John—

I can't believe I'm emailing you with another headline like this:

In the first half of this school year—between August 1, 2021 and December 31—there have been 136 instances of gun violence at schools across the country. That's four times higher than the average. 96 people were shot and wounded, while another 26 were killed.

But we know how to stop this violence. We know how to keep children safe. We don't have to live like this.

Secure gun storage is a simple solution to this crisis that would have a big impact. It's not a partisan issue, and everyone should be behind it. Read this story from Newsweek to learn more about how secure storage can prevent school shootings and save lives.

School shootings are at their highest since we started tracking them in 2013. And four years after Parkland, we're working harder than ever to prevent these tragedies. We're following the lead of survivors like Parkland student Sari Kaufman, who continue to be the backbone of this movement.

That's why we're working to promote and normalize secure gun storage through programs like Be SMART. Research has shown it to be one of the most effective ways to prevent school shootings and protect children. In the last three months alone, at least seven districts in South Carolina, Iowa, Michigan, and Maryland have committed to sending students home with more information on secure gun storage.

With at least 5.4 million children living in a home with at least one unlocked and loaded firearm, we have a lot of work to do. Secure storage is just one of the solutions proven to prevent gun violence, but I know we have the drive and the power to end this crisis.

Read this story to learn more about what we can do to prevent school shootings and keep children safe.

Thank you for being a part of this movement.

Sarah Green
She/her/hers
National Organizing Director
Everytown for Gun Safety

P.S. Want to take action in your community? Use our new toolkit to ask your local school board to send home secure storage information.