Fellow Advocate,

It’s budget season in Harrisburg again, and that means we are continuing to push for big investments in community-based gun violence prevention and intervention programs across the Commonwealth. From now through the legislature’s June 30 budget deadline , we are advocating for $100 million in the PA budget to invest state resources in life-saving programs run by trusted non-profit and local government partners.

DEMAND A GUN SAFETY BUDGET [[link removed]]

Let me explain more. I know we do a lot of advocacy work around passing more stringent laws to keep guns out of the wrong hands, and rightfully so. But this initiative works in tandem to approach the crisis in a different way, by addressing some of the root causes of community-based gun violence, primarily in urban neighborhoods struggling with structural poverty and systemic violence. Programs supported by these grant funds employ evidence-based strategies to address factors like trauma and provide support systems like workforce development and direct conflict de-escalation.
Over the past three years, our advocacy has won over $200 million in investments at the city and state levels, including $40 million in last year’s state budget. These programs are bearing fruit, with a 35% reduction in fatal shootings in Philadelphia[1] year-to-date, and a 27% drop in homicides in Pittsburgh from 2022 to 2023.[2]

But we must do more. That’s why we’re pushing for a $100 investment this year alone, including an exciting new proposal from the Shapiro administration to establish the first-ever statewide Office of Gun Violence Prevention to help coordinate and support these local initiatives.

The General Assembly has until June 30 to pass a budget, and our lawmakers, including yours, need to hear from us now. Will you send your Representative and Senator Nikil Saval a quick note imploring them to support a full $100 million investment in these vital programs in the state budget?

Evidence shows that community-led efforts to reduce violence work and are sustainable.[3] Some if these proven-worthy initiatives include:

- Hospital-based intervention programs to help gun violence survivors heal from trauma and prevent retaliation;
- Replacing enforcement with deterrence and community support for those most at risk of committing a gun crime
- Using credible messengers, such as returning citizens, to interrupt and mediate potentially violent street conflicts. (An independent analysis showed this approach reduced shootings by 73% in targeted areas of Atlanta.)

We’re so proud of the legislation we’ve helped craft and pass in the PA House this session to keep guns out of the wrong hands, but we must take a multi-faceted approach to finally end our epidemic of gun violence. So, will you take a minute to let your Representative and Senator Saval know that you support this investment, endorsed by Gov. Shapiro, to nip gun violence in the bud? Click here to send them a pre-written, but editable, message urging them to call for full funding of these life-saving programs.

SEND A MESSAGE NOW [[link removed]]

Thank you standing with us,
Adam Garber
Executive Director
CeaseFirePA Action

DONATE NOW TO POWER OUR MOVEMENT: [link removed]

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CeaseFirePA
P.O. Box 60095
Philadelphia, PA 19102
United States

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