SMILE FOR BUDGIE IS NOW SMILE FORWARD →
From a Legacy to a Movement
Welcome to Smile Forward. Founded in 2015 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Melbourne, Florida, we began as Smile for Budgie to honor the life and legacy of Paul “Budgie” Burgess. As our work has grown, we evolved into Smile Forward, but his spirit, compassion, and enduring inspiration remain at the heart of all we do.
Today, we are a movement cultivating healing, resilience, and strength. Through holistic healing and embodied leadership, we put compassion into action—empowering individuals and communities to grow stronger, rise higher, and lead forward. We believe that when one heart finds peace, it creates a ripple that gently opens the way for others, one restored heart at a time.
Our Vision
We envision a world where every person has the opportunity to thrive with hope — where healing is possible, dignity is honored, and purpose is awakened. We believe that when individuals are supported to lead with compassion and courage, they can become catalysts for peace in their families, communities, and beyond. Our vision is a future shaped by resilient leaders, strengthened relationships, and empowered communities who rise together to foster connection, transformation, and enduring well-being.
Our Mission
Our mission is to uplift individuals and communities in times of challenge by strengthening compassionate leadership, equipping advocates, expanding educational opportunities, and advancing trauma-informed healing. Through intentional partnerships and culturally relevant training, we connect people and communities to opportunities that enable them to rediscover their strength, step into their purpose, and influence peaceful positive change. We believe transformation happens when people are equipped with the tools, resources, and support they need to heal, grow, and lead with confidence. By unifying efforts across organizations and communities, we aim to create a sustainable impact that ripples outward—strengthening families, transforming systems, and building generations of compassionate leaders who rise with courage, resilience, peace and renewed hope.
Our Core Values
Transformative Presence
Healing Through Being
Peace is not something we give—it is something we live. We lead through presence, authenticity, and a quiet, steady strength rooted in inner peace.
Holistic Restoration Body, Mind, and Spirit
True healing integrates every part of who we are—mind, body, and spirit. We honor the fullness of each person and support trauma-informed pathways that nurture lasting healing, resilience, and inner strength.
Aligned Purpose Divine Worth in Action
Every person holds God-given worth. We honor spiritual journeys while helping individuals rediscover purpose, compassion, and dignity.
Courageous Leadership Rising from Within
Leadership is not a title; it is the expression of a restored heart. We empower individuals to lead themselves and others through peace-centered action.
Authenticity & Lived Experience
Every person has a voice that matters and the right to make choices that shape their future. We create space for truth, empower authentic expression, and cultivate advocacy rooted in lived experience and hope.