Luke J. Raymond Foundation
Donation protected
Our beloved son, brother, and friend, Luke Joseph Raymond left this world much too early. Luke is a bright, beautiful, caring soul who lost his fight with depression on July 1st, 2020. Luke is brave and courageous and pushed through trenches and obstacles of pain that were far too big for this world. In just his brief 30 years, Luke impacted the lives of so many around him, encouraging loved ones to know and love like Christ, working at animal shelters, volunteering at food banks, lifeguarding and teaching Sunday school. Luke was a force of his own, wildly smart and exceedingly giving. He cared more about others than he did himself and undoubtedly has left a lasting impact on those who loved him.
The face of mental illness is deceiving. Just like any disease, mental illness knows no discrimination of age, race or religion. It does not matter where you went to school, how many friends or family you have that love you, it does not matter what kind of job or responsibilities you have. Depression and anxiety can look like a charming, silly, well dressed young man, with deep dimples in his smile and a love for animals, chess, poker and movies. It can also look dark, lonely, confusing and painful. Mental Illness has many different faces and shows up uniquely with each individual. The stigma our society has placed on mental illness has, even more so, debilitated the lives of loved ones dealing with a mental illness. We need to raise the awareness, and stop the stigma. Literally, lives depend on it. We need to support and encourage our mental health community more than ever.
Luke was not alone in his fight, although his illness may have made him feel that way. The Luke J. Raymond Foundation will honor Luke’s courage and honor the millions that are affected by mental illness and suicide. In honor of Luke and his legacy and the life that he lived, our family will be starting the Luke J. Raymond Foundation to raise awareness for mental illness and the obstacles one can face and the resources that are available to help. 100% of the donations will be going to resources for mental health and mental illness awareness, suicide prevention and mental health care. One in five people suffer from a mental illness and suicide is the country’s 10th leading cause of death.
One way we would like to honor Luke’s legacy is by working in partnership with the On Our Own of Charlottesville organization. Luke was an active member of the On Our Own community. This organization provides mental health support by promoting self reliance and helping others through the process of recovery. On Our Own of Charlottesville is a peer-run community center that Luke was drawn to and found major support from and he contributed a beautiful, supporting energy to his friends and members of On Our Own. This organization actively advocates for positive change within the traditional mental health system.
We would like to begin our work with The Luke J. Raymond Foundation by supporting this inspiring and essential organization. We are so grateful for your donation, big or small, to help do our part in honoring Luke’s story, his courageous fight and helping the countless others that are affected by mental illness and suicide. Help us be the change.
The face of mental illness is deceiving. Just like any disease, mental illness knows no discrimination of age, race or religion. It does not matter where you went to school, how many friends or family you have that love you, it does not matter what kind of job or responsibilities you have. Depression and anxiety can look like a charming, silly, well dressed young man, with deep dimples in his smile and a love for animals, chess, poker and movies. It can also look dark, lonely, confusing and painful. Mental Illness has many different faces and shows up uniquely with each individual. The stigma our society has placed on mental illness has, even more so, debilitated the lives of loved ones dealing with a mental illness. We need to raise the awareness, and stop the stigma. Literally, lives depend on it. We need to support and encourage our mental health community more than ever.
Luke was not alone in his fight, although his illness may have made him feel that way. The Luke J. Raymond Foundation will honor Luke’s courage and honor the millions that are affected by mental illness and suicide. In honor of Luke and his legacy and the life that he lived, our family will be starting the Luke J. Raymond Foundation to raise awareness for mental illness and the obstacles one can face and the resources that are available to help. 100% of the donations will be going to resources for mental health and mental illness awareness, suicide prevention and mental health care. One in five people suffer from a mental illness and suicide is the country’s 10th leading cause of death.
One way we would like to honor Luke’s legacy is by working in partnership with the On Our Own of Charlottesville organization. Luke was an active member of the On Our Own community. This organization provides mental health support by promoting self reliance and helping others through the process of recovery. On Our Own of Charlottesville is a peer-run community center that Luke was drawn to and found major support from and he contributed a beautiful, supporting energy to his friends and members of On Our Own. This organization actively advocates for positive change within the traditional mental health system.
We would like to begin our work with The Luke J. Raymond Foundation by supporting this inspiring and essential organization. We are so grateful for your donation, big or small, to help do our part in honoring Luke’s story, his courageous fight and helping the countless others that are affected by mental illness and suicide. Help us be the change.
Organizer
Elizabeth Raymond
Organizer
Greenbriar Heights, VA
