” and “Hansel and Gretel”
United Way of Adams County
Quincy Area Partnership for Unmet Needs for urgent medical and related needs of families in crisis and purchase of children's books for families in the Covered Bottoms Diaper Bank program
Panther Pride Foundation for Central Schools
to help implement the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" program in all Adams County schools
YWCA of Quincy
for the “Catch Me if You Can” Running and Leadership Academy for girls in Teen Reach and Supportive Housing program, to support the Quincy High School PSAE/ACT Test Prep Project by buying calculators, food, and incentives for study skills preparation program, and to promote leadership and development training through the “A Girl Like Me” program and the Young Women’s Chef Academy, and for supportive services for homeless children with disabilities
Good News of Christmas
to annually adopt one family with children and their family wish list
Sheridan Swim Team
to fund swim lessons for income-eligible children
Quanada
to support a prevention education program dealing with personal safety and dating violence in conjunction with Quincy Community Theatre
Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association
tuition waivers for low-income young singers and instrumentalists to participate in the Quincy Area Youth Orchestra and/or Quincy Youth Orchestra and to purchase sheet music
My Brotha's and My Sista's Keepers
clothing assistance for disadvantaged children in Quincy