Photographers Across the Country Participating in “Family Portrait Month” Promotion to Benefit Operation Smile

During October, nearly 350 photographers from 41 states and the District of Columbia are joining together with PPA Charities (the philanthropic arm of Professional Photographers of America) in promoting Family Portrait Month.  This national fundraising effort will benefit Operation Smile, a worldwide children’s medical charity which treats children around the world who suffer with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.  Participating photographers have pledged to contribute a portion of each October family portrait sale to PPA Charities, which has chosen Operation Smile as its charitable partner.  During the three-year partnership, PPA Charities has raised more than $100,000 for Operation Smile.

“Operation Smile is honored to join with Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and its Family Portrait Month campaign,” said Beth Marshall, Operation Smile Senior Executive Advisor for Latin America.  “This partnership brings together photographers who capture smiles and Operation Smile which provides new smiles to children around the world who are born with facial deformities.” 

“Recording the faces of children and their families is what photographers do,” says Richmond, Virginia, photographer Mary Fisk-Taylor, who serves as president of the PPA Charities Board of Trustees, and who was instrumental in developing the Family Portrait Month promotion. “It’s hard to imagine a more appropriate charity for our members to support. And when parents participate in Family Portrait Month, it’s a wonderful way to teach children the value of reaching out to others. Even small children can understand the importance of Operation Smile’s work, and they are eager to help these needy children.”

To view a list of studios participating in Family Portrait Month, visit www.familyportraitmonth.com.

About Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org)
Founded in 1982, Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide children’s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults.  Since its founding, Operation Smile volunteers have treated more than 120,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities and the organization has a presence in 51 countries.  In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.