Grants distributed to help kids, honor Samantha Otte’s life and legacy

January 18, 2022 | By Muddy River News

Samantha Otte Community Foundation webpage

Nearly $50,000 distributed to support local programs for youth opportunities

Twenty-one local nonprofit organizations received grants in Samantha Otte’s memory that will benefit hundreds of area youth for artistic, leadership, and humanitarian efforts.

The grants, totaling an annual fund record of nearly $50,000, were distributed from the Samantha Otte Youth Opportunity Fund with the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri at Quincy Teen REACH in the presence of her family and friends.

The Samantha Otte Youth Opportunity Fund honors the life and legacy of Samantha Otte by helping others. Samantha passed away in March 2000 at age 10 after a liver transplant necessitated by cystic fibrosis. Since the fund was established in late 2000, more than $480,000 has been distributed through grants to support kids in Samantha’s memory.

“These grants today will bring joy, educate, enrich, and open doors of opportunity for area children,” said June Otte, Samantha’s mother. “These grants will impact lives in so many positive ways. We are deeply grateful to all who have made this possible, and we continue to be humbled by the generous community support that allows these blessing in Samantha’s memory.”

The Samantha Otte Youth Opportunity Fund was supported until 2014 by proceeds from the Sammy Fund Weekend fundraising event. In 2015, the Quincy Breakfast Kiwanis Club announced it would continue a Sammy & Kids Golf Outing and donate a portion of the proceeds to the Fund for continued growth.

“Junior Achievement is excited to receive funds from the Samantha Otte Youth Opportunity Fund. These funds will help us in our efforts to provide life changing financial literacy programming to children in the Quincy Public School System,” said District Manager Taylor Rakers. “Knowledge is power, and the knowledge that Junior Achievement provides allows students to shape their own futures.”

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

Grantee	Purpose
Adams County Farm Bureau Foundation	Adams County Ag in the Classroom initiative
Bella Ease	Teen Reach College Bound program, providing financial assistance for first-generation college students
Birthday Blessings	To serve the physical and emotional needs of approximately 30 foster children in Lewis and Knox Counties
Cheerful Home Child Care & Early Learning Center	Outdoor playground equipment
Cornerstone: Foundations for Families	Comprehensive Youth Services program providing mental health counseling and advocacy services
Covered Bottoms Diaper Bank	Ten Healthy Children campaign
Friends of Bailey Park Initiative	Update and replace playground equipment at Bailey Park in Camp Point, Illinois
Girl Scouts of Central Illinois	Girl Scout Outreach Program and camperships for girls in need of financial assistance
Jackson-Lincoln Swimming Complex	Scholarships for low-income swimmers
John Wood Community College Foundation	JDUB Academy tuition assistance
John Wood Community College Foundation	Financial assistance for participants in the College for Life Program
Junior Achievement	Financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness education for K-12 students
Mississippi Valley Council of Boy Scouts of America	Campership and scouting opportunities
St. Peter Catholic School	Wilhelm Johnson Scholz STEM Lab
Quincy Children’s Museum	Materials for children’s pop-up exhibits
Quincy Community Theatre	Student Theatre Scholarship program
Quincy Public Library	Support of the Mobile Library/Bookmobile funding campaign
Quincy Public Schools	Water therapy services for special needs children
Arts Quincy Society of Fine Arts	Instant Arts program for Adams County students
Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association	Tuition scholarship for low-income participants in Youth Choir and Youth Orchestra and for the purchase of printed music
Transitions of Western Illinois Foundation	Mark 5 Die Cutting Machine and additional materials
YMCA of West Central Illinois – Quincy Family YMCA	Swim lessons and water safety education for approximately 70 financially challenged Quincy area children

Samantha Otte lived a short but significant life in 10 years.

Those who knew and loved her were touched by her spirit and spark. Those who did not have that privilege have witnessed how Samantha’s indelible imprint spurs family and friends to honor her life by helping others.

Advisors make grant recommendations with the fund’s primary purpose in mind which includes, but is not limited to, support for organizations which maintain and enhance community betterment and artistic, leadership, and humanitarian opportunities for youth.

Grants awarded from the Samantha Otte Youth Opportunity Fund celebrate her life and touch hundreds of area children.

Her spark and spirit remain bright.

One-page request letters for funding which meet the charitable purpose of the Samantha Otte Youth Fund should be submitted online through the Community Foundation’s website. Requests must be submitted to the Community Foundation on or before October 1 each year. Grants are generally awarded in January. While funding is not dependent upon submitting a request, the request form serves as a means to make the Community Foundation aware of organizations and programs.

Visit the Grant Opportunities page for grant application details.