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@rj3foundation

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501c3 nonprofit supporting student athlete mental health through access to care, education & awareness, and preserving the memory of Ryan Jefferson

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💚💜⚾️WE’RE BACK💜💚⚾️

It’s been a little while since we last saw you, but there has been a lot happening behind the scenes at the RJ3 Foundation this year. We have exciting updates, upcoming events, and new ways to get involved coming soon that we can’t wait to share with all of you, and we’re kicking things off with our first RJ3 hat release!

We’re officially opening pre-orders for these RJ3 Foundation hats, and for this first run, we’re only making 90.

Each hat is $48 total, which includes:

🧢 The hat
📦 Shipping and handling
🚚 Delivery directly to you

There will be no additional shipping cost after you order — the $48 is all-in. Hats will be shipped to you within 3 weeks of completing your pre-order!

To reserve yours:

1️⃣ Fill out the Google Form using the link in our bio
2️⃣ Submit your $48 payment using the instructions in the form

Completing the form and sending payment will officially claim your hat. Since we only have 90 available, hats will be reserved on a first come, first served basis. All hats will be delivered within 3 weeks of fully completing pre-order form.

Every purchase directly supports the RJ3 Foundation and helps us continue creating opportunities, uplifting others, and growing the impact we can make in our community.

We’re excited to be back, excited for what’s ahead, and grateful to everyone who continues to support RJ3.

🔗 Pre-order form linked in bio! Dm with any questions

Wear the mission. Thank you for watching 💚💜⚾️ by @rj3foundation

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3 months ago

Ryan Jefferson was a division 1 recruit for the UIUC baseball program. Outside of his talent, tenacity, and drive on the baseball field, he was a loving, caring, and wonderful child who wanted nothing more than to give and show love to every soul that he met. Despite his baseball success and his large base of friends and family that he loved and loved him, Ryan took his life at the age of 16.

Mental health is real. It affects millions of people and often it affects the people who smile the brightest and love the largest. When fate decides it is time for someone to leave us, the best things we can do to keep them alive are to remember them for who they were and strive to create a better world inspired by their memory.

The purpose of the RJ3 foundation is to honor Ryan’s legacy through raising awareness about mental health, providing access to resources and support for struggling athletes, and sharing the story of who Ryan was and the impact he had on the communities he was apart of. Our vision is a world in which the barriers of mental health are overcome through the power of sports and unity.

To learn more about us and the work we’ll be doing to help developing athletes overcome mental-health struggles, please reach out and/or check out our website.

#RJ3 by @rj3foundation

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3 years ago

It was a pleasure chatting with @themaleyway last week! We had a great discussion regarding Ryan’s life and story, the origins of the foundation and where we’re going now, and the broader mental health landscape and the struggles that athletes face every day.

Check out the full episode using the link in our bio!

#RJ3 by @rj3foundation

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a year ago

4 years ago today you went to heaven, but I still feel you with me every day. Years may go by, but your love, light, and spirit last forever. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die

Love you Ryan💚

#rj3 taken in Field Of Dreams by @rj3foundation

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a year ago

I really enjoyed my time speaking at Providence Catholic in New Lenox. The student athletes were focused, respectful, and fully engaged throughout the presentation. I hope they took something valuable away from it. Big thanks to @rj3foundation and @hudah89 for organizing, and it was great catching up with Principal Paul Houston from my Lyons Township days. Much appreciated! by @rj3foundation

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a year ago

Huge thank you to management consulting firm ZS Associates for hosting their annual charity golf outing in honor of the RJ3 Foundation this year! ⛳️ 🤍

Words cannot express our gratitude for their support, with the ZS team having raised ~$6,000 from the event to support our mission of providing resources and improving mental health for student-athletes

Every swing, every donation, and every conversation helps carry forward RJ3’s legacy and make a difference ♾️ 🎗️

The RJ3 team would also like to personally thank @mtdent for your service on the RJ3 advisory board and making this event a reality, your passion for athlete mental health and support for the foundation since joining the team is truly a game changer 🤝

#RJ3 taken in Crane's Landing Golf Course by @rj3foundation

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a year ago

The origins of the RJ3 Foundation are heartbreaking, but the mission Noah Jefferson has built is inspiring. He not only works to keep his brother’s legacy alive but also focuses on helping other young athletes face their own mental health struggles.

When Noah and I spoke, he made an important point: it is not just about raising awareness or breaking the stigma around mental health. It is also about connecting athletes directly to resources that can help them. That hit me, because so much of my own story centers on awareness and stigma, and I sometimes forget the next step of pointing people to the tools and professionals that are already out there.

Noah also highlighted something that resonated deeply with me. In sports culture, athletes are often taught to suppress emotions, to fight through pain instead of asking for help. Changing that culture is exactly why the RJ3 Foundation’s mission matters so much.

Check out the episode with Noah Jefferson of the RJ3 Foundation on any podcast streaming service, or you can check out the video as well on The Maley Way YouTube channel. #rj3foundation #mentalhealth #resources #athletes by @rj3foundation

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a year ago

This was an absolutely heartbreaking story, but I appreciate Noah Jefferson’s willingness to create something good out of unimaginable family tragedy. Noah’s brother Ryan was a star baseball player at Providence Catholic High School and a University of Illinois commit. Just months after accepting his scholarship, he took his own life. The world never had the chance to see where his talent would take him.

In response, Noah started the RJ3 Foundation to honor his brother’s memory. The mission of the foundation is to erase stigma and help connect young athletes with mental health resources. Hear and see my conversation with Noah on Tuesday. by @rj3foundation

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a year ago

Heroes get remembered, but legends never die ⚾❤️ Happy Birthday, Ryan ♾🙏 by @rj3foundation

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a year ago

Your circle is one of the strongest support systems out there when facing life’s challenges. @mackytanks recently met with the RJ3 team and discussed how his circle of friends and family helped him overcome his struggles while achieving his athletic dreams and honoring Ryan’s legacy.

Check out An Athlete’s Journey Episode 2: Living like Ryan on our YouTube linked in our instagram bio to listen to Mack’s story!

#rj3 by @rj3foundation

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a year ago

An Athlete’s Journey Episode 2: Living like Ryan is out now!

In this edition @vandyboys commit Mack Whitcomb shares his story and talks about his relationship with Ryan Jefferson, his mental health struggles as a student athlete, and how he overcame them through support from friends and family while living Ryan’s values every day.

Check out the full interview on our YouTube and stay tuned for more clips coming soon!

#rj3 by @rj3foundation

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a year ago

As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, we wanted to re-visit our interview with @samueljohnhojnar as well as make an announcement!

We are introducing our interview series, An Athlete’s Journey! Episode 1: Bigger than baseball with Sam Hojnar and Noah Jefferson is out on YouTube now! Go click the link in our bio, give it a watch, and subscribe!

#MentalHealthAwareness #RJ3 by @rj3foundation

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