Jackie Barden · [email protected]

December 11, 2020 at 11:56 PM

Pretending Daniel is alive

John, In the months after my sweet little Daniel was murdered, I'd tell myself that he was just away at a friend's house. I'd pretend Daniel was still alive just to make it through the day. It would give me enough strength to reply to emails or cook dinner without breaking…

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  Nicole Hockley · [email protected]

December 11, 2020 at 2:34 PM

Jake's baby brother

John, On Dec. 14, 2012, my 8-year-old son, Jake, thought he heard metal chairs crashing over the intercom at Sandy Hook Elementary. One day, he'll process that the sound he heard was actually gunfire – the sound of his baby brother and best friend, Dylan, being murdered in h…

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  Mark Barden · [email protected]

December 10, 2020 at 4:01 PM

The 7 words that haunt me

"If you're missing someone, they didn't survive." I'll never forget hearing these terrible words on Dec. 14, 2012, John. They still haunt me. When I learned there had been a shooting at my sweet little Daniel's school, I quickly drove to Sandy Hook Elementary. As I waited wi…

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  SHP Policy Team · [email protected]

December 8, 2020 at 11:59 PM

Re: Nicole's email

John, did you see Nicole’s message? Already, over 16,000 people have added their signature to the petition she sent around on Sunday demanding Congress pass legislation to make high-capacity gun magazines illegal – but we just checked, and it looks like we’re still missing your name. We know …

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  [email protected] · [email protected]

December 2, 2020 at 3:36 AM

Final ask (all gifts now TRIPLED!)

This is incredibly important, John: Our Giving Tuesday match expires at midnight, and we're still very short of our $650,000 goal. We can't close our funding gap in time without a huge push, so a generous group of donors is now matching gifts THREE TIMES until midnight. Please, will…

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  Nicole (personal) · [email protected]

December 2, 2020 at 2:33 AM

Before you go to sleep, please

John, my beautiful butterfly Dylan was the glue that held our family together. He was pure love. I do this work to honor my baby boy, but I don't want to be the person sharing my story and consoling another parent the next time a school shooting happens. I don't want there to be a next ti…

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  Mark Barden · [email protected]

December 2, 2020 at 1:08 AM

Asking you personally

John, Sometimes I feel like my grief is still deepening – like the worst is yet to come. I’ve now spent more days without my sweet little Daniel than with him. Our family has been broken longer than it was whole. It hurts almost more than I can bear. I’m always one minute further awa…

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

December 1, 2020 at 11:44 PM

All gifts MATCHED! (only until midnight)

John, we know we’ve emailed you several times already today, but it’s for three big reasons: We’re still falling very short of our $650,000 Giving Tuesday goal. If we don’t reach it before midnight, we might not be able to work fast enough to prevent the next tragedy before i…

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  Natalie Barden · [email protected]

December 1, 2020 at 9:43 PM

Asking you again – please

December is really hard for me, John. I used to love Christmastime. I used to look forward to picking out our tree, baking Christmas cookies with my brothers, James and Daniel, and listening to Christmas music as a family. Now, I dread this time of year – because everything that used …

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  Jackie Barden · [email protected]

December 1, 2020 at 8:19 PM

Asking for Daniel

John, As soon as I learned there was a shooting at my sweet little Daniel’s school on Dec. 14, 2012, I immediately rushed to Sandy Hook Elementary. All I knew was that parents would be reunited with their children at the firehouse nearby. My husband Mark got there before I d…

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  Bill Sherlach · [email protected]

December 1, 2020 at 6:24 PM

Why Mary gave her life

John, The moment I heard about the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, I knew my wife Mary – the school psychologist – would be in the middle of it. That's just the way she was. That morning, I tried to call her, but there was no answer – so I raced to the school as fast as I…

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  Mark (personal) · [email protected]

December 1, 2020 at 4:50 PM

Honoring Daniel

I dread today, John. The first day of December marks the beginning of a cruel countdown to Dec. 14, filled with reminders of all the “lasts” that I had with my sweet little Daniel before he was murdered. The last time we all cut down a Christmas tree as a family. The last time we bak…

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  Nicole (Dylan's mom) · [email protected]

