Smile Network International
Encyclopedia
Smile Network International is a Minnesota
-based global non-profit, humanitarian organization that specializes in providing free surgeries for impoverished children in developing countries who are born with cleft lips and palates.
The charity was founded in 2003 by Minneapolis attorney David Valentini and his wife according to Minnesota Monthlyhttp://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/June-2009/Minnesotas-Best-Lawyers-2009/Valentini-Associates-PA/ magazine.
Because of all the details and components that go into the support for these surgical trips they are called missions. The charity reports that the cost for all of the logistics behind the missions that include airfare, supplies, accommodations, local transportation and meals work out to an average cost for each surgery of about $500. http://smilenetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26
The success of Smile Network International has been credited to the broad base of volunteers from the medical and business communities. A typical mission team consists of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nursing staff for the operating room, recovery and the wards together with support staff for medical record keeping, photography and mission coordination.http://www.mspmag.com/features/features/35549.asp?action
The organization has performed surgical mission trips in Mexico
to Guerrero, Querétaro, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosí. The charity has travelled to Armenia
and has missions scheduled to Ecuador
and India
. Destinations for missions in Peru
include Lima and Cusco. http://smilenetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=32
Funding for the organization comes from a number of grass-root fundraising
events that include school service projects, private events, community group fundraising, donations from other charitable foundations and Smile Network also hosts a gala fundraiser that, according to posted reports at www.startribune.com, raised over $550,000 http://google.com/search?q=cache:6GNHm0HWbE4J:www.startribune.com/cj/story/1333761.html+%22+We+raised+over+%24550,000%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us&client=safari in 2007. An amazing 75% of all monies raised by Smile Network comes directly from the friends of David and his wife. http://google.com/search?q=cache:QVxGCfVFfC8J:www.mspmag.com/features/features/35549_5.asp+75+percent+of+the+revenue+is+from+%E2%80%9Cfriends+of+myself+and+David%E2%80%9D&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&lr=lang_en&client=firefox-a
Smile Network International has a Board of Directors
composed of business and community leaders from a broad cross section of disciplines. The Advisory Board is weighted with a number of medical professionals because of the importance of medical guidance for the focus of the organization.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
-based global non-profit, humanitarian organization that specializes in providing free surgeries for impoverished children in developing countries who are born with cleft lips and palates.
The charity was founded in 2003 by Minneapolis attorney David Valentini and his wife according to Minnesota Monthlyhttp://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/June-2009/Minnesotas-Best-Lawyers-2009/Valentini-Associates-PA/ magazine.
Because of all the details and components that go into the support for these surgical trips they are called missions. The charity reports that the cost for all of the logistics behind the missions that include airfare, supplies, accommodations, local transportation and meals work out to an average cost for each surgery of about $500. http://smilenetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26
The success of Smile Network International has been credited to the broad base of volunteers from the medical and business communities. A typical mission team consists of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nursing staff for the operating room, recovery and the wards together with support staff for medical record keeping, photography and mission coordination.http://www.mspmag.com/features/features/35549.asp?action
The organization has performed surgical mission trips in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to Guerrero, Querétaro, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosí. The charity has travelled to Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and has missions scheduled to Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Destinations for missions in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
include Lima and Cusco. http://smilenetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=32
Funding for the organization comes from a number of grass-root fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
events that include school service projects, private events, community group fundraising, donations from other charitable foundations and Smile Network also hosts a gala fundraiser that, according to posted reports at www.startribune.com, raised over $550,000 http://google.com/search?q=cache:6GNHm0HWbE4J:www.startribune.com/cj/story/1333761.html+%22+We+raised+over+%24550,000%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us&client=safari in 2007. An amazing 75% of all monies raised by Smile Network comes directly from the friends of David and his wife. http://google.com/search?q=cache:QVxGCfVFfC8J:www.mspmag.com/features/features/35549_5.asp+75+percent+of+the+revenue+is+from+%E2%80%9Cfriends+of+myself+and+David%E2%80%9D&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&lr=lang_en&client=firefox-a
Smile Network International has a Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
composed of business and community leaders from a broad cross section of disciplines. The Advisory Board is weighted with a number of medical professionals because of the importance of medical guidance for the focus of the organization.