Updates from The Kim Foundation

The Kim Foundation has been very busy the first half of the year. Take a look at some of the highlights!

Maha Music Festival rocked Stinson Park once again this year and continued to shine the light on many non-profits in the area that advocate for mental health. A Community Village was set up for concert-goers to visit booths of each non-profit and participate in a free activity that promotes mental wellness. The Kim Foundation provided a Calm Kit Station – including tea, bubbles, doodle notebooks, and a fun weaving craft.

The Kim Foundation has also continued co-facilitating the Metro Area Suicide Prevention Coalition (MASPC), a group that strives to end suicide in our community. One of the six workgroups within this coalition focuses on schools and school climate. This group created and developed the Nebraska School Suicide Prevention and Postvention Toolkit to help schools learn how to prevent suicide and what resources are available before and after a suicide occurs. Information on common mental health conditions is also included in the toolkit along with local, mental health specific resources. These will be distributed to all middle and high schools in the Region 6 area over the next two months.

The Educational Service Unit #3 (ESU3) and The Kim Foundation were selected to lead the Nebraska School Mental Health Initiative starting in 2018. In June, the Nebraska School Mental Health Forum was held to continue the conversation about our schools and what we can do to improve our students’ mental health and ultimately, success. The gathering created much needed dialogue and was concluded with a survey about 2019’s event, which will be a full-fledged conference in Kearney at the Younes Conference Center. Details on the 2019 Nebraska School Mental Health Conference can be found on our website.

Our annual luncheon, A Time for Hope & Healing, focuses on building awareness and support around mental health and suicide prevention in our community. This year’s event will feature Patrick Kennedy, one of the world’s leading innovators on the prevention and treatment of mental illness, addiction, and other brain diseases. Join us on Tuesday, October 16^th to hear Patrick’s journey at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in La Vista. Click here to purchase tickets to our annual luncheon.

The Kim Foundation has been very successful in delivering our message of hope through our presentations, A Voice for Hope & Healing. In 2017, we delivered more than 200 presentations to the public on topics of suicide prevention and mental health awareness, reaching just over 17,000 people, ranging from Omaha to western Nebraska, as well as into southwest Iowa. Whether you work with youth, adults, or for a corporation, we all have something to gain when it comes to knowing the signs of suicide and being more aware of our mental well-being. Let us know if you have a group interested in either topic by calling 402-891-6911 or emailing info@thekimfoundation.org. Sign up for a presentation on our website.

Janae Shillito, Community Relations Director, The Kim Foundation

Janae Shillito has been with The Kim Foundation since February 2017. She holds two science degrees with her alma maters including the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Janae’s love of volunteering and helping those without a voice created a strong desire to become a part of the non-profit world. In her spare time, she enjoys anything crafty, reading a good book, and being outside with her husband, Cory, and Rottweiler, Hank.