“Addicts are not bad people. We’re just people who are trying to feel better, but we have this disease.”

Matthew’s personal struggle with addiction underscores the critical importance of acknowledging and treating addiction as a disease. To begin the journey of achieving the foundation’s goals, we will engage with experts in the field. Because Matthew believed in early education and awareness of the disease, we will also make it a priority to work with educators to provide resources where needed.

“Let’s make stigmas a stigma.”

Matthew was passionate about dismantling the barriers of stigma that prevent people from seeking and receiving care, and his radical openness about his own addiction serves as a guiding light for our work. Using his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing as a roadmap, we will initiate conversations, challenge misconceptions, and pave the way for individuals to seek the care they deserve—without judgment.

“I was able to help my fellow man in times of strife and struggle, and what a gift that was.”

As we continue on our journey, we will honor Matthew’s enduring dedication to advocating for improved and equitable treatment options by working to address the gaps in existing recovery methods where people often struggle in their quest to achieve a lasting recovery. Our grantmaking will focus on supporting those who have provided impactful services to people suffering from the disease of addiction, with a focus on communities with the greatest needs and the fewest resources.