My Nonprofit Reviews

I am a long-time teacher substitute and a grandparent several times over. As a relatively new Sandy Hook Promise Leader volunteer I’d like to share what compelled me to step up.

Like most, the steady onslaught of school shootings has impacted me deeply, Sandy Hook especially. Seeing those sweet faces took me to the darkest of places— I had grandchildren their age and could not imagine the pain, the loss. I knew then I had to do what I could.

Sandy Hook touched us all—unbelievably painful, shocking, sobering. And frustrating. Incredibly, it’s a predictable cycle with school shootings. We are collectively outraged. We send our thoughts and prayers. Impassioned speeches and sermons and cries to act ring out across the country. Then somehow each tragedy quietly fades into the rear-view. The news cycle moves on, nothing lasting happens. While the frequency of school shootings has diminished, if anything gun control measures have been relaxed, while social-emotional pressures are increasing. That is what really drove me to act. We cannot allow ourselves to go numb and I fear that we are doing just that. Surely we’re not thinking “leave well enough alone”? We cannot wait for the next tragedy to react. We must prevent!

My long-term passions revolve around kids and their future. Bullying, social pressures, self-harm, apathy, stress, fear…they deserve better. I needed a way to nudge the needle toward action, to impact our reality, to make a difference. The first step is awareness: if enough people know and understand, some will care enough to get involved. But even with the powerful reach of social media, I couldn’t make a real difference. A movement requires critical mass, strong grass roots. I was alone.

When I found the Sandy Hook Promise website, I quickly saw that their mission and objectives aligned perfectly with my top personal drivers. The organization has credibility and name recognition. They support their volunteer advocates with personal connections and a wealth of material. And it was so easy to get started with Sandy Hook Promise.

We each have something to contribute, given the means. If a person really wants to make a difference in our children’s welfare and safety Sandy Hook Promise provides the opportunity. I will make a difference and I am looking for others who feel the same way.

We need numbers, we need strength. We need more committed people, more supporters, more exposure, more organizational partners, more direct influence with decision-makers. We must grow! Together, the SHP mission and objectives will become reality, for our children. For my grandchildren.

“Sandy Hook Promise envisions a country where no child experiences the devastation of school shootings...to create a culture engaged in preventing shootings, violence and other harmful acts in schools. We believe we can accomplish this by uniting people of all beliefs and backgrounds to take meaningful action in their homes and communities to protect children.
Our mission is to end school shootings and create a culture change that prevents violence and other harmful acts that hurt children."