Live Like Sam Foundation

The mission of the Live Like Sam Foundation is to honor the life and legacy of Sam Jackenthal by inspiring youth from all backgrounds to embrace Self-Awareness, Courage, Kindness, Joy, and Leadership.

Park City’s Youth Mental, Emotional, and Social Health Challenges

Summit County is experiencing a youth mental health crisis.  In 2021, a survey of Summit County youth between grades 6-12 found that 70% have moderate to high depressive symptoms, and 47% have moderate to high mental health treatment needs.

Summit County’s Premier Youth Well-Being and Prevention Nonprofit through Positive Programming

The Live Like Sam Foundation empowers youth to develop a healthy sense of self-identity, character, purpose, and community connection by fostering positive well-being through educational programming. We believe that social and emotional learning gives youth the tools to thrive.

The Live Like Sam Foundation is uniquely positioned to play a critical role in delivering high-impact social-emotional programming to enhance the lives of youth in the Summit County Community.

Programming offered by Live Like Sam

Life Skills & Character Development | Grades K-12

Inspiring children to develop wellness skills early in life to carry out their most authentic life.

Each child deserves the opportunity to live a vibrant life. We teach students mindfulness techniques and empower them to take control of their well-being using fun interactive activities that promote youth character development and improve mental health in schools.

Thrive | Grades 6-12

Evidence-based preventative mental health initiative that empowers and strengthens youth wellbeing.

Live Like Sam, in partnership with WeBeWell, offers an impactful program for Summit County youth, designed to promote youth well-being, emotional resilience, confidence, and healthy life-skills. Our skills lessons are conducted through app and web technology and via in-person and Zoom-based well-being groups.

Thanks to generous grants and donations from our supporters, Live Like Sam is currently able to fully scholarship the $500 value program for each student.

Community Wellbeing Programs | All Ages

Spreading love, kindness, and mindfulness to empower our community.

From unique workshops to summer camps and school-wide assemblies, Live Like Sam aims to improve our children’s mental health through positive programming.

Sam’s Story

Sam Jackenthal was a U.S. Junior National Freestyle skiing Champion, a top internationally ranked freestyle skier, and a world champion inline rollerblader. More importantly, he was a generous, fun-loving individual with a great sense of kindness and community, purpose, character, and self-identity. While our Park City community lost Sam at age 16 to a training accident in Australia in 2015, his legacy of inclusivity, humility, gratitude, and positivity is still an inspiration long after his passing.

Live Like Sam is grateful to be partnered with more than 50 local organizations including Summit County Behavioral Health Department that believe in supporting the positive growth of our youth and the betterment of our community as a whole. 

Offline donations may be mailed to Live Like Sam Foundation, 1034 Station Loop Rd, Park City, UT 84098

Contact: Ron Jackenthal
Email: ron@livelikesam.org
Phone: (435) 901-0078
livelikesam.org