Every day, journalists step into the hardest moments of people’s lives — shootings, wildfires, grief, trauma, and breaking news — and they carry those stories home with them. They show up for the public with courage and clarity, even when the emotional toll is heavy.

But after the newsroom quiets… after the deadlines hit… after the story goes live, to print, or on air…
Who takes care of them?

This Giving Season, you can.

For a limited time, the KALM Institute for Workplace Wellbeing is offering a reduced rate of $115 (regularly $170) so that more journalists can receive National Council for Mental Wellbeing–certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)training. Your gift makes it possible for a journalist to gain lifesaving skills, resilience tools, and compassionate support.

About the KALM Institute for Workplace Wellbeing

The Kortni Alston Lemon Media (KALM) Institute for Workplace Wellbeing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to caring for the people behind the headlines, broadcasts, bylines, digital newsrooms, and public relations desks.

Founded by Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon — a former news director and television reporter turned happiness scholar — KALM provides advocacy, research, wellbeing resources, and National Council for Mental Wellbeing–certified Mental Health First Aid training to journalists, news leaders, and media professionals nationwide.

Our vision is simple and urgent:

A compassionate media industry where those who inform and connect our communities can do so with strength, resilience, and well-being.

Why Your Sponsorship Matters

Journalists are often first on the scene during tragedy — but last in line for mental health care. According to the Dart Center, 80–100% of journalists experience work-related trauma.

They are:

covering traumatic events without preparation,
witnessing grief and violence daily,
operating under relentless deadlines,
and facing burnout at historic levels.

Your sponsorship can change that.

MHFA equips journalists with the skills to:

recognize signs of stress, anxiety, trauma, and crisis
respond with confidence
support peers in high-pressure newsroom environments
navigate the emotional weight of their work
build resilience for the long haul

This is support they have long deserved — and urgently need.

Limited-Time Offering — Make Your Impact Go Further

For a short period, KALM is reducing the cost of MHFA training from $170 to $115 to eliminate barriers for media professionals.

This means:

More journalists can be trained faster
You amplify your impact during a moment of industry crisis
You directly propel our mission to certify 1,000 media professionals

This rare opportunity provides full national certification at an extraordinary value.

Your $115 gift does more than train a journalist:

It removes a financial barrier.
It opens a door of hope.
It protects a life.

What Your Sponsorship Provides

Your gift covers:

National Council for Mental Wellbeing–certified Mental Health First Aid training
Training tailored specifically for journalists, photographers, producers, and media staff
Evidence-based tools to navigate trauma, burnout, and crisis
Lifesaving, practical skills journalists can use immediately

KALM’s Mental Health First Aid training is nationally certified and led by our founder, Dr. Kortni — a certified MHFA Instructor, happiness scholar, and former news director and television reporter with nearly 20 years of experience.

When you sponsor a journalist, you give real support with lasting impact.

Impact Levels

$115 — Sponsor One Journalist

Provides one full Mental Health First Aid certification at the limited-time reduced rate.

$230 — Support Two Journalists

Double your support and strengthen two media professionals.

$575 — Equip a News Team (Up to 5 Journalists)

Support a small newsroom team and help shape a more compassionate culture.

$1,000+ — Transform a Newsroom (8+ Journalists)

Sponsor 8 journalists, with the remaining portion applied toward additional MHFA seats to reach our mission of 1,000 certified media professionals.

Real-World Impact: What Happens When Media Professionals Become KALM Mental Health First Aiders

KALM’s impact is measured one person at a time — through the journalists, digital storytellers, PR teams, and communication scholars who have completed Mental Health First Aid certification and are now better equipped to support themselves and the people they work with.

These are the individuals who carry the weight of breaking news, crisis communications, public scrutiny, and the emotional demands of the classroom. When they train with KALM, they gain practical tools that immediately shape how they lead, collaborate, and care.

One of those leaders is Marie Torres, Managing Editor at Spectrum News 1, who shared:

Mental Health First Aid has made me more aware of the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges or crises. I was able to apply that knowledge within days of my certification. Those I have helped have expressed relief at knowing someone sees them and can point them to the appropriate resources.

Her experience reflects the transformation happening across the media landscape:

Broadcast journalists are spotting early signs of distress in colleagues covering traumatic events.
Digital Media professionals are using these skills to navigate high-pressure coverage while supporting their teams.
Public relations executives are applying MHFA techniques during intense crisis situations.
Communication faculty are bringing mental-health awareness into the classroom, shaping a better-prepared next generation.

Every certification represents a real human impact — someone who now feels seen, supported, and guided to resources that can help.

This is the power of KALM-trained Mental Health First Aiders:
They are changing workplace culture one conversation, one moment of awareness, and one act of compassion at a time.

Together, we can make a difference.

Support a Journalist: Keep Newsrooms KALM

Give a journalist the lifesaving tools to stay safe, seen, and supported.

Team Members