Chris "C.J." Matthews - Founder
Chris L. Matthews, II aka C.J. realized his calling to service at an early age. When he was five years old, his family experienced a pregnancy loss and Chris struggled with losing his unborn sister, Karsen Angelica. Seeking comfort for her son, his mother Kristen asked him “if you could help other kids, what would you do? Chris explained that he never wanted any child to feel loneliness, a feeling that frequented his little heart when the baby did not come home. To help him to cope, Kristen set up a GoFundMe campaign and asked friends and family members across the country to donate money for Chris’ cause. They created Blankies 4 My Buddies, and for seven years now, Chris has been collecting warm blankets to provide an extra dose of comfort to kids who are sick or displaced. In March, he was recognized as the Community Service honoree at the 2019 YOU International Awards. In 2017, he was a recipient of a Disney Summer of Service grant and his family used the grant to launch the 1st Annual Giving Bowl, a 7-on-7 charitable flag football game to feed families and collect blankets for residents in his South Atlanta community for the holidays. This November, the Matthews’ Family will host the 3rd annual event. With the help of community partners, they have been able to feed in excess of 50 families each year. Chris is a very active kid who enjoys science, coding, the Arts, and playing video games in his free time. He participates in several sports, including football, soccer, and rugby. He has always liked to read and write and excels in Language Arts. Chris practices mindfulness in which he has learned from one of his mentors, author and former NFL running back, Prince Daniels, Jr. C.J. is a very happy kid who loves to make others smile. His family is very proud of him, but what he is most proud of is being the big brother to three-year-old, Kollin. Chris is a 7th Grade Honor student at Fulton Leadership Academy in East Point, GA. This academic year Chris was nominated by one of his teachers to attend the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC), the premier leadership development program for middle school students, in Washington, D.C. in Summer 2020.
Chris L. Matthews, II aka C.J. realized his calling to service at an early age. When he was five years old, his family experienced a pregnancy loss and Chris struggled with losing his unborn sister, Karsen Angelica. Seeking comfort for her son, his mother Kristen asked him “if you could help other kids, what would you do? Chris explained that he never wanted any child to feel loneliness, a feeling that frequented his little heart when the baby did not come home. To help him to cope, Kristen set up a GoFundMe campaign and asked friends and family members across the country to donate money for Chris’ cause. They created Blankies 4 My Buddies, and for seven years now, Chris has been collecting warm blankets to provide an extra dose of comfort to kids who are sick or displaced. In March, he was recognized as the Community Service honoree at the 2019 YOU International Awards. In 2017, he was a recipient of a Disney Summer of Service grant and his family used the grant to launch the 1st Annual Giving Bowl, a 7-on-7 charitable flag football game to feed families and collect blankets for residents in his South Atlanta community for the holidays. This November, the Matthews’ Family will host the 3rd annual event. With the help of community partners, they have been able to feed in excess of 50 families each year. Chris is a very active kid who enjoys science, coding, the Arts, and playing video games in his free time. He participates in several sports, including football, soccer, and rugby. He has always liked to read and write and excels in Language Arts. Chris practices mindfulness in which he has learned from one of his mentors, author and former NFL running back, Prince Daniels, Jr. C.J. is a very happy kid who loves to make others smile. His family is very proud of him, but what he is most proud of is being the big brother to three-year-old, Kollin. Chris is a 7th Grade Honor student at Fulton Leadership Academy in East Point, GA. This academic year Chris was nominated by one of his teachers to attend the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC), the premier leadership development program for middle school students, in Washington, D.C. in Summer 2020.