“Coming back to Alexander Youth Network was very much like closing the circle,” Shelley said.
Shelley and Maddalon first connected with the nonprofit as volunteers. That experience evolved into fostering and eventually adopting their son, Jed, in 2010.
WCNC Charlotte first shared their family’s story in 2013, when Maddalon described the conditions Jed endured before entering foster care.
“He was locked in a room and fed from a dish on the floor in a pretty primitive way,” Maddalon said at the time. “I don’t know how else to describe it except he was raised as a dog.”
Shelley said the adoption shaped their family in ways they never anticipated and reinforced the importance of early support and stability for children who have experienced trauma.
“All these kids need is just a little bit of a foundation and hope,” Shelley said. “They had no more control over the circumstances they were born into than any of us did. So why can’t we just spread a little bit of hope around and a little bit of time?”
Alexander Youth Network provides mental health services, therapeutic support and care for children with complex behavioral needs, along with resources for families navigating those challenges.
For Shelley, the organization’s mission is both personal and professional.
“I’ve had a very fulfilling career and a very fulfilled family,” he said. “It’s nice to marry those two things together. I hope to be here for many years.”
Lynn Crutchfield, president of Alexander Youth Network, said Shelley’s personal connection to the mission strengthens the organization’s outreach and advocacy.
“He can help people understand that they’re just like every other kid that they see,” Crutchfield said. “They’re not these monsters or these mean, horrible kids that you hear about on the news. They’re real people.”
Shelley said returning to the organization that helped build his family has been deeply meaningful.