Hi friend,

As we reflect on 2024, we want to share highlights of the work we’ve accomplished together with you. We’ve come together to get so much done last year – school safety bills passed into law, productive meetings with lawmakers in DC, and continued partnerships to name a few – but there is still so much work to be done when it comes to protecting America’s students.

We want to thank our supporters who have shown up for us from every corner of the country by funding our advocacy efforts, spreading the word on social media, and doing your part to make this country safer for children, school staff, responsible firearm owners, and more. 

Our work would not be possible without you. 

Collaborating to Save Lives

At the core of everything we do is the belief that collaboration saves lives. This year, Stand With Parkland joined forces with incredible partners to make our schools and communities safer:

• Federal School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board: A long-awaited victory stemming from the Luke and Alex School Safety Act section of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we’re proud to play an important role in ensuring schools have access to expert-backed resources.
• National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security: We joined over 8,300 attendees at this monumental gathering of advocates, including key leaders such as Mark Schimminger, Assistant Director of the Secret Service; William “Bill” Hacker, Senior Policy Advisor at CISA; Michael Clancy, Section Chief with the FBI; and Kristina Ishmael, Deputy Director at the Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology.
• K-12 School Security Guide: Supported the launch of this document created by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), we applaud this first-of-its-kind resource to help schools and law enforcement respond effectively to anonymous threats.
• Tailored Safety Resources: Collaborated by designing tools for school resource officers, law enforcement, and school business officials, we’re helping to ensure no group is left unsupported.

Through these collaborations, we’ve taken concrete steps to turn shared grief into actionable change.

Honoring the Lives We Lost

Next month marks seven years since the heartbreaking tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that changed our lives forever. The murder of our loved ones is a pain we carry daily, but it also fuels our determination to ensure no other family endures this devastation. 

In 2024, the 1200 building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was finally demolished, a moment of both grief and hope for our community. In its place, a memorial will be built to honor the 17 lives taken far too soon. The demolition of this preserved crime scene is a powerful reminder of the work that remains, and what’s at stake.

We witnessed the powerful unveiling of the ATF’s “Faces of Gun Violence” exhibit, featuring Parkland victims Carmen Schentrup and Gina Montalto.

Advocacy in Action

This year, our advocacy efforts brought together survivors, lawmakers, and allies from across the country to push for real solutions.

• Florida School Safety Summit: Engaged with over 400 attendees, including Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, Chair of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission; Senator Bill Mumford, a steadfast champion of school safety in the Florida legislature; and Alisa Mathewson, a survivor and advocate for domestic violence prevention.
• NASRO Conference: Participated in the impactful panel, “Surviving the Unthinkable,” alongside Rudy Perez, President of NASRO, and Officers who responded to the Sandy Hook tragedy. Also appearing at the conference were Mo Canady, Executive Director of NASRO; Sheriff Dennis Lemma of Seminole County; and Jim McCulloch, renowned law enforcement trainer.
• CERA App Launch: Partnered with Edward McGovern and his team to introduce cutting-edge technology revolutionizing emergency responses to mass shootings.
• We proudly launched two grant programs in partnership with the SaferWatch app, for threat reporting, and with CERA, providing critical threat prevention and emergency response tools to K-12 schools across America.
• Bipartisan groups of Congressmen, the heads of the FBI and Secret Service, the US Secretary of Education, and Vice President Kamala Harris visited Parkland, FL and walked the halls of the building where the massacre occurred with the victims families. During her visit to MSD High School, Vice President Harris met with families of the Parkland victims, underscoring the Biden administration’s commitment to tackling gun violence. Her presence affirmed that we are not alone in this fight and that change is possible when we stand together, on all sides of the aisle. 

Friend, these partnerships remind us that we are not only survivors but changemakers. Can you help us drive more change by donating $25 or any amount today?

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Looking Forward

We look forward to once again working with President Trump and his new administration to continue the initiatives begun in his first term and to find new opportunities to improve school safety and security for all America’s children.

Last year’s journey has been about partnerships, action, and resilience – because our mission still remains urgent. 

38 school shootings occurred in 2024. The latest tragedy of the year – just a mere month ago. A devastating reminder that we must do more. 

As families of those who have shared this unthinkable grief, it is imperative that we can empower our nation’s communities and all elected leaders to help prevent future heartbreak. 

Thank you to our supporters nationwide who have funded our advocacy, shared our mission, and helped make this country safer for children, school staff, and families. None of this would be possible without you.

As we look ahead to the new year, we remain committed to working with policy makers and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to ensure safer schools and communities. This month, we’ll be meeting with past sponsors to thank them for their efforts and monitoring the introduction of new legislation that can drive meaningful change.

By helping us to make progress on the local, state, and federal levels, you can leave a lasting impact. Please consider a donation to support our work – every dollar has a real impact on school safety in this country.

CONTRIBUTE TODAY →

Thank you for standing with us. Together, we will build a safer future for all.

The Families at Stand With Parkland