Hi–
In an average year in Virginia, 1,200 people die by guns and 1,624 people are wounded. Gun violence costs Virginia $14.2 billion each year, of which $288.3 million is paid by taxpayers.
Virginians have had enough. That's why this year, our Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action held their biggest Advocacy Day ever!
While our volunteers across the country work tirelessly to make our Advocacy Days successful, we rely on grassroots donations to keep going strong. Fuel our work to save lives from gun violence by donating to Everytown and Moms Demand Action today.
As the Organizing Manager for Virginia, I'm incredibly proud of our team for this year's event in Richmond.
Because in Virginia, Advocacy Day is not just about a speaking program and meeting with lawmakers. It is also the opportunity to host special sessions for our volunteers and attendees and help them feel powerful—that their work and involvement are vital.
This year, we had a moderated panel discussion with elected officials and Moms Demand Action Executive Director, Angela Ferrell-Zabala, a special survivor's only luncheon, and a community partners networking mixer that allowed organizations from all across the Commonwealth to get to know one another and identify ways they could work together and with Moms Demand Action.
And above all, we were able to advocate for crucial gun sense legislation in Virginia—and advance more than 20 gun safety bills! Legislation like comprehensive secure storage bills that help prevent unintentional shootings by children and gun theft. Legislation that regulates rapid-fire devices that make it easy to convert semi-automatic firearms into illegal machine guns in a matter of minutes.
None of these would have made it to Governor Youngkin's desk without our dedicated volunteers and the donors that fuel our work on the ground. So, to continue to grow our progress in states across the country, I hope you'll donate to the Everytown Action Fund. Your gift will provide the resources needed to fuel our work to save lives from gun violence, continue to push for these gun safety bills in state legislatures, and keep our Advocacy Days strong!
Thank you so much.
Amy Gillespie
She/Her/Hers
Organizing Manager–Massachusetts, Virginia, and West Virginia
Everytown for Gun Safety
