Washington D.C. – Congressional officials, business leaders, and hundreds of other advocates joined members of Sandy Hook Promise in Washington D.C. earlier this week for the annual Promise Champions Gala to celebrate bipartisan efforts in gun violence prevention.
During the event, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and U.S. Representative John James (R-MI) were recognized for their work to bring violence prevention and school safety resources to communities across the country.
“When it comes to protecting children, there is so much more that unites us than divides us. This common ground, in that everyone wants our nation’s children to be safe, is what enables us to continue building bridges that bring people together to develop solutions and create a better future. We’re committed to this bipartisan mission, and we thank Senator Klobuchar and Representative James for their leadership and support in these life-saving efforts,” said Mark Barden, co-founder and co-CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.
Senator Amy Klobuchar was honored for her work alongside a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce and pass the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018. This legislation was created following the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. For the past seven years, Sen. Klobuchar has continued to champion strong federal funding for the STOP School Violence Act through the federal appropriations process, including ensuring the inclusion of an additional $300 million in STOP grant funding through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
“You honor those 20 kids and six educators, but what’s more important is you’re honoring kids and people that you’re never even going to meet. They won’t even know your names, because you either saved lives through your advocacy for legislation, or through the training that you’ve done,” Sen. Klobuchar said. “Democracy is not a spectator sport. It’s on all of us to make our voices heard. You are the shelter from the storm for so many families that are knocked down by gun violence.”
Representative John James was recognized for his commitment to working with Sandy Hook Promise to identify and support solutions to keep kids safe at school, at home and in their communities. He has co-sponsored both the Preparing Leaders to Assess Needs for School Safety (PLAN) Act as well as the Kid Providing Resources for Optimal Outcomes against Fatalities (Kid PROOF) Act. Rep. James continues to be a strong partner in advancing both pieces of legislation and is dedicated to enacting solutions that keep kids safe and prevent violence and suicide.
“The safety of our children is not a partisan issue. As a father of three young, school-age boys, it’s an issue that gets close to home for me. I worry each and every single day that I’m sending my child to school and it may be the last time I say goodbye to them. This has to end now. I’m fighting in Congress to end the violence that’s torn apart far too many families for far too long, by supporting common-sense, impactful legislation that we know will make a difference,” Rep. James said.
The development of bipartisan strategies to prevent gun violence is one aspect of Sandy Hook Promise’s holistic approach to ending school shootings and gun violence. To date, more than 35 million people nationwide have participated in the organization’s proven “Know the Signs” programs, which train youth and adults to recognize warning signs of violence and when and how to get help. Through these evidence-informed violence prevention programs, Sandy Hook Promise has stopped at least 18 credible planned school shooting attacks and saved more than 1,000 young lives from suicide, among countless other acts of violence.
Event photos here. Credit: Pixelmestudio. Captions are below.
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The Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund (SHPAF) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization committed to protecting all children from gun violence in schools, homes, and communities. The SHP Action Fund advances a holistic policy platform that promotes gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education. The organization works at the state and federal level to pass nonpartisan legislation through inclusive partnerships, diverse grassroots education, and community mobilization. It is part of Sandy Hook Promise, founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
Media Contact:
Nick Dmitrovich | [email protected] | 203-304-9780 Ext. 279
Photo Captions:
- Event photos here. Credit: Pixelmestudio.
- Award presentation photo: Pictured are (L to R): Sandy Hook Promise Co-Founder and Co-CEO Nicole Hockley, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Sandy Hook Promise Co-Founder and Co-CEO Mark Barden.
- Group photo: Pictured are (L to R): Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sandy Hook Promise Co-Founder and Co-CEO Mark Barden, Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), and Sandy Hook Promise Co-Founder and Co-CEO Nicole Hockley.
- Sandy Hook Promise Co-Founder, Co-CEO Mark Barden and U.S. Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) – Promise Champions Gala 2025.
- Sandy Hook Promise Co-Founder, Co-CEO Nicole Hockley – Promise Champions Gala 2025.
- Sandy Hook Promise Co-Founder, Co-CEO Mark Barden – Promise Champions Gala 2025.
- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) – Promise Champions Gala 2025.