Musician Matt Nathanson to Receive Universal Smile Award at San Francisco Operation Smile Gala

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Oct 28, 2015, 01:07 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Musician Matt Nathanson will be honored with the Universal Smile Award by Operation Smile, at the San Francisco Smile Gala on Saturday, November 7, 2015, at the InterContinental Hotel. Shab Farzaneh and Shirin Aryanpour will co-chair the event and Lisa Lori, Founders' Circle member, will serve as honorary chair. Fremont Bank will receive the Corporate Humanitarian Award, and Liam Mayclem, Host of CBS 5TV's Eye on the Bay, will serve as the evening's emcee.

"We are honored to present the Universal Smile Award to Matt Nathanson in recognition of his philanthropic work in support of Starkey Hearing Foundation, to improve the lives of others through the healing power of music," said Operation Smile Co-Founder and CEO, Dr. Bill Magee.

In 2014, Nathanson traveled to Peru with Starkey Hearing Foundation to provide hearing aids to those in need. "I felt love and gratitude towards other human beings on a level I've never experienced," said Nathanson. The Foundation provides more than 200,000 hearing aids annually to children and adults through global hearing missions and the daily efforts of their domestic Hear Now program. Nathanson donated 100% of the artist and label proceeds from his video "Headphones" to the Foundation (headphones.starkeyhearingfoundation.org/).

Operation Smile, is an international children's medical charity, which provides free surgeries for children worldwide suffering from facial deformities - healing their smiles and transforming their lives. The Universal Smile Award recognizes individuals who exemplify an extraordinary commitment to helping others in need who are facing medical challenges.

"I am humbled to be recognized by an organization that gives back to children worldwide in need of smiles and brighter futures, and I look forward to lending my voice to further Operation Smile's mission," said Nathanson.

During the event, a live auction will be held to raise money to provide life changing surgeries for children around the world. For as little as $240, an Operation Smile patient will receive a cleft lip surgery and the donor will in turn receive a Perfect Provenance tee designed by honorary chair Lisa Lori's son, Luke.

Individual tickets for the Smile Gala begin at $200. For more information, please visit www.operationsmile.org/sfgala.

For more information, contact:
Robyn Elefane
Operation Smile
310.598.9960 | [email protected]

SOURCE Operation Smile