Announcement Coincides with National Safe Schools Week, Oct. 19-23
Newtown, CT — To mark the first day of Safe Schools Week, Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) and DICK’S Sporting Goods announced a renewed partnership to expand access to SHP’s Know the Signs violence prevention programs. The $100,000 donation from DICK’S will help teach millions of youth and adults to identify, intervene, and get help for individuals who might be at-risk of hurting themselves or others.
This is the second year of the partnership between DICK’S and SHP that began following the deadly shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, in February 2018.
National Safe Schools Week (Oct 19-23) is a call-to-action week to draw attention to the epidemic of violence in schools and encourage communities to unite in preventing it by teaching youth to “say something” when they see someone in need of help. SAVE Promise Clubs, SHP’s youth-led organizations dedicated to violence prevention, are leading activities in nearly 3,000 schools that connect peers and underscore the importance of looking out for one another, despite challenges presented by the pandemic.
“We are grateful to DICK’S Sporting Goods and its CEO Ed Stack for their continued passion for making our nation’s schools and communities safer,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy. “Knowing the signs of potential violence and how to speak up when they surface is crucial to getting help and saving lives.”
“The team at Sandy Hook Promise is doing everything they can to help keep our communities safe, and we are proud to continue our support of their efforts,” said Ed Stack, DICK’S Sporting Goods Chairman and CEO.
To date, more than 12 million people nationwide have participated in Sandy Hook Promise’s proven Know the Signs programs that focus on prevention to help end the epidemic of gun violence by training youth and adults how to identify at-risk behavior and intervene to get help before a tragedy can occur. Through these no-cost programs, Sandy Hook Promise has averted countless school shooting plots, teen suicides, and other acts of violence.
To highlight the warning signs of potential violence, Sandy Hook Promise produces award-winning Public Service Announcements (PSAs), including “Back to School Essentials,” which won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial of 2019. These PSAs have amassed a combined 230 million views worldwide, helping reinforce that school shootings are preventable when you “know the signs.”
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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. SHP is a moderate, bipartisan organization that supports sensible policy solutions that address the human side of gun violence and make schools safer. 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.
About DICK’S Sporting Goods: Founded in 1948, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of August 1, 2020, the Company operated 726 DICK’S Sporting Goods locations across the United States, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a blend of dedicated teammates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Lodge/Outdoor, Fitness and Footwear.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, DICK’S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream specialty stores, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications and live scorekeeping. DICK’S offers its products through a content-rich eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and provides customers with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour storefront. For more information, visit the Investor Relations page at dicks.com.
Media Contact:
Aimee Thunberg | Communications Director, Sandy Hook Promise
[email protected] | 203.304.9780 x177