PDQ and the world’s largest cleft organization, Smile Train, teamed up to raise awareness and funds for children at all 11 South Florida locations. Representatives from PDQ presented a donation of $15,000 to Smile Train on February 26. The PDQ locations who participated in the program are Dania Beach, Deerfield Beach, Miami: Coral Reef, Miami: Fountain Square, Oakland Park, Pembroke Pines, Pompano Beach, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Wellington and West Palm Beach.
Every three minutes a baby is born with a cleft. Many children with clefts have severe difficulties eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking. Smile Train supports free cleft surgery for children with clefts in more than 90 countries and supports comprehensive cleft care every step of the way.
From November 8 through December 1, guests who visited any of PDQ’s 11 South Florida locations had the opportunity to support Smile Train at check-out by rounding up their payment to the nearest dollar amount or making a donation. All funds were donated directly to Smile Train to help provide free cleft care treatment to children in need.
“Smile Train is thrilled to partner with PDQ. As we look to build programs with sponsors, it is important that we work with organizations who share the same commitment and values,” said Melanie Buhrmaster, Smile Train’s Vice President of Development. “PDQ’s dedication to putting people first aligns well with Smile Train and our vision to provide optimal cleft treatment and care for our patients. We thank PDQ and its customers for helping us give children around the world the gift of a smile.”
“Our South Florida teams of People Dedicated to Quality are so proud to partner with Smile Train to raise awareness and much-needed funds for this important cause,” said Frank Rappa, PDQ Chief Marketing Officer. “ I’ve personally had the opportunity to visit their local programs in Haiti and see firsthand some of the life-changing work they do for children with clefts.”
About Smile Train
Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.