The 988 Initiative

On July 16, 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is transitioning from its current 10-digit number 1-800-273-8255 to the new 3-digit number 988. To raise awareness of this change, I have designed a 2-inch circular patch, pictured at the top of this page, that can be placed on the sleeve of sports uniforms or the side of a hat. We are also considering the creation of banners that could be placed on fences at fields and stickers that could be placed on helmets, water bottles, etc.

 

Many people, especially athletes, have difficulty speaking up about their mental struggles in fear of them appearing weak, and as a result, stay silent. Through this patch as a show of support for those going through mental struggles, we will be encouraging those in our community to reach out for help while also making them aware of this new number that will be accessible in July of this year.

 

I have created this GoFundMe as a way to raise money to buy and sew on patches for teams and organizations that may not be able to pay for the whole process. The patches will be around $0.60 each, and around $3 per uniform for the patch to be sewn onto the sleeve, coming out to about $4 per jersey for the whole process. The more money we raise through this GoFundMe, the more teams we can provide free patches to and the more people become aware of the 988 number and this mission.

 

If you or anyone you know may be interested in purchasing 988 patches, please reach out to me through the contact button below. Please provide your email or phone number in the message so that I can reach out to you once I receive your message. The background, number, and border colors are fully customizable. I look forward to seeing this project grow and evolve over time, and hope to impact even just one person through our efforts.

 

Thank you for your support!