December 1, 2020 at 4:18 PM

Asking from the bottom of my heart

This month is really, really hard for me, John. Dec. 14 marks eight years since my beautiful butterfly Dylan was murdered. There are simply no words to express how much I miss him. I often try to minimize my pain, but the loss of a child is just incomparable. It’s a feeling that part…

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  Natalie Barden · [email protected]

December 1, 2020 at 1:55 PM

My little brother

John, Almost eight years ago, on Dec. 14, 2012, I was sitting in my fifth-grade science class when my school went under lockdown. When I came home, my parents told my older brother James and me to follow them upstairs. I silently cried as I climbed the stairs. I had heard abo…

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  Nicole and Mark · [email protected]

November 29, 2020 at 4:12 PM

See your impact in our new annual report

Read our 2020 Annual Report. You’ll get details on how your generosity helps protect our kids. John, As we approach the end of an unprecedented year, we have some good news worth celebrating: You saved lives. You stopped violence, abuse, bullying, self-harm, and social isola…

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  Nicole Hockley · [email protected]

November 25, 2020 at 5:40 PM

Grateful for You

A message of gratitude this Thanksgiving from Sandy Hook Promise co-founder and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook tragedy. John, We’re feeling especially grateful for you in this season of giving. It may seem difficult to focus on what to be thankful for this y…

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  Penny Muldoon · [email protected]

November 24, 2020 at 12:02 AM

Following up on Lauren's email

John, I wanted to quickly follow up with you – I noticed we're still missing your response to the survey Lauren sent around this weekend. With a new Congress and president taking office, it's extremely important for dedicated members of this community – including you – to weigh in on our strat…

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  Lauren Levin · [email protected]

November 21, 2020 at 4:41 PM

Looking for your thoughts re: Congress

John, After we sent around last month’s survey, 10,190 dedicated members of the Sandy Hook Promise community shared their thoughts with us. This feedback was not just critical to informing our strategy to protect more children from gun violence – it was also incredibly meani…

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

November 19, 2020 at 12:27 AM

Your last chance (running out of T-shirts)

John, time is running out: This is your last chance to order your 12/14 remembrance T-shirt before tonight’s midnight deadline. Next month marks eight years without our children and loved ones. We always dread 12/14, but we can’t ignore the pain it brings. We’ve made a promise to pr…

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  [email protected] · [email protected]

November 18, 2020 at 3:14 PM

Running out of T-shirts

John, we don’t want you to miss this: There are just 14 hours left to order your Sandy Hook Promise 12/14 remembrance T-shirt, and we only have 346 left. Dec. 14 will mark eight years since our loved ones were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary. No matter how much time passes, the …

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

November 17, 2020 at 7:45 PM

Your T-shirt

Dec. 14 will mark eight years since our loved ones were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary, John. We hope you’ll join us in honoring their lives this year by wearing a special Sandy Hook Promise T-shirt. This T-shirt is such a meaningful way to show your commitment to protecting chi…

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  Nicole Hockley · [email protected]

November 16, 2020 at 9:08 PM

The day I dread the most

John, The day I dread most is less than one month away: Dec. 14, the day my beautiful butterfly Dylan was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary. On that day, I try to focus on the wonderful parts of my life with Dylan. But I never can. It’s too hard – I just miss my beautiful baby …

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  Lauren Levin · [email protected]

November 14, 2020 at 11:50 PM

Re: Mark's message

Did you see Mark’s message, John? Since he sent around our petition on Thursday, more than 22,000 people have added their names to demand the new Senate finally pass universal background checks – but we just checked, and it looks like you haven’t signed yet. It’s been almost two years since th…

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  Mark Barden · [email protected]

November 12, 2020 at 11:47 PM

Please sign: Demand action on background checks

John, When the Senate failed to pass background-check legislation after my sweet little Daniel was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary, it absolutely crushed me – but I refused to give up. Almost eight years later, I still haven't given up – and I won't stand by and let Congres…

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

November 7, 2020 at 6:33 PM

Your support is more important than ever

John, Like many of you, we've been watching this election cycle closely. Up and down the ballot, the country has voted for state and local leaders, voiced its opinions on key ballot issues and elected its next president. All the while, we never let up on our promise to prote…

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  Mark Barden · [email protected]

November 2, 2020 at 2:47 PM

Are you ready to vote?

