Simply Smiles, the Connecticut-based not-for-profit organization, will host its annual “Keep Hope Alive” fundraising event on Friday, April 26, at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street.

The fundraiser will begin at 6 pm with complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres. At 6:30 pm, Bryan Nurnberger, president and founder of Simply Smiles, will briefly outline some of the organization’s current initiatives at its project locations on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota and its children’s home in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The evening will also honor Middlebury couple Ann and Michael Feinberg for their longtime support of Simply Smiles. The couple, who recently returned from a volunteer experience at the Simply Smiles Home for Children in Oaxaca, Mexico, will be presented with a scholarship for educational initiatives in their name.

“The Ann and Michael Feinberg Scholarship not only celebrates this amazing couple’s ongoing commitment, but it will also recognize their legacy by providing educational support for emerging leaders at our children’s home in Mexico,” said Nurnberger. “Ann and Michael have been passionate, avid supporters of Simply Smiles since the beginning. It’s an honor to have them be a part of our community.”

In addition to contributing to the scholarship fund, guests will have the opportunity to donate any amount to support Simply Smiles projects, such as summer camp for Lakota youth on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota and the expansion of the Simply Smiles Home for Children in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Food and refreshments for the Keep Hope Alive Newtown event are being generously donated by many local businesses, including Black Hog Brewing Co., Dere Street, Fusion 25, Litchfield Distillery, The Local Gourmet, My Place Pizzeria & Restaurant, Red Rooster Pub, Sal e Pepe Contemporary Italian Bistro.

There is no cost to attend, and the event is open to all. Business casual attire requested.

Simply Smiles requests that guests RSVP at keephopealive.simplysmiles.org.

Simply Smiles is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing bright futures for children, families, and communities. The organization partners with populations in need to create physical and emotional environments where suffering is alleviated and from which local leaders can emerge.

The work of Simply Smiles instills hope and removes obstacles, empowering indigenous peoples to chart their own course to self-determination and a brighter future. For more information visit simplysmiles.org.