Alexandra’s Smile Train Fundraising Takes Off in Cape Canaveral

With a table and a story to tell, Alexandra is bringing cleft awareness to a local festival

Alexandra smiling and standing with a Smile Train support sign at a table

When Alexandra Hanley was 14 years old, she took her first steps into the pageant world. As a Cape Canaveral native, she had her eyes on the title of Miss Florida Teen USA. But it wasn’t the glitz and glamor that drew her into competing. It was the charity work. Standing up for what’s right runs in the family.

Alexandra in a blue dress and crown wearing a Miss Brevard County sash
After only two years, Alexandra walked away from the pageant world with lots of crowns and little left to prove

Alexandra grew up hearing her late uncle’s story: He was born with a cleft and went through seven surgeries to try to heal it. Even with countless treatments, he still suffered relentless bullying that took a toll on his mental health. Alexandra’s mother refused to stand by and watch. She fought hard to defend her brother and make sure that he felt loved.

That’s why, when Alexandra found Smile Train, something clicked. She thought of her uncle and all the children throughout the world who are just like him, needing someone to stand up for them. She wanted to be that someone. So she signed up to become a Smile Train Student Ambassador.

A Student of Smiles

As a Student Ambassador, Alexandra got to meet, and later mentor, other high schoolers who shared her passion for fighting to put smiles on every face. She attended monthly meetings where she learned about clefts and how to educate others on the condition.

Alexandra in Smile Train’s New York HQ with other Student Ambassadors
Alexandra in Smile Train’s New York HQ with other Student Ambassadors

Alexandra wasted no time putting her new knowledge to work. She jumped into fundraising with a donation page sharing her uncle’s story, but she didn’t just want to fundraise behind a screen. She wanted to use her voice to make as many people as possible aware of Smile Train’s work and what makes us different.

Brochures and Bracelets and Baskets, Oh My!

Inspiration came with the waves of tourists flocking to Cape Canaveral. On the first Friday of every month, tourists and locals alike flood the streets for Friday Fest. And in the sea of food trucks, craft tables, and musicians, there’s Alexandra, standing tall at her Smile Train table, handing out pamphlets and selling merchandise with a winning smile of her own.

Alexandra wearing a Smile Train shirt behind a table with Smile Train merch on it
Alexandra at Friday Fest showing off her Smile Train pride!

Since starting her Friday Fest fundraising, she’s picked up on the best ways to get people excited to learn more. Behind her Smile Train pamphlets, bracelets, and stickers, there’s always a gift basket up for raffle. The prize changes from month to month, but it’s always from a local business that’s thrilled to help the cause.

A man outside holding a Valentine’s Day-themed gift basket
Another month, another happy donor!

In February, Alexandra collaborated with a local bakery for a sweet Valentine’s Day-themed basket priced at $5 per ticket. Another big hit was the perfectly themed teeth-whitening service provided by a local spa at $20 per ticket. While the tickets aren’t so expensive, the donations add up. Alexandra regularly makes more than $100 when she attends the Fest. This past April, she broke a personal record and made $250 in one night!

Sharing More than a Smile

But it isn’t all about the money. As people swing by her table, Alexandra gets a chance to make a one-on-one connection. Her mom frequently joins to share the story of her brother, touching the hearts of all who hear it.

Even if they didn’t win a gift basket, everyone leaves the table with a new understanding of clefts and all the ways they can help. To Alexandra, that’s just as valuable.

Alexandra standing behind her Smile Train table in front of a field
Alexandra ready to educate on a perfect Friday Fest day

“Sometimes you can get caught up thinking ‘I didn't raise the amount that I wanted to,’ but there's more to it,” she said. “Take a step back and think, ‘Oh, I did let a lot of people know about what the organization does.’ Sometimes that's even more important than the monetary donation.”

And that significance isn’t lost on attendees. People always come up to Alexandra and say, “This is the most important table here!”

A Bright Future Ahead

Though Alexandra’s time as a Student Ambassador has come to an end this past spring, she’s still sticking with Smile Train. She is excited to join the Smile Impact Society, our college ambassador program, to bring the cause to the Stony Brook University campus.

“Philanthropy is super important to me, so I want to be able to do that work with Smile Train.”

Alexandra and another woman wearing pageant sashes and masks holding women’s empowerment signs
There’s no cause Alexandra believes in that she won’t fight for

“If you speak out, then the next person will, and we’ll create a community. We’ll be stronger in numbers because everyone is using their voice,” she continued. “So I feel like if we create a world that’s much more empathetic and passionate towards people, we’d live in a much better place.”

Alexandra and another girl standing in front of an orange wall in Smile Train’s office that says ‘Changing the world one smile at a time’
Changing the world one smile at a time is exactly what Alexandra plans to do

With people like Alexandra leading the future, that better place is getting closer every day.

Learn more about how you can get involved with Smile Train and start spreading smiles.