In this episode, Aron Schoenfeld, founder of ‘Smiles for the Kids,’ shares his journey of moving to Israel during COVID and later starting the nonprofit after the tragedy of October 7.
Aron describes the events of October 7, the immediate actions taken to support affected families, and the emotional and logistical challenges faced. He discusses the growth of the organization and the roles within it.
Aron also shares advice for running a nonprofit, balancing emotional involvement with business sense, and the need for a strong support system.
Tune in to discover how you can get involved and help spread smiles to kids in need.
Get involved at https://www.smilesforthekids.com/.
Stephanie:
Hi, everyone. Hi, Aron!
Welcome back to another episode of Nonprofit Therapy.
Thank you for being here today.
Aron:
Thank you so much for having me.
Stephanie:
How are you?
Aron:
Great—can’t complain.
Stephanie:
So Aron is the Director of Smiles for the Kids.
Let’s start off by hearing a little bit about you and the organization.
Aron:
Thanks again for having me.
I moved to Israel from Florida four years ago—in the middle of COVID.
Little did I know that wouldn’t be the biggest challenge. Fast forward to October 7.
The day after the attack, people in Florida started sending me money through Venmo saying,
“Here’s a little something. Do something with it.”
At first, we didn’t know what to do. But two weeks in, we got an email from a caterer in Efrat who lost all their bookings.
Around the same time, neighbours told me about families nearby with multiple kids in the army.
So we used the money to order deli platters and dropped them off with handwritten notes saying,
“People in America are thinking of your children.”
The reaction was overwhelming—families posted about it, shared it. That’s how it began.
Stephanie:
Wow. So it started with a single act of kindness.
Can you give a little context for those unfamiliar with October 7?
Aron:
Sure. I live in Modiin, in central Israel.
That morning, we heard booms—normal here, unfortunately.
But someone stopped us outside synagogue and said,
“Terrorists have infiltrated Israel. Stay inside.”
Hamas broke through the border, attacked army bases and communities, killing thousands, taking hostages—even babies.
It was one of the worst attacks in Israel’s history.
Imagine being in synagogue with 500 people and 200 of them leaving to grab their gear and join the army.
That was the chaos.
Stephanie:
Unbelievable. And now, from that one act, you have a full organization—with branding, a team, and an impact model.
How did you scale it?
Aron:
My background is in marketing and business.
Initially, a nonprofit offered to let us operate under their 501(c)3 so we could collect tax-deductible donations.
I quickly bought the domain—smilesforthekids.com—because the name felt human and universal.
It wasn’t about the front lines, it was about the families—kids at home with no school for months, moms alone, entire businesses shut down.
We only work with vendors whose livelihoods were affected by the war.
We built out a team: head of catering, head of events, head of parties—like a company structure.
That allowed us to scale, think long-term, and operate with sustainability in mind.
Stephanie:
I love that approach. And how did Vee come into the picture?
Aron:
As a marketing guy, I knew how important social media was—but I was doing everything alone.
When I found Vee, it felt like a perfect fit.
They took over social media, grant writing, content—and it freed me up to focus on the mission.
It’s hard to explain how helpful it’s been. I barely even have to touch the posts now.
They’ve learned the tone, the voice, the mission. I maybe spend five minutes a week reviewing.
Stephanie:
That’s exactly why we exist.
So you can focus on what matters most.
Aron:
Exactly. I’ve worked with so many vendors who promised to learn and adapt—and they didn’t.
Vee actually does. They’re part of our team now.
Stephanie:
This podcast is called Nonprofit Therapy because, let’s be real—it’s not easy.
What’s a challenge you’ve faced that listeners can learn from?
Aron:
The hardest part? Emotional boundaries.
I’d come home from a visit and be wrecked. The stories are heartbreaking.
At first, you want to say yes to everything.
But you have to balance that with the financial reality—there’s only so much you can do.
You want to help everyone, but you’ll burn out.
You need to keep the business side strong so the mission can stay alive.
Stephanie:
Exactly. You have to pace yourself.
What’s been your biggest lesson?
Aron:
Learning to say no.
Learning to separate your own identity from the weight of everyone’s stories.
You have to remind yourself: whatever you’re doing, it’s already more than nothing.
It’s already better than before.
Stephanie:
So true. And I know you’re constantly doing things—BBQs, bouncy houses, candy platters, pizza parties…
Aron:
Yes! If you want to get involved:
Visit smilesforthekids.com.
You can contact us directly—those emails come to me.
We also have a WhatsApp group where we post volunteer opportunities.
We do bat mitzvah projects, group visits, base BBQs—lots of ways to engage.
Even if you’re just visiting Israel, we can help you build something meaningful into your trip.
Stephanie:
Incredible. You’re doing so much good—and all grassroots.
Thank you for everything you do and for being here.
Aron:
Thank you. We hope we don’t have to keep doing this—but we’re proud that we can.
