Newtown, CT — Yesterday, more than two dozen runners from Team Sandy Hook Promise participated in the 50th Annual New York City Marathon, raising money to end school shootings and prevent youth violence.
This marks the sixth year Sandy Hook Promise has been involved in the marathon. Funding raised through the event has helped nearly 15 million students and educators nationwide participate in Sandy Hook Promise’s life-saving Know the Signs programs.
Both Start With Hello and Say Something, core trainings in the Know the Signs suite of violence prevention programs, help create more inclusive school environments by teaching the warning signs of someone in danger of harming themselves or others, and when and how to reach out for help.
“The dedication and commitment required of these runners should serve as an inspiration to us all,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the tragedy of Sandy Hook Elementary School. “We won’t stop until every child feels safe when attending school or walking down the street. Sometimes it might be hard to see the finish line, but we have to keep moving forward. Our children’s lives depend on it.”
The runners on Team Sandy Hook Promise included Carla Neufeldt from California, Ilinke Royse and Alison Savona from Florida, and Timothy Dougherty from Colorado.
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About Sandy Hook Promise
Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to end school shootings and create a culture change that prevents violence and other harmful acts that hurt children. Through its life-saving, evidence-informed Know the Signs prevention programs, SHP educates and empowers youth and adults to recognize, intervene, and get help for individuals who may be socially isolated and/or at risk of hurting themselves or others. Through nonpartisan policy and partnerships, SHP advances gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education at the state and federal levels that protect all children from gun violence in their schools, homes, and communities. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Learn more at www.sandyhookpromise.org
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Aimee Thunberg | [email protected] | 646-761-5579