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TO NATIONAL EDITORS:
Media Call: New Gun Violence Prevention Group 'Everytown For Gun
Safety' Unites Mayors, Moms And Millions Of Americans On New Paths To
Victory: State Capitols, Corporate Responsibility, Voter Activation
NEW YORK, April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Almost a year
after a minority of the U.S. Senate blocked legislation to require
comprehensive gun background checks despite near-unanimous public
support, a new organization launching today will unite millions of
Americans who will work together to end gun violence and counter the
Washington gun lobby: Everytown for Gun Safety. A press release
announcing this new organization was just released, which can be found
here.
At its center, the organization will house Mayors Against Illegal
Guns, founded by former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and
former Boston Mayor Tom Menino, and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense
in America, a grassroots movement of moms that was founded the day
after Newtown. Everytown will ask Americans to join the fight to
reduce the gun violence that kills 86 Americans every day and affects
every town - big cities and small towns alike. This means continuing
to press for change in Washington and moving beyond Congress to bring
the fight for common-sense gun policies to state capitols, corporate
boards, and state and federal elections - fields of play formerly
occupied almost solely by the gun lobby. Supporters of Everytown will
back candidates and legislation that will save lives, donate to the
group's efforts and take action to raise awareness for important
issues like guns in schools, domestic violence, child access to guns,
suicide and the other ways that gun violence affects all Americans.
Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced in a New York Times
article published today that he plans to spend at least $50 million
this year to reduce gun violence through Everytown's educational and
advocacy efforts and through personal expenditures.
The organization also announced the launch of the Gun Sense Voter
campaign today that will, for the first time, mobilize one million
Americans to vote on guns and its aim to grow its ranks to 2.5 million
supporters this year by addressing the ways that gun violence touches
Americans including child access to guns, domestic violence, guns on
campus and suicide. The group released the first video in a series
called, "Scenes from Everytown: Stop the Violence" that illustrates
the dangers of child gun access - it can be viewed here.
Who: John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun
Safety Shannon Watts, Founder of Moms Demand Action
When: Wednesday, April 16 at 12:00 PM EDT
Call Details: Email press@everytown.org for dial-in information
About Everytown for Gun Safety
Everytown for Gun Safety is a movement of Americans fighting for
common-sense policies that will reduce gun violence and save lives.
Everytown is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the
country with more than 1.5 million supporters including moms, mayors,
survivors, and everyday Americans who are fighting for reforms that
respect the Second Amendment and protect people. At the core of
Everytown are Mayors Against Illegal Guns, founded in 2006 by former
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Boston Mayor Tom
Menino, and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots
movement of American mothers founded on the day after Newtown. Learn
more at www.everytown.org and follow us @Everytown
CONTACTS Erika Soto Lamb: erika@everytown.org or 646-580-5281 Stacey
Radnor: sradnor@everytown.org or 202-870-6668
SOURCE Everytown for Gun Safety
-0- 04/16/2014
/Web Site: http://www.everytown.org/
CO: Everytown for Gun Safety
ST: New York
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