Join Matt’s Mission 5K on May 19 to support the mission of one of North Branford’s most amazing non-profits.

Registration is open now at http://test.jbsports.com/?page_id=218 where participants can sign up; pledging to raise funds to run.  The certified 5K’s rolling race course takes off from North Branford High School (NBHS) and returns there to a celebration and post-race party.

The race honors Matt Picciuto who died in a North Branford car accident on May 23, 2009, just weeks away from his NBHS graduation ceremony.  His mom, Lynn Riordan, knew her son wanted to make a difference in his life and founded Matt’s Mission in his memory.

The mission is to encourage drivers to slow down and drive safely, while raising awareness to the consequences of destructive driving decisions.  Matt’s Mission supports other charitable groups including MADD and North Branford-based Open Your Heart. Funds raised also help many North Branford families meet costs to support individual student  needs, from covering class dues to tumbling lessons. Additionally, funds support the annual Matt Picciuto Scholarship, which to date has awarded 18 NBHS graduates a total of $18,0000.

The 2012 Matt’s Mission 5K  raised $45,000 for children and their families. In the past three years, the  highly-attended annual Matt's Mission 5K has raised nearly $100,000 overall.