Find out how you can join in and honor this important moment to #ProtectOurKids. Hi John, Tomorrow is Election Day. Please get ready to vote, if you haven’t already. You can help shape the future of our nation. That’s why we’ve gathered some resources to help you make a plan…

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

October 24, 2020 at 2:06 AM

Still falling short – all gifts now TRIPLED!

We didn't want to have to send you this email, John, but we're still falling short of our $100,000 goal. Failing to reach our goal has a real cost: We might not be able to work fast enough to prevent the next tragedy, and we can't bear knowing we could have done more to keep childr…

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  Nicole (personal) · [email protected]

October 24, 2020 at 12:28 AM

Asking you personally

It's still really, really hard for me to do this work, John. Almost eight years later, I'm always thinking about my beautiful butterfly Dylan. I rarely burst into tears, but I often find tears falling without realizing I've started to cry. There's a feeling of incredible sadness fo…

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  Mark (personal) · [email protected]

October 23, 2020 at 10:22 PM

Please, this can't wait

John, my sweet little Daniel spread light and kindness everywhere he went. He was an old soul. I've dedicated my life to honoring him through this work so no other parent endures the excruciating pain of losing a child to gun violence. But it shouldn't take the horror of the n…

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

October 23, 2020 at 2:36 PM

Asking again (very short of tonight's match goal)

This is urgent, John: We only have until midnight tonight to secure every dollar of our $100,000 match, but we’re VERY short of our goal. Whether or not we close this gap in time will determine if we can ramp up our work to prevent the next tragedy before it happens. Reaching our …

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

October 22, 2020 at 11:12 PM

Have your gift DOUBLED! (expires tomorrow)

John, we know we've reached out a couple times already, but it's for three very important reasons: We're still very short of our $100,000 match goal, and we MUST close the gap before our midnight deadline tomorrow. If we miss our goal, we might not have the resources we need to…

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  Mark Barden · [email protected]

October 22, 2020 at 3:03 PM

Remembering Daniel

John, Sometimes when I go down to our basement, I can still remember the grassy, muddy smell of my sweet little Daniel after he'd been playing outside. For the longest time after Daniel was murdered, we preserved the basement exactly as he left it that morning. It was his pl…

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  Nicole Hockley · [email protected]

October 21, 2020 at 2:55 PM

My two boys

John, Eight years ago, I wasn't thinking about school shootings. I was worrying about whether my boys, Jake and Dylan, had their bookbags packed and got to school on time each morning. But on Dec. 14, 2012, I sent both of my sons to Sandy Hook Elementary, and only one came h…

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  Penny Muldoon · [email protected]

October 20, 2020 at 10:50 PM

Still need 15,000 signatures before Thursday's debate

John – I want to make sure you saw the email Aimee sent around a few days ago. Already, more than 15,000 supporters have added their name to our petition, urging debate moderator Kristen Welker to ask the candidates about gun violence prevention at Thursday’s presidential debate – but it looks …

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

October 19, 2020 at 2:59 PM

National Safe Schools Week and You

Find out how you can join in and honor this important moment to #ProtectOurKids. Hello John, Today is the start of National Safe Schools Week! Thousands of schools and youth organizations from across the country are leading activities like these to help make schools safer and…

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  Aimee Thunberg · [email protected]

October 17, 2020 at 4:47 PM

At the final debate, ask about gun violence

John, Before the first presidential debate, an incredible 30,000 people signed our petition demanding debate moderator Chris Wallace ask the candidates: What will you do to prevent gun violence as our next president? And yet, the issue was ignored, and the question was never…

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  Liz Murphy · [email protected]

October 16, 2020 at 7:36 PM

Circling back

John, did you see the survey that Lauren sent around on Wednesday? I wanted to quickly follow up because it looks like we’re missing your response. As we set our post-election strategy to put massive pressure on new lawmakers to protect children from gun violence, it’s critically important to …

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  Lauren Levin · [email protected]

