Friend--COVID-19 hit our finances hard by forcing us to cancel our annual Keystone Courage Awards. It accounts for nearly 20% of our funding. Despite the financial shortfall, our work is needed more than ever. Since the pandemic began, domestic violence calls are up 25 percent. A surge of new gun-owners are up to 35 times more likely to commit suicide in the coming decade¹. And armed-extremist have stormed the Capitol, threatening public health and the fight for justice. With the pandemic exacerbating gun violence at every level, we need to raise $30,000 by the end of June 30th to have the resources to advocate for safe gun laws. Can we count on you to make a contribution today? Donate here. Gun-right extremists such as the NRA have already tried to use the pandemic to push a pro-gun agenda. In May it was legislation to declare gun-related businesses “life-sustaining” operations that cannot be shut down for any reason--even if they sell guns illegally or fail to renew their business licenses.² We’ve stopped them so far, but that’s not good enough. In the coming year, we have a plan to make sure the surge in gun ownership doesn’t lead to more gun-related homicides and suicide by: - Establishing Extreme Risk Protection Orders that can temporarily remove guns from individuals who may harm themselves or others;
- Closing loopholes that allow rifles, shotguns and semi-automatic military-style rifles to be sold by private sellers without a background check.
- Fighting for municipalities to be able to establish their own gun violence prevention laws.
Donate today. Lives are at stake here. And I do not want to cut back our plans when the stakes are this high. Sincerely,
Adam Garber
CeaseFire Pennsylvania Executive Director ¹Benedict Carey, “First-Time Gun Owners at Risk for Suicide, Major Study Confirms”, New York Times, June 3, 2020.
²House Bill 2440, May 18, 2020. | 
