As September is Suicide Awareness Month, it is important to give focus to those who are trying to help those who are struggling with mental health and suicidal ideation. The Kim Foundation is focused on building education about mental health and suicide prevention, while breaking down the stigma around the issues that keep people from seeking help. The Foundation was created in 2001 by Larry Courtnage and his family, in honor of his daughter Kim who had died by suicide at the age of 24. They work with families that have been affected by mental illness and/or suicide to help them recover and be able to heal. They not only focus on educating the community but have also provided $1.5 million in grant funding to other nonprofits that have mental health and suicide prevention programming.

Located at the Project Harmony Campus at 120th and Q, they provide information on what signs to look for, how to start the conversation about suicidal feelings, and provide resources for suicide prevention hotlines and survivors.

Some warning signs of suicidal ideation are:

• Withdrawal from things they enjoyed, or being with friends
• Acting anxious or agitated
• Changes in sleep patterns     
• Increase in anger or rage
• Risky, reckless behavior         
• Talking about being a burden
• Excessive drinking or substance abuse
• Saying goodbye
• Unexplained physical pain
• Giving away possessions
• Feeling Hopeless, trapped, or in unbearable pain
• Talking or writing about wanting to die
• Displaying extreme mood swings
• Looking for ways to kill themselves

They also help break down many of the myths that surround suicide. They want to help people be aware that talking about it will not trigger the idea in someone; that suicidal people will not mention death or dying as a warning sign; that people who are suicidal usually don’t want to die, but instead just want to escape the hopeless feelings they are trapped in or the pain they are experiencing.

The Kim Foundation also has a community toolkit, which they use to help spread awareness. It includes the More Tomorrows campaign, which has crisis resources and empowers people. They provide a list of prevention and early intervention training. And they have sample social media posts that people can share to spread awareness, especially during Suicide Awareness Month.

They also highlight the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Created by Congress in 2020, and enacted on July 16, 2022, this is a new hotline that connects to the organization previously called the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It is a 24/7 line that you can call or text for any suicidal, mental health, or substance abuse crisis. They have live crisis call centers in English and Spanish and use Language Line Solutions to provide translations in over 250 languages.

Julia Hebenstreit, the Executive Director, wanted to highlight the importance of Suicide Prevention Month. “[This] is a great time for the community to come together to highlight the importance of suicide prevention, the role we can each play in saving lives from suicide, and the importance of connection for everyone. Suicide is something that impacts us all, no matter our background or where we come from.

Suicide is also very preventable in most instances so it’s important to learn the warning signs and where to connect to help if you are concerned about yourself or a loved one. Instilling hope in someone can make a significant difference. September is very important, but our hope is that our community will embrace the importance of suicide prevention even beyond this month and work to save lives from suicide.”

If you would like to help The Kim Foundation, you can volunteer. You can write guest articles for their newsletter; share the social media sample posts on their website to help with outreach; invite them to your community or business for free mental health, suicide prevention, healthy coping skills, and community resources. You can also donate on their website at thekimfoundation.org/donate either in your name or as a memorial for someone else.

You can also become a Metro Area Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team Member. This is an organization that The Kim Foundation helped establish alongside the Nebraska State Suicide Prevention Coalition, and acts as a first response team working alongside law enforcement, fire fighters, and EMTs when there is a suicide present. Most of the Team consists of mental health professionals and those who have lost loved ones to suicide, and they offer resources, support, and help to those who have just lost someone.

The Kim Foundation will be holding its annual luncheon and keynote, A Time for Hope & Healing, on Wednesday, November 9th at the Embassy Suites La Vista Conference Center, from 11:30 am - 1 pm. Tickets are $75 per person, and this year’s keynote speaker is Jay Glazer, NFL Insider for FOX NFL Sunday, and author of Unbreakable: How I Turned My Depression and Anxiety Into Motivation and You Can Too.

They will also be holding the regular Metro Area Suicide Prevention Coalition (MASPC) meeting on Tuesday, September 27th. They meet every fourth Tuesday of the month from 8:30am-10am. Currently, all meetings are being held over Zoom, but the meetings are open to the public and anyone interested in joining can email info@thekimfoundation.org.

If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call 988 at any time and be connected to a trained counselor. You are not alone, and help is available.

For more information about The Kim Foundation, go to their website at thekimfoundation.org, or contact them at 402-891-6911, or info@thekimfoundation.org. You can also follow them on social media, with The Kim Foundation on Facebook, @kimfoundation on Twitter, and @thekimfoundationne on Instagram. For information on the Metro Area LOSS Team, you can call 402-891-6911, or email LOSS@thekimfounation,org.