Fellow Advocate,

I’m Cayla Waddington – 3 years ago, I started working to end gun violence in my West Philly community. Soon I was traveling to Harrisburg to lobby with CeaseFirePA, joining roundtables with Senator Casey, and telling my story all over Pennsylvania. 

Gun violence is the number one killer of youth under the age of 18. CeaseFirePA’s effective advocacy and commitment to reversing this statistic inspired me to join them as Youth Advisor to the Board of Directors.

I’m a freshman at Yale now, and for the first time in my life, I’m living in a state with strident gun safety laws and low levels of gun violence. I feel blessed for this opportunity, but now that I’m home on Winter Break, I feel the same uneasiness that catapulted me into this movement. 

If I could make one holiday wish this year, it would be to experience peace and safety in my own neighborhood. I want to spend my limited winter break relaxing with friends and family, not dodging stray bullets and worrying about the next shooting.

Yesterday, Adam told you about our End-of-Year fundraising deficit. I know $30,000 is a lot of money, but it’s nothing we can’t raise, or even exceed, together. So today, I’m asking you personally: Will you donate $5 today to help CeaseFirePA reach our year-end goal, and achieve the legislation we need to make all PA neighborhoods, including mine, safe, peaceful, and thriving?

Thanks for being with me,

Cayla