12 people found this review helpful
Operation Smile, Inc.
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April 12, 2013
12 people found this review helpful
I saw a TV story about Operation Smile and was moved to make a handsome donation. I then went to check them out but they are not rated. I looked at their IRS Form 990 for 2011 and was shocked by the numbers. In 2011 they collected $48mill. Of this they spent $3mill (6.25%) on grants. The rest went to Salaries - $7.7mill (16%); Office expenses - $6.4mill (13.3%); Travel - $4mill (8.3%); Fund Raising - $3.2mill (6.6%); "Other" (presumably also fund-raising related) - $2.3mill (4.8%). Judge for yourself. I would not donate an additional penny until their mission-related spending is above 80% of revenues not 6%! Besides, like other reviewers my telephone doesn't stop ringing to the point that this line has become useless.
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Was your donation impactful?
No
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
15 people found this review helpful
February 19, 2013
15 people found this review helpful
Wife and I donated last year's tax refund to Operations Smile based on the worked they appeared to be doing and had planned to do so every year in the future but immediately regretted our decision to do so. Whatever the merits of their work in the field we immediately found ourselves in the midst of an avalanche of robo calls from every imaginable charity which are not covered by the Do Not Call list regulations and has left us with no recourse but to terminate our land-line service at the end of this month to put an end to the 10 to 15 calls a day, yes a day, that we've been receiving since our donation. This in addition to the small mountain of wasteful daily mailings we receive from these charities including Operation Smile the totality of which certainly qualifies as a small environmental catastrophe. They clearly sold our information as part of a donors list without any regard as to the impact and the material cost alone of the mailings from Operation Smiles would seem leave us hard pressed to imagine much if any actual care being delivered with even our sizable donation.
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Was your donation impactful?
Unlikely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
January 5, 2013
9 people found this review helpful
Once you donate to Operation Smile you can expect to be bombarded with robocalling pleas for more donations. Their calling is extremely aggressive, starting at 7 am and continuing until 9 pm with as many as five calls in one day, seven days a week for months and months. They will not stop.
Donors soon regret their decision as no amount of pleading will get them to stop harassing you with constant phone calls.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
No
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
5 people found this review helpful
November 27, 2012
5 people found this review helpful
I have been honored to work with Op Smile as part of a disaster relief team in 2010 in Haiti and again this year in Vietnam as part of a burn care team. In addition to cleft palate repair Op Smile offers burn and Wound Care interventions to the poorest popualtions all around the world. Many stories are heart rendering but the opportunity to serve with compassionate health care specialists from around the world and be a part of life changing outcomes makes the work of this group so important and necessary in what is now a world community. I hope everone who knows of Op Smile will give generously to their fine work througout the world.
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Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
2 people found this review helpful
November 13, 2012
2 people found this review helpful
it's a very good grp to volunteer with!! i grantee a good volunteering :)
More feedback...
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
4 people found this review helpful
November 11, 2012
4 people found this review helpful
Operation Smile has an amazing capacity not only to change the lives of children and their families but to impact whole health systems in third world countries. The training opportunities create sustainable local medical professionals in a variety of fields that extends past cleft care but to pediatric patient care in general
More feedback...
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
2 people found this review helpful
July 6, 2012
2 people found this review helpful
I am a recent supporter to Operation Smile and truly inspired by the work they perform in the poorest countries in the world. Just seeing the photos of the children they help, it is clear how my donation is able to give a child a new life. Keep up the great work!
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Definitely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
14 people found this review helpful
March 31, 2012
14 people found this review helpful
for every dollar spent on a child, even with all the volunteers, fifty cents goes to executives and fund raising. There are probably better run operations for you hard earned dollars.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Unlikely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Unlikely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Unlikely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
December 9, 2011
7 people found this review helpful
I helped Operation Smile International back in 1999 in Venezuela, while Dr. William P. Magee Jr., D.D.S., M.D. and his team brought the plane named the flying hope. My uncle Dr. Jorge Carlesso was part of Venezuelan team, and he still being part of that team, I loved the time I spent working with this organization, and in the future I hope I can contribute with this organization, not only by donating money if not to help while the missions you make all around the world.
More feedback...
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Quite well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2000
November 29, 2011
24 people found this review helpful
This is not, strictly speaking, a review of Operation Smile, but a call for current reviews from others who know more than I. I was not aware until recently of the rift between Smile Train and Operation Smile. When I heard that the two are merging, it seemed like a good idea, reconciling differences and focusing on the task at hand, until I read the article in the New York Times about it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/business/24smile.html?pagewanted=all
It appears that the CEO of the Smile Train is looking for money and power, and now is looking to annex Operation Smile.
I am a very small donor. I work as a volunteer, pro bono, for another group, and have little cash money to contribute. I want to be sure the money I can spare goes where I think it does, and the politics of this merger raises questions.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Likely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Unsure
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Unsure
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
What specific problem, purpose, priority, or project prompted your gift?
I have had personal experience with the way social acceptability affects a person's chances to lead a decent, effective, happy life. I believe every child born deserves a chance to do so.
What would you tell others about this organization?
It makes me sad to have to say it, but in the face of this merger, we need to look closely at both organizations to determine whether their agenda serves needy youngsters and their families, or greedy executives and their followers.
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