1 person found this review helpful
Smile Train, Inc.
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Featured Review
December 19, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
Smile Train is a wonderful organization. I really love the mission and seeing how a simple surgery opens the door for these kids, giving them the chance to rise to their full potential. The staff I have interacted with are all incredibly caring and dedicated, and the charity accomplishes an amazing amount with relatively few people. By all accounts the new leadership has the organization more focused and efficient than ever. Absolutely one of the best charities out there.
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How does this organization compare with others in the same sector?
Very Well
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you recommend this organization to others?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
May 24, 2013
I first dontated to Smile Train about 6 months ago. Despite the posts of others, I do not believe that I have received more than 1-2 additional solicitations from Smile Train, and to the best of my knowledge, I have received ZERO additional requests from other charities in the same period. I am just putting that out there ....
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Was your donation impactful?
Likely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Likely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Likely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
3 people found this review helpful
April 23, 2013
3 people found this review helpful
I had been solicited through the mail by Smile Train. I am a trusting sort and believed all their claims, plus was taken in by their pictures (which are calculated to elicit an emotional response, meaning: a FINANCIAL donation) from you. Since then a number of things have occurred. 1) I suddenly found myself bombarded by a LARGE number of charity solicitors 2) I started receiving frequent mailings - we are talking maybe as many as 4 askings a week for money- REALLY. Yes, I DID try to tell them when I had amassed 3 asks by putting them all into one envelope. I mailed them and then another one came the next day. 3) I found myself on quite a number of mailing lists with varieties of organizations ever growing. 4) When I asked to get taken off the mailing list, in about a weeks time, I was suddenly receiving mail from new "requesters"(if you will, as if my statement that I no longer wanted them[Hell have no fury like a scorned charity?!? : 0], caused them to trade or sell off my information to other charities.
Other people have had the same issue (slow/non-responsive to remove from mailing list) I found per an web search and article on CharityWatch.org
If I had know that Help Me See would lead to Smile Train, would lead to Burn Rescue and SO MANY other mailing lists I never would of given to them
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Was your donation impactful?
Likely
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?
2013
1 person found this review helpful
March 24, 2013
1 person found this review helpful
Everyone needs to relax about the salary situation. Ms. Ma makes ~$400K and is the top paid official. Donations increased by over 500% on her watch - I don't know the contribution distribution among each donor level, but even assuming a minimum donation of $50 per person she would have generated an additional $71M which would equate to over 200,000 more surgeries than if someone else had been doing her job and donations stayed static.
So when I see people so outraged that this woman gets paid what she gets paid it's ridiculous. If you want talent you need to pay for it - people that can pull something like that off should get paid well for it - and it doesn't mean they don't care just because they're paid well.
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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?
A lot
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?
2013
2 people found this review helpful
February 9, 2013
2 people found this review helpful
I have given to Smile Train in the past. Don't know if I should continue ... so much confusion about how much of our donations goes to the operations. While I appreciate that staff needs to be fairly compensated I would like to know if the greater portion of the contribution goes to the operations and the kids.
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When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
12 people found this review helpful
December 28, 2012
12 people found this review helpful
I have donanted to Smile Train at least three times and now I am so confused about whether to continue. I didn't know that the CEO and others make so much money and that really upsets me. I know the organization has expenses, but the doctors and nurses volunteer their services and I believe the organization could save money by less advertising and paying their CEOs and others less. No one needs that kind of money! I'd like to know how much he or she donates to their own organization. I must give further thought to my future donations.
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Was your donation impactful?
Unsure
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?
2012
4 people found this review helpful
December 21, 2012
4 people found this review helpful
SmileTrain posts highly offensive web ads depicting disfigured children. I consistently complain to every website carrying such ads. I can support this work, which may be very beneficial to these unfortunate kids, but there has to be a better way than their ad campaign.
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
No
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
A little
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
December 14, 2012
9 people found this review helpful
OMG, I used to donate to Smile Train and now I've been bombarded by pictures of deformed children wherever I go on the web. Dozens of pictures over and over of horribly deformed children all day long for over a month now. What a way to spend advertising dollars and alienate patrons. It's awful and stressful. I've tried many times to get them to stop and clearly they have no idea what their doing. Awfully mismanaged organization. Avoid them like the plague they've sent my way. Find other orgs for your precious charity dollars.
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Was your donation impactful?
Unsure
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
December 2, 2012
8 people found this review helpful
We have donated $250 every year for years and will not be donating to them this after seeing how much their CEO makes. It's appalling! Instead, we will be donating to other needy causes in our county. Jim and June Perry
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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?
2011
7 people found this review helpful
November 21, 2012
7 people found this review helpful
I am overwhelmed by solicitations from Smile Train. It is esp. irritating that I obviously have to go out of the way to stop them. I was esp. turned off by the one that said, "Donate now & we will stop sending you these letters-- so you won't have to see these faces." I feel like the victim to receive the letters with these pictures on the OUTSIDE of the envelope. I give to at least 30 other charities. I am most moved by the Carter Foundation and other charities that help with PREVENTION of disease or family planning. Smile Train is not where I want to send my money & I want them to never contact me again.
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
Unlikely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
None
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
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