Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Brown

Hi Matt, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

In 2010, I suffered a spinal cord injury during a high school hockey game. From the very beginning, I had an unbelievable support system around me, consisting of friends and family, and they were the ones to let me know that I wasn’t going to face what was ahead of me on my own. They were a major factor in helping me get through the early stages of rehab at Children’s Hospital in Boston and the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Their support helped me through going back to high school and graduating, and then going on to college. I knew that with how lucky I had been with my support system, it was time for us to come together and be that support system for someone else. That led me to launch the Matt Brown Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization helping those who have suffered illness or injury, with a particular emphasis on those battling paralysis and spinal cord injuries.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

By no means has it been a smooth road. The support system that I have around me has made it a whole lot easier though. I have many people that I can lean on and talk to when things get tough. I am so lucky for the friends and family that I have, but I am human. There are times when the injury can weigh on me. One of the biggest things that helps me snap out of it is the thought of my injury could always be worse. There are individuals and families out there facing things that are harder than what I’m going through.

As you know, we’re big fans of Matt Brown Foundation, Inc.. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?

The Matt Brown Foundation is a 501(c)(3) foundation whose mission is to support and assist groups, individuals, and families living with or recovering from injury or illness with a particular emphasis on those recovering from spinal cord injuries. We launched the foundation in June 2020, right in the middle of pandemic. The first year and a half was slow due to the pandemic but our support system came to our side and we were able to help a few individuals. Since then, things have really started to expand. Through our team in the Boston Marathon, Falmouth Road Race, and our golf tournament, we’ve been able to grow the impact that we have had on those battling paralysis. In 2021, our grant program handed out $25,000. In 2022, we increased that to $70,000, and last year we were able to surpass $75,000. Through the first five months in 2024, we have been able to already surpass last year’s total. We have helped with pieces of home equipment, bathroom renovations, and we have played a role in helping families purchase handicap accessible vans. The impact that we have had has felt great, but I can’t stress enough the fact that none of it would be possible without those who support us and our events. I’m lucky enough to have my name as name of the foundation, but it is everyone that has contributed to our efforts that make it a possibility, and I am incredibly grateful to them.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

No.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mattbrownfoundation.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbrown_foundation/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067069811341

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