Lay’s Potato Chips’ Aisles of Smiles

You’ve seen them. Those bags of potato chips smiling back at you. The top of the bags feature different people whose smiles suggest that they are enjoying the chips inside, but there is a lot more to it and you probably weren’t even aware.

For the third year in a row, the potato chip company is presenting its “Smile with Lay’s” program where each specially-marked bag of chips (the ones with the smiles) purchased between now and December 6, 2020, Lay’s will donate $0.01 to Operation Smile. Kathy M. from Norfolk, VA (she is featured on the Kettle Cooked Original bag) is the president and co-founder of Operation Smile.

Kathy’s organization has provided hundreds of thousands safe surgeries for those born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial differences. With more than three decades of expertise, Operation Smile creates solutions that deliver free surgery to people where it’s needed most. As one of the largest medical volunteer-based nonprofits, Operation Smile has mobilized thousands of medical volunteers from a wide range of medical specialties from more than 80 countries. Operation Smile engages public-private partnerships to advance health care delivery, train local medical professionals to provide surgical care for patients in their communities, donate crucial medical equipment and supplies, and increase access to surgical care so that everyone living with cleft is treated.

This year, Kathy is joined by 29 other “ordinary” people who do extraordinary things in their communities. Lay’s is also spotlighting the unique stories of these “Everyday Smilers” whose impact includes helping the homeless, veterans, youth, elderly and more – in hopes that their inspiring work will bring smiles to the faces of people across the country. In addition, Lay’s is also bringing back three fan-favorite chip flavors for a limited time: Fried Pickles with Ranch (featuring Tia from Pompano Beach, FL), Lay’s Hot Sauce (featuring April from Dallas, TX) and Kettle Cooked Beer Cheese (featuring Chad from Dallas, TX).

Tia created No Limits Foundation Inc. to inspire purpose and build confidence in special needs children. Her fashion show events have helped many kids to dream bigger and even pursue modeling.

April and her organization, Breast Cancer Can Stick It!, have raised awareness and nearly $300,000 in funds to fight breast cancer through music-minded events that were fueled by her experience as a breast cancer survivor and professional drummer.

Chad is the founder and CEO of Momentum Advisory Co. and Café Momentum, an award-winning restaurant that also serves as a 12-month internship program for juvenile offenders, helping over 900 young men and women achieve their full potential.

Sure, being featured on a cereal box is pretty amazing, but a smile on a chip’s bag is just about as good. Last year, more than 71,000 people scanned the Lay’s Smiles QR codes to hear the unique stories behind each “Everyday Smiler” and 2020 offers even more inspiration from around the country, including these folks:

Mike and his brother Nick help students practice empathy and kindness by donating blankets paired with an inspirational handwritten note to those experiencing homelessness.

Charlotte runs Antioch for Youth and Families, a nonprofit combating her hometown’s hunger crisis, serving more than 18,000 people in need each month.

Since experiencing his own life-changing fall, Roy’s organization, High Fives, helps to keep the adventurous spirit alive for hundreds of athletes recovering from their own injuries.