5 Dedicated Organizations Working To End Gun Violence
In the United States, hundreds of people die every day as a result of gun violence. With the rise of mass shootings in public places, like schools and synagogues, many organizations have formed to prevent violence from firearms through better policies and awareness. This list, in no particular order, shares some of them.
Kicking off our list at #1 is Giffords, an organization dedicated to saving lives from gun violence. Led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, it has a law center that helps draft and defend gun legislation and assists activists and public officials working on policy solutions.
The Giffords PAC supports candidates for public office who make gun safety a prioritized issue. Giffords launched the Courage Fellowship program in 2018 in order to empower young advocates, help them develop leadership skills, and give them opportunities to fight for gun safety laws.
Coming in at #2, we have the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. This nonprofit is the oldest organization of its type in the United States and is affiliated with the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. CSGV believes that injuries and casualties from firearms should be rare and abnormal and pursues this vision through policy development, advocacy, community engagement, and more.
Drafting, passing, and implementing evidence-based legislation is CSGV's stated number one priority. It worked with scientific experts to develop the Gun Violence Restraining Order. This law allows police and family members to temporarily remove firearms from a loved one in crisis.
The #3 entry is Everytown for Gun Safety. This nonprofit's mission is to end firearm violence and build safer communities. It advocates for a number of policies, such as robust gun trafficking and straw purchasing laws to help keep these weapons off the streets. It also pushes for strong school safety solutions.
Everytown endorses candidates for public office who make gun safety a priority and it maintains several sub-organizations, like Moms Demand Action, a group of parents who work in their communities and with business leaders to encourage a culture of responsible gun ownership.
For #4, we present the Alliance for Gun Responsibility. This organization works to end firearm violence in communities and aims to promote a gun ownership culture that balances rights with responsibilities. Through collaboration with experts, civic leaders, and citizens, it seeks out evidence-based solutions to the issues stemming from these weapons.
The Alliance for Gun Responsibility encompasses three separate organizations based in Washington State, including a Political Action Committee that endorses and supports candidates for office who support policies aligned with its mission. Candidates include Alex Pedersen and Shaun Scott, who ran for Seattle City Council.
Last but not least, at #5, we have States United to Prevent Gun Violence, a grassroots network of affiliates working to make the United States safer. Its model recognizes that state organizations understand their respective communities and aims to amplify their efforts.
States United works to boost the social media reach of each affiliate. It regularly shares and retweets posts, and calls attention to actions and campaigns happening at the local level. The organization also produces events across the country to help share ideas and brainstorm solutions to gun violence.