How Austin's Best Day Ever Foundation Brings Joy to Families Who Need It Most

This week's Founder Friday is about a founder who turned pain into service. Matt Worthington is the man behind Best Day Ever Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit based in Austin that creates tailored "best days" for individuals and families going through life's hardest seasons.

For business owners, the lesson is simple: passion and alignment make the work easier, the team stronger, and the impact bigger.

Here's what Matt shared...

What is the Best Day Ever Foundation, and who does it serve?

The Best Day Ever Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit based here in Austin, Texas that gives special experiences, specifically best days, to individuals and families going through a difficult time.

It could be a father with stage four brain cancer, a family who just lost their home to a house fire, or an elementary school student who got into a bad car accident and can no longer walk. We get these stories submitted to us, and once we receive the story, we figure out what that individual or family absolutely loves, and then we give them a special day based on those things.

How did this even start? Where did the idea come from?

A few years ago, my dad passed away. In the midst of that, I felt lost, unhappy, and unfulfilled. I was trying to find my way, and it dawned on me that the quickest way to feeling love is giving love. The quickest way to feeling happiness is giving happiness. So I set a goal to do one nice thing every single week for an entire year. The idea was that along the way, hopefully it would encourage other people to go out and do nice things too. Through that process, I'd also start to heal myself.

The first video I documented and shared online was me cleaning my roommate's room. The next one was mowing my neighbor's yard. It snowballed from there organically. About six months in, one of the videos went viral. What that signaled to me is that during a time when so much of what you see online is negative and divisive, kindness cuts through the noise.

So I thought, what if instead of giving someone a special moment, we gave them a special day? And instead of a special day, their best day? What if we did it for people going through something difficult? We opened it up to the internet to submit stories of people they knew who were struggling, and during that process, we created what is now the Best Day Ever Foundation.

Are there any days that especially stick out for you, where you think back and feel like it's all worth it?

One in particular jumps out. It was for an 11 year old named Bergen. She wasn't going through anything difficult, but her mom had come across her page and shared it with Bergen. From that point forward, all Bergen talked about was wanting to go out and make the world a better place, like she sees us doing in the videos.

Her mom reached out and asked if Bergen could do a best day with us. Of course we said yes. Part of this is trying to leave the world better than we came into it and encourage the next generation to want to serve and give back too. Together, we went to a nursing home and handed out flowers to the residents. Bergen's best day was giving other people the best day. That was really special for us to see.

How many people are you reaching, and how many would you like to reach?

Over the last year and a half, we've done over 200 best days, tailored special days for individuals and families that have been submitted to us. We also have another campaign called Brighter Days, which is going out and surprising strangers with random acts of kindness. That ranges from giving someone a bouquet of flowers at the grocery store to taking someone skydiving who has never been before.

Combined, we've done somewhere between 400 and 500 best days and brighter day campaigns.

What makes Austin a special place to call home for this?

I'm from Austin, so part of it is that it's home. All my friends and family are here. But Austin is also unique in how community focused it is. People want to help each other win and see each other go to the next level. Having this as a home base for the foundation is really special because so much collaboration has happened organically.

A lot of business owners, entrepreneurs, C-suite leaders, and people at entertainment and sports organizations just want to give back because they want to see this community thrive and become a better place. There may be other cities like that, but I haven't found one quite as special as Austin.

Are there any Austin specific people, communities, or resources that you've gotten a tremendous amount out of?

Yes. He gave me a shout out, I think, on this exact podcast, and that's Alec Rios. Alec is one of the most special and unique people I've ever met. He truly cares, and you feel it through conversation and through action. If he says he's going to do something, he follows through. He just wants to bring people together.

He's been instrumental in helping facilitate some of our bigger surprises. A couple weeks ago, we surprised a struggling restaurant with 100 customers, and he was huge in driving traffic to it and getting people there. In a few months, we're hoping to break a world record at COTA, Circuit of the Americas. We're going to surprise a kid who loves superheroes by doing a superhero run, bringing the most people in one place at one time wearing superhero costumes, and he's going to lead the front of the race. I know for a fact Alec will be all over making that happen.

He was also super helpful with the gala. I can't say enough good things about him. He has a heart of gold, and the community he's building, which we're both a part of, is one of one.

Is there anything you're doing right now that's working better than expected?

Speaking personally, I've been very pleased with my ability to lead. I've always wanted to be a leader, and I've always been impressed by people who can get up in front of a group and evoke emotion and convey ideas in a way that moves people to act. I never considered myself someone who could comfortably do that. I felt like I'd have to prepare for hours in front of the mirror.

In recent months, it's come much easier. I think it's because I'm finally doing something that feels super aligned. I don't feel like I have to try. This is just who I am.

From a team perspective, I've also been impressed with the volunteers who give their time. I haven't had to direct them as much as I've historically had to. They've picked things up so quickly. What that shows me is there are a lot of people out there more talented than I am, and I just need to empower them to do what they're already good at.

Are there any things you'd advise people running a business or trying to make an impact in the community, whether in Austin or globally?

Business is a lot more fun when you have a passion for it. I've loved every second of what we've done up to this point, even with the challenges that inevitably arise, because even during the tough times, there's so much beauty in overcoming and getting one step closer to that ultimate ideal picture of what we want to create.

For us, that picture is having one of the largest nonprofits in the country, impacting lives in every state. We may be a long way from that now, but every roadblock we overcome is one step closer. It builds more momentum and more excitement. I don't know if I'd feel that way if I wasn't as passionate about what we're doing.

How can the Austin community help?

First, if you know someone going through a difficult time — a serious illness, housing loss, a major accident, or another hard season — reach out. Matt and the team would love to see if they can create something meaningful for them.

Second, if you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or connected to local sports, entertainment, hospitality, or experience-based businesses, they'd love to partner. Many of their best days depend on access to games, venues, rentals, activities, and special experiences.

Third, they're building a monthly giving community starting at $25/month. That recurring support helps them expand beyond Austin and say yes to more families in more places.

Where can people learn more?

Connect with Matt on Instagram and join his monthly giving community here.