October 14, 2020 at 11:30 PM

Need your input

John, Last month, we received an incredible 4,300 survey responses from dedicated members of the Sandy Hook Promise community. With reports of gun violence and children in imminent danger on the rise, we’re so grateful to know that people like you are by our side in this…

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  Liz Murphy · [email protected]

October 10, 2020 at 9:27 PM

Following up re: gun magazine limits

John, I’m following up to make sure you saw the petition Nicole sent around yesterday demanding Congress pass legislation to make high-capacity gun magazines illegal – it looks like your name is missing. Even if you’ve signed a similar petition before, it’s important to sign this today to keep…

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  Nicole Hockley · [email protected]

October 9, 2020 at 3:30 PM

4 minutes, 154 bullets, 26 dead – sign the petition to limit high-capacity gun magazines now

John, The shooter who murdered my beautiful butterfly Dylan took ten 30-round gun magazines into Sandy Hook Elementary. It only took him approximately four minutes to shoot 154 bullets, killing 20 students and six educators. In an instant, my baby boy was gone forever. In the…

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

October 4, 2020 at 6:48 PM

Stranger Things Star Supports Sandy Hook Promise

See highlights from Start With Hello Week! And, get a discount on jewelry that makes a difference. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌…

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  Liz Murphy · [email protected]

September 30, 2020 at 10:50 PM

Victory in Congress!

John, You did it! After weeks of hard work, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass HR7293, the STANDUP Act of 2020, to help prevent youth suicide! As suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people, prevention couldn’t be more important to Sandy Ho…

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  Lauren Levin · [email protected]

September 28, 2020 at 11:00 PM

Still need your signature (by tomorrow please)

John, did you see the message Nicole sent about tomorrow's presidential debate? Gun violence continues to tear families and communities apart – and our elected leaders have failed to take action. Yet preventing these tragedies wasn't one of the "leading issues facing the country" announced as …

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  Mark (personal) · [email protected]

September 27, 2020 at 10:13 PM

Will you sign?

John, I’m so grateful to see such an outpouring of love and support from this community. My sweet little Daniel would have turned 15 years old today, and 19,847 people have joined my family in honoring his memory by signing a special remembrance card. There are no words to describe the pain …

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  Mark Barden · [email protected]

September 27, 2020 at 3:01 PM

Please sign: card for Daniel's birthday

John, my sweet little Daniel would have turned 15 years old today. Every year, this day is the toughest reminder that I’m always moving further away from my life with Daniel. The birthdays we’ve spent without him now outnumber the ones we spent with him. It feels almost impos…

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  Nicole Hockley · [email protected]

September 25, 2020 at 6:51 PM

My question for next week's presidential debate

John, At Tuesday’s first presidential debate, moderator Chris Wallace will ask the candidates about their plans for the next four years. As a mom who misses my beautiful butterfly Dylan every single day, I have a question that I want answered: What will our next presiden…

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  Dawn Lyons · [email protected]

September 21, 2020 at 10:35 PM

Tomorrow's meeting

John, tomorrow I’ll be updating Mark and Nicole on the responses to this year’s supporter survey. But I noticed we still haven’t heard from you, and I don’t want you to miss the chance to share your perspective. We send these surveys every year because Mark, Nicole and I really value the feedb…

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  Sandy Hook Promise · [email protected]

September 20, 2020 at 2:21 PM

Fall Newsletter: New Programs, Jewelry That Prevents Gun Violence, and Embracing Diversity

Plus: Start With Hello Week and Vote Your Values ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌…

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  Mark Barden · [email protected]

September 10, 2020 at 11:15 PM

The Senate is back – now demand a vote on background checks!

John, When the Senate failed to pass background check legislation after my sweet little Daniel was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary, it absolutely crushed me – but I refused to give up. More than seven years later, I still haven’t given up – and I won’t stand by and le…

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  Mark (personal) · [email protected]

September 7, 2020 at 11:10 PM

Beyond grateful

I couldn't be more grateful, John. Since I emailed earlier today, we've already raised more than $12,000 to help sustain and expand our lifesaving programs to protect children from gun violence. On especially difficult days like today, it means so much to know that other children's lives will …

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