Matthew is a Gladney Friend, and he will be running the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon as part of Gladney's charity team. In addition to physically training, he is fundraising to support Gladney in creating bright futures through adoption. Thank you, Matthew!

He shared, "I'm running for Gladney so that I can combine my love of running with my passion and respect for adoption. Training for the marathon this year has allowed me to reflect personally on what it means to be adopted and how wonderful it was for both my biological parents and my parents to connect with each other under their respective circumstances. I am blessed that my teenage biological parents chose to place me as a newborn with my parents, who were unable (at the time) to create their own family. It was truly a match made in heaven.

The memory that stands out to me the most about being adopted was my parents' willingness to be transparent about why I was placed for adoption and how I could eventually reconnect with my biological parents, if it was something I wanted to do. They were always so supportive of adoption, as so many people struggle with fertility issues. I have always been proud of being adopted because of their strong support."

Contribute to Matthew's fundraiser by clicking on his photo.