How a Student-Run Program Is Changing Lives

Every weekend, a group of students makes their way to a care home. Not because they have to, but because a room full of seniors is waiting for them. No auditions. No pressure. Just a teenager with a guitar, a piano, or a pair of dancing shoes, and an audience that gives a warm applause every single time.

That's Perform for a Smile.

What started as a weekly session at  Retirement Residence and Tullamore Care Community in January 2025 has since grown into 100+ performances across multiple cities, with singers, instrumentalists, dancers, visual artists, and even stand-up comedians among our volunteers. The seniors genuinely look forward to it. After one performance last fall, a resident pulled one of our performers aside and said it was the best day she'd had in months. Others say that the music makes them "very, very happy." Moments like that are why we keep showing up.

The program is simple: you sign up for a time slot, show up, do what you love, and earn up to 3 service hours for it, including Duke of Edinburgh credit. You perform whatever you already know. We have locations across the GTA, with performances running every weekend.

And if you've been thinking about joining, this month is the time.

Throughout April, every completed performance earns you a raffle entry for an honorarium, drawn at the end of the month.

New to Perform for a Smile? Register at performforasmile.org/performer. Already a member? Log in and grab a slot at app.performforasmile.org.

Don’t want to perform, but still want to get involved? Become a Perform for a Smile chapter leader! These ambassadors help organize the performances and reach out to other performers/senior homes to expand the organization. If this sounds interesting to you, join us at https://performforasmile.org/ambassador.

Either way, follow us on Instagram at @performforasmile to see what we've been up to.

The seniors are ready. Are you?

By Arjun Kulkarni, Co-Founder & Felix Yun, Chapter Leader