Nonprofit doubles its fundraising goal, raising over $100,000, as state senator honors a decade of community impact
RESTON, VA, UNITED STATES, October 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Matt Berthot, voice coach, speaker, and founder of Voice By Matt, made his mark on one of Northern Virginia’s most successful nonprofit galas of the year, debuting a new children’s choir, Voices of Hope, at BetterALife’s 10th anniversary celebration on September 26, 2026, at the AC Hotel Marriott in Reston Town Center.
The milestone night was a resounding success for BetterALife, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Northern Virginia with the mission of ending childhood hunger while building confidence through education and mentorship. The gala more than doubled its $50,000 fundraising goal, raising over $100,000 for local children. Virginia State Senator Russet Perry (31st District) also presented Senate Joint Resolution 200, formally honoring BetterALife’s decade of service to the community.
Amid the night’s milestones, it was Berthot’s choir that stopped the room. Voices of Hope, made up of local girls aged 10 to 11, spanning third grade through middle school, who take part in BetterALife’s after-school initiatives, delivered the evening’s standout performance. BetterALife Founder and CEO Elizabeth Ford, who started the organization with a $75 check to cover a child’s school lunch debt, said the young performers “stole the show with their little smiles and beautiful voices.”
Berthot, who began his career shaping the voices of youth in Kansas before founding Voice By Matt, volunteered to form the choir a year earlier at BetterALife’s prior anniversary celebration. The girls briefly considered naming themselves “Elizabeth’s Minions” before settling on Voices of Hope, a nod to the organization’s mission. The choir rehearses weekly and has winter performances planned at nursing homes, local businesses, and community events throughout Purcellville and Reston.
Those inspired to support BetterALife’s mission of ending childhood hunger, or the continued growth of Voices of Hope, can donate directly at betteralife.org/donate.
“Working with these girls has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done,” said Berthot. “Watching them find their voice, literally and figuratively, and give that gift back to a community that’s given so much to them, that’s exactly why I do this work.”
The moment reflects the same mission driving Berthot’s coaching practice: helping people “find, keep, share, and connect their voice, so their soul can come out and say hello.” Through Voice By Matt, he works with business professionals, speakers, and students, built on three core pillars, Craft, Artistry, and Performance Magic, to develop confidence, clarity, communication, presence, and courage. Berthot is a certified Estill Figure Eight Protocol (EFP) practitioner and an Estill Master Trainer (EMT) candidate.
To book Matt Berthot for voice lessons, media interviews, or speaking and emcee engagements, contact his publicist, Jasmine Bloemhof of Bloom Into The Spotlight™, at jasminebloemhof@outlook.com.
About Voice By Matt
Voice By Matt, founded by Matt Berthot, helps business professionals, speakers, and students develop their vocal abilities and public speaking skills through coaching programs, workshops, and MC/speaking services for corporate events and conferences. Berthot’s mission is to help clients find, keep, share, and connect their voice, bringing the same principles he teaches in the boardroom to community initiatives like Voices of Hope.
About BetterALife
BetterALife is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Northern Virginia with the mission of ending childhood hunger while building confidence through education and mentorship. In FY2025 alone, the organization served more than 10,000 households, distributed 75,000 pounds of food, and provided 8,000 weekend food bags to local children in need. Founded by Elizabeth Ford, BetterALife operates distribution sites in Purcellville and Reston Va, with program support from partners including Wegmans, Bank of Clarke, and Koniag-GS.
Jasmine Bloemhof
Bloom Into The Spotlight
+1 310-722-5861
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