One misconception about Smiles Change Lives (SCL) is that we exist to serve the “poor”. Nothing could be further from the truth. SCL’s goal is to help people help themselves. We do not dispense “charity,” nor are we interested in helping those seeking “charity.”
While we certainly recognize that some people have less financial means than others, we believe that those who do not define themselves by the size of their bank accounts are not “poor.”
We are not interested in admitting people to SCL who think of themselves as without resources or self respect. These people are looking for others to “give” them resources. SCL is aimed at helping those who have limited financial resources but who are committed to bettering themselves through self determination and effort. In this way, SCL truly gives families a hand up- not a hand out.