Smiles Action Volunteer Group

The Smiles Action Volunteer Group is comprised of college-aged students from Southern California dedicated to bettering the lives of underprivileged children living in the Baja California region of Mexico. They have been volunteering with the Smiles International Foundation since 2010.

The Smiles Action Volunteer Group offers a unique opportunity for students. Once every four months, groups of 5 to 10 travel to Tecate, Mexico, to prepare the clinic for cleft lip and palate procedures and assist in patient care.

Members also participate in group projects with Tecate Rotaract. Two of their projects have included providing computer equipment to a local elementary school and working with the Casa de la Misericordia Orphanage in Tecate.

The group provides future medical personnel with early clinical experience and gives students pursuing other fields a chance to participate in international service work.