About Do It For JJ

Do It For JJ is an all volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit  to honor the legacy of JJ Ruszin—a life defined by love, kindness, authenticity, honesty, inclusivity, friendship, and ambition. We carry forward JJ’s spirit by investing in opportunities that uplift young people, strengthen families, and unite communities.

Our mission comes to life through:

1. Higher Education Scholarships for high school seniors
2. Tutoring support for students in grades 7–12
3. Sponsorship of Little League baseball teams
4. Support for grieving families
5. Community fundraising events that inspire connection and create positive impact

We are committed to living out the values JJ stood for—ensuring his example not only continues, but grows stronger in the lives of others.

JJ was fortunate enough to have the occasional assistance of tutors throughout his academic career.  Eventually, most students struggle academically at some point and tutoring can not only improve test scores but improve confidence and study habits.  As a newly formed non-profit our goal is to establish a pilot program supporting AGSD students grade 7-12 in need of tutoring assistance.  

Losing a child or sibling is a devastating and life altering loss like no other.  Your world changes in a blink of an eye with grief so constricting it becomes hard to breathe.  Family dynamics change and new skills need to be learned to help survive and cope with such a loss.  One way to support grieving families is through family and grief therapy.  But therapy can be very expensive, so any assistance can be a tremendous help to those in need. Food trains can be another source of assistance by allowing families to grieve without having to worry about cooking meals.  A "food train" (or "meal train") is a coordinated effort where friends, family, or community members take turns bringing meals or providing gift cards to someone who needs support, often during times of illness, childbirth, or other life events