All across America, ASK volunteers and partner organizations are playing a vital role in keeping kids safe. There are many ways you can bring the ASK message to your community, such as distributing ASK brochures and posters through your child's school system or local health clinic or at day care centers and other family friendly locations. Or you can help organize ASK Day events in your school or town or contact your local media to help create more awareness of ASK.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

A member of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence and mother of two organized a brochure distribution in every school in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district, sending home brochures to the parents of over 10,000 students in the 2005/2006 school year. Read more about her efforts in The News and Observer.

Knowing that no community is completely safe from gun violence, this concerned parent decided to spread the word about asking if there are guns where children play to other parents in her community. Having heard of a similar effort in Winston-Salem, she contacted her school district and recruited 14 volunteers to prepare the materials. Her swift planning and enthusiasm paid off and the brochures were distributed in time for winter break, just as children begin spending more time at friends' homes. With ASK brochures also being distributed in Raleigh and Durham, she hopes the campaign continues to spread in the Triangle area of North Carolina.

Texans for Gun Safety

Texans for Gun Safety (TGS) is a grassroots organization dedicated to preventing gun violence in Texas. Since beginning its community outreach education programs in October 1995, TGS has taken its message to children, teenagers and adults throughout the Houston Metropolitan area.

The partnership between ASK and TGS began when its founder, Dave Smith, recognized that ASK's non-confrontational message of gun violence prevention would be well received in a state like Texas where gun ownership is more widespread. "Texans get nervous when they think you are trying to restrict ownership. The ASK campaign is a great vehicle; it's non-threatening."

TGS has distributed ASK materials at community events and health fairs and has even brought the ASK message to the Houston Police Department. Having previously focused on the distribution of trigger locks, Houston police officers have found that the ASK message provides them with an effective way to empower Texans to make their neighborhoods and communities safer.

Winston-Salem

A mother of two children in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District contacted the school system to find out how she could get permission to include an ASK brochure in the "parent packets" regularly sent home with elementary and middle school students. The process turned out to be as simple as filling out an application and providing a copy of the material to school officials. Within two weeks, she received permission to distribute ASK brochures to the parents of over 52,000 students. After receiving the brochures from PAX, she enlisted the help of other moms to bundle the brochures in stacks and deliver them to the schools.

Using the promotional tools included in the ASK Campaign Kit, the mothers approached their local media outlets with news of the ASK Campaign and school brochure distribution. As a result, the ASK message was featured in the Winston-Salem Journal and the Winston-Salem Chronicle, and was discussed on WFDD-FM and the local FOX TV affiliate. Thanks to the ASK Campaign volunteers, more parents in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County are now asking about guns where their children play.