Little Smiles
OUR MISSION IS TO HELP HEAL HEARTS AND CREATE LITTLE SMILES BY PROVIDING GIFTS AND FUN ACTIVITIES TO CHILDREN IMPACTED BY SERIOUS ILLNESS, HOMELESSNESS OR TRAGEDY. WITH THE GUIDANCE OF LOCAL PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS NURSES, CHILD LIFE SPECIALISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS, WE STRIVE TO HELP KIDS ESCAPE THEIR UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES, EVEN IF ONLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
https://www.littlesmilespa.org/about-us
11 year old Faith Gray from Visitation Home in Kensington told us on our podcast on Youtube that she wants to be a chef. Thanks to Jeff Benjamin and Marc Vetri, she was the chef for a day at Pizzeria Salvy in the new Comcast tower. As you could imagine, she didn’t want to leave! What a day for Faith, her sister and friends.
Financials
Programs
Family Bingo or Karaoke Nights
The Mission: "The Medicine of Play"
We provide a vital "positive distraction" and a sense of normalcy for families staying at Ronald McDonald Houses (RMH). After long, clinical days at the hospital, these nights act as a "reset button," allowing kids to just be kids and parents to put down the medical charts for a few hours.
Regional Presence & Leadership:
We host these high-energy evenings in the dining areas of three key regional locations:
RMH Philadelphia (Chestnut Street): Hosted alongside RMHC Philly’s Served With Love dinner program, led by Smile Captain Kendall Brew.
RMH Camden (NJ): Led by Smile Captain Bella Minnitti, focusing on high-energy interaction and joyful play.
RMH Wilmington (DE): Led by Smile Captains Diane Wilson and Tony Grandizio, with generous support from local sponsor Bancroft Construction.
Junk Food Runs
Each month, Little Smiles brings a little joy to kids spending their days in the hospital instead of at home. Our signature "Junk Food Runs" deliver snacks and special treats directly to pediatric patients at Shriners Children's, CHOP, Nemours, and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children — a small taste of normalcy for children whose routines have been upended by illness.
For a child stuck in a hospital bed, something as simple as their favorite candy bar or a bag of chips can be a genuine bright spot in an otherwise difficult day. These monthly visits let our team connect directly with patients and hospital staff, reinforcing Little Smiles' presence as a reliable, recurring source of comfort — not a one-time gesture, but something these kids and their care teams can count on month after month.
The Silent Checkbook
Little Smiles serves as the "Silent Checkbook" for the direct care professionals who are the heartbeat of pediatric care. Nurses, social workers, and child life specialists see the immediate needs of children facing terminal illness and trauma every day, yet they often lack the flexible funding to act. We bridge that gap instantly, providing the resources these heroes need to deliver tailored "smiles" that offer a vital escape from clinical pain and trauma. By empowering frontline staff with a blank check for joy, we ensure that the focus remains on the child’s spirit, delivering a big impact exactly when and where it is needed most.
Our mission carries a vital dual purpose: recharging the batteries of the dedicated people working on the frontlines in hospitals, abuse agencies, homeless shelters, Ronald McDonald Houses, and domestic violence centers. These professionals operate in high-stress environments where burnout is a constant reality. By providing them with the means to create positive moments for their patients and residents, we offer a critical morale boost that reminds them why they chose this calling. Little Smiles ensures that while these frontline workers care for the children, we are there to care for them—strengthening the entire ecosystem of support to keep the smiles coming.
Private Events
Thanks to our corporate partner, Predictive Analytics, we are able to send dozens of deserving families each season to games in their private suite! Families from CHOP, Visitation Homes, Virtua Health, Ronald McDonald House and Wesley House have enjoyed games in the suite. Thank you Steve Hoops and Predictive Analytics!
We send groups to Saddlehill Farms, sporting events, carnivals, birthday parties and other groups smile events!
Volunteering + Events
Volunteer at Monte Carlo Night
Monte Carlo Night is Little Smiles Philadelphia's premier high-energy fundraiser, where a night of casino-style games and community spirit directly fuels our mission to bring joy to children facing serious illness and trauma. To make this night a success, we’re looking for a dedicated team of volunteers to help us deliver a "Big Impact." Whether you’re helping with event set-up to transform the venue, managing the registration desk, or supporting the games and auction throughout the evening, your hands-on support is what allows us to keep helping kids heal.
Give children star treatment at the Stars Ball
Our signature Stars Ball is once again back in the city, bringing children into the spotlight who have demonstrated outstanding grace and courage while faced with challenging situations. On this night, children going through tragedies, trauma, and serious illnesses are treated like the stars they truly are! They are picked up in the morning, taken to get prom-like clothing, and treated to professional hair and makeup. They enjoy their favorite meal, walk the red carpet to a cheering crowd, and sign autographs as they take center stage for the night. For a brief moment in time, these children are reminded of exactly how special they are.
To make this magical night possible, we rely on a dedicated team of volunteers to help bring the "Big Impact" to life. We are looking for high-energy supporters to assist with event set-up, registration, and managing the red carpet experience to ensure every child feels the spotlight. By volunteering your time, you are directly helping us create a life-changing escape for these brave children and their families.
Volunteer in Hospitals or at one of the Ronald McDonald Houses
Joining a Junk Food Run at our partner hospitals is one of the most direct ways to witness the power of a "Positive Distraction" in action. As a volunteer, you help us bring the "Silent Checkbook" to life by delivering tailored treats and snacks to children in oncology, burn, and intensive care units. These small moments of joy offer a vital escape for kids facing painful procedures and remind the dedicated medical staff that we are there to support their mission, too. It’s a fast-paced, high-impact way to show up for the children and the healthcare heroes on the frontlines.
Volunteering at our Family Game Nights and "Served with Love" dinners at the Ronald McDonald Houses is about more than just calling Bingo numbers; it’s about rebuilding a sense of community for families in the middle of a journey. By helping us host these high-energy evenings in Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington, you provide a space where parents can set aside the medical charts and children can simply be kids again. From setting up themed prize carts to serving a warm meal, your presence helps recharge the batteries of families and frontline workers alike, creating a "Big Impact" that heals hearts one game at a time. E-mail Steve to learn more [email protected].