Paying Kindness Forward
Hey, good buddy. How's it going?
If you were friends with Matt Hillebrandt, you were his good buddy. It’s what he called you when he saw you. It’s how he introduced you to any of his other friends or family.
Those friends and family? That’s us.
We formed Goodbuddies after Matt passed to celebrate his life and his passion for close friendships — from school, college, work or just hanging around. Now his good buddies are Goodbuddies, and we’re here to celebrate friendship and pay Matt’s kindness forward.
Every year around Matt’s birthday, we gather together for a tailgate to toast our memories of Matt and raise money to support the causes he embodied.
The Annual Goodbuddies Event is September 26, 2026 from 4 - 8 PM at the grassy area next to Prairie Lane Pool.
Thanks, buddies. Your help improves lives.
Every year, Goodbuddies awards a scholarship to an incoming senior at Creighton Prep High School. That scholarship goes to a student with the same integrity and courage as Matt. Above all, though, the student must be kind to others. This year, we are proud to share that we are increasing that scholarship to $13,000 that will be awarded in the 2026-2027 school year.
Last year, we made a donation to the Sleep in Heavenly Peace organization and delivered about 28 beds to kids in our community, donated to the Collective for Hope who offers free, compassionate grief support to families of all ages and backgrounds in our community, and we've started a scholarship at Marian High School using the same merits as the Prep scholarship. Goodbuddies also adopted five families in our community over the Christmas season to fulfill their Christmas lists for their families.
We couldn’t offer that without the generous support of those who believe in our mission — local businesses, Matt’s friends and the Hillebrandt family. Thanks to everyone involved for being our Goodbuddy and supporting our organization.