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Upcoming Highlights in 2024
Now that I am back – almost in full swing – it has been so exciting catching up on everything that has happened while I was out. While I may be biased, our team is full of rock stars who kept the ball rolling on all our events for the year! In addition, we are excited to welcome our newest program director, Molly Mullin Verble! I think it is fair to say that 2024 is going to be another busy one for the foundation!
This year, The Kim Foundation will hold an entirely different annual event, so make sure to save the date – September 12th! We are excited to host John Ondrasik of the band, Five for Fighting, for a night of storytelling and music. I was able to see his performance in Los Angeles at a national conference, and the way he wove his personal experiences with anxiety into his music and his journey, were so personable and genuine. I may have even shed a tear or two by the end. Not only will his performance be unique to our event, but we are also hosting this fantastic night at Steelhouse Omaha, one of downtown’s newest music venues! This venue is a gem, and we are so excited to be there this year. Click here for more information, and make sure to mark Thursday, September 12th on your calendars!
We have also set the date for our 2024 EmPOWER Youth Summit. Hundreds of high school students will gather for our third annual summit on November 14th. Our team has done a tremendous job identifying some amazing keynote speakers, and we will be announcing those soon. This is always one of my favorite days of the year and provides such hope for this upcoming generation! Learn more.
Last but not least, we will be hosting the first ever Middle America School Mental Health Conference! For the last several years we have partnered with Educational Service Unit 3 (ESU3) to bring an impactful state conference to those interested or involved in school mental health in Nebraska. This year, we, along with ESU3, will bring together participants from all over the Midwest on May 29th & 30th at the CHI Center in Omaha. Following, we will still have a state-focused conference on Friday, May 31st at the Capitol Marriott. National keynote speakers and subject matter experts will be educating hundreds of people who all have at least one common belief – we all have the power to support our youth in a time of need, and they deserve quality mental healthcare in a place where they already feel safe. School-based care has come so far and has the potential to make significant positive changes for our youth. Learn more and get registered today!
In addition to these exciting events, we continue in our community engagement work through training, education, booths, coalitions and building trusted, meaningful connections throughout Nebraska. If you would like to get involved or learn more, please visit our new website at TheKimFoundation.org.
Julia Hebenstreit is the Executive Director of The Kim Foundation. She received her J.D. from Creighton University in 2005, and her BS in Journalism from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2002. She has been with The Kim Foundation since 2011, and prior to that worked for local non-profits doing development, strategic planning, communications and advancement. She has a passion for helping people and improving lives, and serves on the Executive Committee for Nebraska Association of Behavioral Health Organizations, as the 2015 Hill Day State Captain for the state of Nebraska, and as an active member of the Nebraska Suicide Prevention Coalition, the Early Childhood Mental Health Coalition, BHECN Advisory Committee, RESPECT Advisory Board, Connections Advisory Board and the Project Propel Planning Group.