LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calm today announced a partnership with LeBron James to inspire the world to value mental fitness as equal to physical fitness. The first year of this multi-year partnership includes a national marketing campaign, original audio content from James, and Calm donations to youth organizations.
“As an athlete, there’s a lot of focus on physical fitness. This partnership with Calm is all about mental fitness. It’s something I’ve always prioritized, and it’s just as important to my game, my career, and my life than anything I can do physically,” said LeBron James. “The ability to focus and calibrate everything going on inside your mind is a skill that can be strengthened over time, and Calm helps me do that. Through this partnership, I’m also excited to share that important tool with the youth in my Foundation and across the country.”
James uses the Calm app to get the sleep he needs, helping him perform his best. Together, Calm and James are showing the world that taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body.
“LeBron James is so much more than an athlete,” said Michael Acton Smith, Calm co-founder and co-CEO. “He is the living embodiment of what we can achieve when we prioritize mental wellness. I can think of no person on Earth more qualified to speak to the benefits of a dedicated mental fitness program. LeBron has a trove of wisdom to share on themes like awareness, focus, and rest. We’re very excited that he has chosen Calm as the platform to share that message with the world.”
James teamed up with Calm to create the “Train Your Mind” content series, available in the Calm app soon. Content will include 10-minute inspirational wisdom sessions with topics including managing emotions, sleep, and maintaining balance, among others. Calm members can expect to see more content from the “Train Your Mind” series in 2020.
“In his tireless work as a philanthropist, LeBron has supported and inspired youth to achieve their full potential,” said Alex Tew, Calm co-founder and co-CEO. “This partnership extends that mission, by offering the tools of mental fitness to youth organizations across the country. As LeBron has experienced in his own life, a young mind can be powerfully shaped if introduced to mental wellness.”
Throughout the duration of the partnership, Calm and James are committed to encourage mental fitness by strengthening one million young minds. This holiday season, all students and staff at the I PROMISE School are receiving access to the content series, which will be implemented into the school’s daily curriculum. These Calm resources will enhance the I PROMISE School’s fundamental commitment to social emotional learning, with the school designating class time each day to mindfulness and emotional processing.
“Calm’s mental fitness and mindfulness practices align perfectly with the I PROMISE School’s trauma-informed curriculum and intentional approach to educating the whole child,” said Michele Campbell, Executive Director of the LeBron James Family Foundation. “For the population of at-risk students we serve at IPS – many who are experiencing various forms of trauma – mental toughness and the ability to process what they’re going through is a matter of survival. We’re excited to add Calm’s tools and techniques to the supports we’re able to provide in this critical area.”
The San-Francisco brand became the world’s first mental health unicorn this February, with a $1B valuation and was crowned Apple’s iPhone App of the Year in 2017.
About Calm
Calm is a leading global health and wellness brand with the #1 app for sleep, meditation and relaxation. The company is on a mission to make the world happier and healthier. With hundreds of hours of original audio content, the Calm app helps users cope with some of the most important mental health issues of the modern age including anxiety, stress and insomnia. Apple’s 2017 iPhone App of the Year and Inc’s 19th fastest growing company boasts over 60 million downloads to date, averaging 75,000 new users daily.
Media Contacts
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