LEXINGTON, Ky. — After a tough year, one nonprofit in Louisville is making sure everyone they come in contact with leaves with a smile on their face. Smile Project Louisville brings joy and laughter to their community one random act of kindness at a time.
Michael Ray, founder of the Smile Project, said he made an effort to create a positive atmosphere because of his 21-year-old daughter Maddie. Maddie has down syndrome and is nonverbal, but one of the ways she can express her joy and love is through her laugh and beautiful smile.
“You know for me, like any parent I think that we're really starting to feel the love and understand her more even though she has never said the three simple words that all parents want to hear, I love you," Ray said. "I hear it through her nonverbal cues and primarily it was just her infectious smile and her attitude."
Ray started the Smile Project Louisville as a way to change his life for the better – little did he know he would end up leaving a positive impact on others as well.
“If you want to create change in your life, and then all of a sudden you start impacting the lives of others, you don't really ever think about how big it can get. You just create that change, and then all of a sudden, you get to this point and you're like, Wow, this is bigger than me,” Ray said.
Together, Ray and his daughter go around the community performing random acts of kindness, for those who may be in need.
“We intentionally put ourselves in positions to try to find someone in need, never thinking it would evolve to where people would reach out and go, 'How do you find these people?' And they were like, 'What if I told you about somebody that needed a smile,'” Ray said.
Because of his daughter and her infectious love, Ray said they continue to spread joy around the state of Kentucky despite the challenges of the pandemic.
“All this chaos all over the country, but all of these kids with Down syndrome all they want to do is just love humanity and here I have this girl that can't even talk. And just, you know, knows how to love,” Ray said.
If anyone would like to nominate someone for a smile or get involved with the organization they can go to the Smile Project Louisville website.