Fresh Coat Cares and Hands Across the Bay: Matt Boden’s Inspiring Community Projects

Matt Boden, franchise owner of Fresh Coat Painters of Tampa, is taking a heartfelt approach to community involvement with his work through Fresh Coat Cares. His recent project with Hands Across the Bay is a testament to his dedication to making a difference in the lives of others.

Hands Across the Bay is a nonprofit organization focused on supporting survivors of domestic violence. The organization helps these individuals transition to new homes, restart their lives and find stability. Boden’s personal connection to this cause stems from his own childhood experiences. “I experienced domestic violence as a child, so it was one of those things that was close to me. I could definitely connect with it,” said Boden. This connection, combined with the opportunity to directly impact lives, made his partnership with Hands Across the Bay an easy decision.

Through this collaboration, Boden and his Fresh Coat Painters team recently completed a transformative project for a family in need. “We met with Jennifer, who’s the mother, and we repainted her daughter Cheyenne’s room in a unicorn theme. And then she had two stepsons that were just moving in soon, and we repainted their room half blue and half red to kind of help them give a separate style in each half of the room,” Boden said.

The team also created an accent wall for Cheyenne’s room, blending seven colors to bring vibrancy and life to her space. “Seeing the joy on Cheyenne’s face when she saw her newly transformed room — it was a simple change, but it made a world of difference for her and her mom,” Boden said.

Boden’s journey with Fresh Coat Painters began in 2022 after a 20-year career in the hospitality industry. Seeking a new path, Boden explored various franchise opportunities before deciding on Fresh Coat Painters. “Back in 2022, I decided to go into the franchise industry,” he said. “Went through a couple different concepts and fields and really kind of honed in on the painting industry and got to meet with Fresh Coat and it just felt like a great fit.”

One of the aspects of Fresh Coat Painters that stood out to Boden was its emphasis on community involvement. “In the hospitality industry, you’re always connected to your community and want to stay close with them, so I knew after conversations with Fresh Coat that would be a good fit for us,” he said. “That’s why I’ve done a few projects with Fresh Coat Cares.”

Fresh Coat Cares encourages franchisees to engage in philanthropic efforts, offering support and resources for meaningful projects. Boden’s work with Hands Across the Bay is just one example of how he’s taken this mission to heart. While this was his first project with the nonprofit, Boden is committed to continuing the partnership. “We’re planning to do something similar once a quarter, though we’re open to doing more as opportunities arise,” he said.

For Boden, the impact of these efforts goes beyond the paint on the walls. “It’s always great to have a personal connection to whatever you’re supporting. But at the end of the day, you want to help people living in your community because those are the people who are help pushing your community forward,” he said.

With projects like these, Boden exemplifies how Fresh Coat Painters franchisees can make a significant difference in their communities, one brushstroke at a time.