Suicide Prevention Courses in the Community

The Metro Area Suicide Prevention Coalition is partnering with Metropolitan Community College and offering four noncredit courses in the community to bring awareness to suicide prevention.  September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and the coalition is pleased to provide these educational courses along with resources.  The registration fee for each course is $5.00 made payable to Metropolitan Community College.  The courses will be offered on Mondays in September at four different Metro locations across Omaha.  The Kim Foundation will be presenting on September 16^th & 30^th and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) – Nebraska Chapter will be presenting on September 9^th & 23^rd.

The Kim Foundation’s presentation, “Suicide Prevention:  Instilling Hope and Resiliency” will share that suicide takes a life every 13 minutes in the United States. By knowing what to watch for and knowing what resources are available to help, suicides can be prevented. The Kim Foundation will start the conversation about suicide prevention and encourage attendees to arm themselves with information. The topics covered will include: warning signs to watch for in individuals, how to have the conversation with someone who is suicidal, and sharing local/national resources that can connect someone to help.

AFSP’s presentation, “Talk Saves Lives” is an introduction to suicide prevention that covers the general scope of suicide, the research on prevention, and what people can do to fight suicide. During the presentation, attendees will learn what suicide is, who it affects, what can be done to prevent it, the risks and warning signs of suicide, and how together they can help prevent it.

We hope you will join us during the community courses being offered this September through Metropolitan Community College.  The courses will run from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on September 9, 16, 23 & 30.  Register for a course at a Metro location near you!

Lori Atkinson, Operations Director for The Kim Foundation

Lori Atkinson joined The Kim Foundation in May 2015. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in Middle Level Education. She was an 8^th grade English teacher in the Omaha Public Schools from 1992 – 2000, a stay at home mom for several years, and then started a small non-profit in her husband’s memory during 2010. Lori carries out many duties for The Kim Foundation which includes: scheduling presentations in the community, hosting booths at conferences, managing the Art & Creative Writing Contest, coordinating the School Resource Fair, organizing the Suicide Prevention PSA Contest, assisting with the annual luncheon, and participating in the coalition’s community outreach group. Lori is the proud mom of three children and is actively involved in her church.