About us
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Who We Are
More Than A Smile Foundation is a community-rooted nonprofit based in Louisville, Kentucky, dedicated to uplifting immigrant, refugee, and underserved families through mentorship, education, empowerment, and culturally responsive support.
We are more than an organization—we are the smiles of young people, mothers, mentors, and advocates who believe every person deserves to be seen, heard, and supported. Our programs bridge generational and cultural gaps, nurture youth leadership, and create safe spaces for healing and growth.
We walk alongside our community—on the soccer field, in classrooms, at parks, and even on doorsteps. Our work is built on love, resilience, and the belief that a smile should never be a mask for struggle, but a symbol of hope.
Why We Exist
The More Than A Smile story began with one mother, one grocery store, and one deep desire to make sure no child felt alone.
Our founder, Amina Shale, a Somali Bantu refugee who grew up interpreting for her family and navigating complex systems, saw firsthand the challenges immigrant and refugee families face—language barriers, cultural disconnection, lack of resources, and limited access to opportunity.
What started as a small volunteer tutoring effort inside her family-owned corner store has grown into a powerful community-led nonprofit serving thousands.
We began because we knew what it felt like to struggle in silence.
We continue because we now know the power of what happens when community wraps around its people.
We exist for every child who needed a mentor.
Every mom who needed support.
Every family who needed a hand and found a village instead.