Guns are now the LEADING cause of death of children in America
Why? Half of homes with children in America have a gun and half those guns are left either unlocked or loaded. It’s far too easy for kids to find an unsecured gun in someone’s house or apartment.
But there is something every parent can do to protect their families.
The Asking Saves Kids Campaign teaches parents to ASK about guns in the home before sending their kids to play at someone’s house, empowering every parent in every neighborhood with a common-sense solution to protect their kids from guns.
Asking Saves Kids (ASK) is the only gun violence prevention message ever proven to be effective according to studies by Harvard (2012) and the US General Accounting Office (2017).
American parents face a frightening reality in their neighborhoods and schools.
85% of children under 12 killed by a gun are shot in someone’s home.
82% of child suicides are committed with a gun found at home.
74% of school shootings occur with a gun found at home.
But there is HOPE.
Every parent can prevent tragedies by asking one simple question:
“Is there a gun where my child plays?”
The Asking Saves Kids message to parents is simple:
Walk outside your front door. Look right. Look left. One of those homes probably has a gun and it’s probably left unlocked or loaded. Therefore, you need to ASK your neighbors if they have a gun before sending your child over to play.
If your neighbor’s answer is yes, ASK these important follow-up questions:
• Are all guns stored in a locked gun safe?
• Are guns and ammunition locked separately?
• Who has the keys?
These questions could save your child’s life.
The open-source Asking Saves Kids (ASK) campaign has been adopted by thousands of groups, schools and communities across America.
We launched Asking Saves Kids (ASK) at the Million Mom March in 2000 in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics. The 400 state and local groups at the Million Mom March took ASK back to their communities and for 24 years ASK has been available as an open-source resource for anyone to promote in neighborhoods, schools, churches, police departments & physician offices across America.
Most importantly, 19 million parents now say they ASK about guns before sending their kids to play at someone’s home.
Harvard found ASK to be the only gun violence prevention message ever proven to be effective
ASK was created in 2000 by the GVP leadership in alliance with the American Academy of Pediatrics
GAO found ASK to be the only gun violence prevention message ever proven to be effective
We modeled ASK on two of the most successful open-source social change campaigns in US history.
“Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” made everyone responsible if a friend drives drunk. Culture shifted, behaviors changed, new laws were passed and drunk-driving deaths fell 60%.
“Second-Hand Smoke Kills” shifted culture and behaviors, laws banning smoking in public then passed and the percentage of Americans smoking fell from 38% to an all-time low of 12%.
ASK begins a conversation in homes and neighborhoods across America about guns in the home, how they are stored and if they are safe. Over time, behaviors shift and culture changes as we prioritize the safety of our children and families. This is how common-sense change begins.
Asking Saves Kids was launched in 2000 with the generous support of the Funders Collaborative For Gun Violence Prevention, whose only condition was that Asking Saves Kids be made an open-source message that anyone can promote.
For over 24 years, this open-source strategy has enabled the Asking Saves Kids message to spread to all 50 states promoted by thousands of communities, organizations and individuals focused on children, families & gun violence prevention.
*The Funders Collaborative for Gun Violence Prevention was a joint venture between the Irene Diamond Foundation and The Open Society Institute.
Thank you for your support!
Thank you for your support!
Our mission to protect America’s families depends on your support.
Your tax-deductible donation will help spread the life-saving Asking Saves Kids message to every family and community across America.
The Gun Violence Project is an IRS approved 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Our Board of Advisors
Kevin Bacon, Actor & Musician
Lara Bergthold, Strategic Consultant
Stephanie Bruni, EP, The Directors Bureau
Rosanne Cash, Singer, Songwriter, Activist
Talmage Cooley, Dir., Gun Violence Project
Griffin Dunne, Writer, Director, Actor
Erin Erenberg, Founder, Chamber of Mothers
Dan Fogelman, Writer, Producer
Tom Freston, Founder & CEO, MTV
Heath Friedman, Wellness Activist
Tyler Goldsmith, Singer, Songwriter
Cheryl Healton, Founding Dean, NYU-SGPH
David Hemenway, Director, Harvard SGPH
Alissa Lee, Writer
Matt Lenski, Director, Arts & Sciences
Michelle Kydd Lee, Chief Innov. Officer, CAA
Carey Lowell, Actor
Melodie McDaniel, Dir., The Directors Bureau
Felice McDaniel, Activist, NAMI
Mandy Moore, Singer, Songwriter, Actor
Jennifer Pomeranz, Professor, NYU-SGPH
Priya Parmar, Writer
Sharon Rapoport, Creative Director, Kripalu
Kyra Sedgwick, Actor, Director, Producer
Oberon Sinclair, CEO, My Young Auntie PR
Anthony Sperduti, Founder & CEO, Mythology
Donna Thomases, Founder, Million Mom March
Caitlin Thompson, Actor, Writer
Frances Tulk-Hart, Photographer, Visual Artist
Emily Vacher, Director, Safety & Trust, Meta