Some families carry a heavier load than most. We’re here to help them carry it — and set it down, if only for a while.

"I've spent my entire career serving students with disabilities, and time after time I've been humbled by the grace and quiet courage their families bring to unthinkable challenges. More often than I can count, I’ve wished for a way to give them something more — a moment of joy untouched by hardship. Smiles At Sea is that wish made real."

-Jennifer DiLeo, M.S., CCC-SLP, ATP

Infographic with statistics showing 1 in 6 children in the U.S. has a developmental disability, including speech disorder, autism, developmental delays, and Down syndrome. Photos depict children and adults in supportive, affectionate interactions.

THE WHAT: Each special needs family is hosted for 5 days aboard a luxury yacht, receiving the same VIP treatment afforded to private charter guests — providing radical dignity, joy and relief for those who need it most.

THE WHY: Families of children with disabilities are twice as likely to face financial hardship — exhausted, unseen, and slowly sinking.

Children with intellectual disabilities are four times more likely to experience peer violence. We aim to be the hand that throws the rope, the reminder: “you're not alone out there.”

What we’re building—and why it matters

An impact that lasts a lifetime

The needs of a child with disabilities often dominate family dynamics. During five incredible days aboard, we’ll provide training designed to optimize joy and connection at home.

Resolving parent and sibling conflict

Strategies to manage sibling resentment, reduce parental burnout, foster empathy among all children, and build practical routines.

Review current IEP

Evaluate current plan efficacy and provide at home tools calibrated to IEP progress.

Districts, teachers, and therapists often face an impossible gap between what students need and what resources allow. We provide a clear, practical blueprint for parents to advocate effectively.

School district and medicaid advocacy

AAC evaluations and device proficiency

For students with complex communication needs. We make every effort to pair the child with the optimum device before, during and after sail.

Charting a course of Self-Reliance

We’re not, nor have any interest to be, a part of the professional fundraising class.

We are a small team of relentless doers devoted to giving this most deserved student population something immeasurable—a family miracle.

The Nitty Gritty….

At Smiles at Sea, our founding approach is contrarian by design. We intend to do something unusual in the nonprofit world: Fund our core operations with earned income. Every year, we shall charter for 90 days—the resulting revenue will fund the next nine months of free, transformative voyages for families of children with disabilities.

This isn't “trying something different.” This is building the model everyone else talks about—we will never be dependent on a miracle donation each December nor forced to build an organization that prioritizes anything other than why we’re here in the first place. Our mission will sail because we designed it that way from the start.

Charter 90 days. Serve 275.

Let’s say this plainly: Upon raising the inaugural funds to launch, we’re doggedly committed to earn our way to service. The same luxury yacht that welcomes VIP guests for 90 days a year becomes a floating haven for families the other 275. And when it does, it's not a watered-down version—it’s the full experience with the addition of CCC-SLP’s + adjacent special education professionals volunteering their time to ensure the miracles achieved last a lifetime. Delivered at sea, delivered with heart.

A man with a beard and short hair, wearing a dark blazer with arms crossed, against a white background.
A woman with blonde hair smiling and posing with a boy wearing a colorful hat, sunglasses, and a bright orange T-shirt, outdoors under a tree.
A professional man with dark hair and light skin, wearing a dark checkered suit, light blue shirt, and pink paisley tie, smiling against a plain white background.

  • Jennifer DiLeo is the Founder of smiles at sea. Affectionately known as “Mrs. Jen,” she earned her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Nazareth College in 2009. Over the past 16 years, she has served students across the special education spectrum — including those with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, apraxia, ADHD, auditory processing disorders, developmental delays, and visual field impairments. Known for her unwavering dedication and fierce advocacy, Mrs. Jen is a respected voice within the special education community.

  • Mr. Zicari serves as Managing Partner and CEO of The Bonadio Group, a nationally ranked Top 100 accounting and financial advisory firm based in Rochester, New York. In addition to leading the firm’s strategic and operational direction, he remains deeply engaged in civic and nonprofit leadership. He currently serves on the board of the University of Rochester Medical Center and is the former President of Special Olympics Western New York.

  • Founder and Managing Director, Mainstay Group

    Mr. Ball has deep expertise in the purchase, operation and management of charter yachts. His life-long commitment to children with special needs have made him an invaluable resource as smiles at sea charts its inaugural course—and beyond. Mr. Ball’s leadership will be an instrumental component of scaling the number of partner yachts to serve our smiles at seas families each year.