Focus on Non Profits
Be SMART is a public education campaign launched by Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund in 2015. The campaign's mission is to reduce child gun deaths and injuries by promoting responsible gun ownership and normalizing conversations around secure gun storage between adults. It provides education on secure gun storage and ways that you can keep children safe (whether you're a gun owner or not), and also highlights the correlation between access to firearms and suicide rates. In Vermont, more than 88% of gun deaths are suicides and the rate of overall gun deaths has increased 36% from 2012 to 2021 (cdc.gov). The Vermont Be SMART volunteers work to build awareness about gun violence prevention throughout the state by speaking with individuals at tabling events and partnering with schools, law enforcement, and other community groups to share resources. The Be SMART model: SECURE all guns in your home and vehicles MODEL responsible behavior around guns ASK about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes RECOGNIZE the role of guns in suicide TELL your peers to be SMART Tips for proper gun storage Assume that a curious, impulsive or determined child or teen could find and handle an unsecured gun even if told not to Store all guns unloaded, locked and separated from ammunition when not in use Use a lockbox, gun safe or device with biometric authentication Distribution sites for free gun locks in Addison County: Bristol: Lawrence Memorial Library Middlebury: Isley Public Library and Sheriff’s Office
