UNIT3D for Hilinski’s Hope: CougCenter and Cougfan are raising money for the foundation

Once upon a time, you, the readers of CougCenter, raised more than $23,000 in two years to support Make-A-Wish.

We’re back with a new foundation to support, one that hits close to home for all of us. And this time, we brought some awesome, heavy-hitting friends to help us do it.

CougCenter.com is teaming up with Cougfan.com for a fundraising campaign we’re calling UNIT3D for Hilinski’s Hope, and we’re kicking it off by selling some snazzy shirts:

You can buy yours now at this store! For each shirt sold, roughly $15 will go back to the Hilinski’s Hope Foundation.

If you’re a Coug, you’ve almost certainly at least heard of Hilinski’s Hope. But maybe you don’t know much else about the foundation. If not, this is for you.

In the wake of the tragic death of Washington State Cougars quarterback Tyler Hilinski in January, we all were left to wonder we we possibly could do to help. It wasn’t long after Tyler’s passing that his parents, Mark and Kym, led the way by forming the Hilinski’s Hope Foundation. Based on the premise that Tyler — known as one of the most gregarious and caring players in the WSU program — must have been suffering in silence before taking his own life, the foundation was formed to “educate, advocate, and remove the stigma associated with mental illness, while funding programs that provide student-athletes with the tools and resources that support their mental health and wellness.”

In short: Let’s do everything we can to make sure none of us ever lose anyone again the way we lost Tyler.

It’s time for the WSU internet community to join them in that mission.

In addition to the unisex t-shirt shown, we also are offering:

• Women’s slim-fit tees
• Tank tops
• Children’s tees
• Hoodies
• Football jersey tees

All have the same logo, which means there’s literally no reason to not outfit the whole family. In fact, I bought the first five shirts — two adult, three kids. Easy peasy.

We have a modest goal of selling 500 units. I have a pretty good history of underestimating what y’all are capable of; for our first Make-A-Wish fundraiser, I hoped we could raise $1,000 — the final tally checked in at more than $11,000.

I’m hoping you’ll make me look silly again.

One other thing: When you purchase your snazzy shirt, you’ll have the opportunity to also make a cash donation. Feel free to do that!

We’ll be along later this week with more opportunities to give. But while you’re waiting for that, just go get your t-shirt. Let’s give Hilinski’s Hope the money it needs to fulfill its mission to make a difference in the lives of student-athletes at WSU and around the country.

And always remember:

If you feel like you are suffering in silence, tell someone and don’t be afraid to seek out help. It can get better. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

James Snook-USA TODAY Sports