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Group of diverse kids and women sitting on front steps of a house with potted plants. Text overlay reads "The Asking Saves Kids Campaign" and "ASK. Asking Saves Kids."

Guns are now the LEADING cause of death of children in America

Why?

Half of homes with children in America have a gun and half those guns are left either unlocked or loaded.

But there is something every parent can do to protect their families.

Before you send your child to play at someone’s house - ASK if there is a gun in the home. If the answer is YES, make sure that all guns are locked with a trigger lock and kept in a gun safe.

Family of four sitting on the front porch of a house, smiling at the camera. A girl on the left, a woman in the middle, a man on the right, and a boy sitting on the man's lap.
The logo features the word ASK in bold blue letters with the slogan "Asking Saves Kids" below in smaller blue text.

American parents face a frightening reality in their neighborhoods and schools.

Close-up portrait of a young girl with blonde hair and blue eyes smiling softly. "Asking Saves Kids"

85% of children under 12 killed by a gun are shot in someone’s home.

Close-up of a teenage boy with short dark hair, fair skin, blue eyes, and a slight smile, outdoors with blurred orange autumn leaves in the background. "Asking Saves Kids"

82% of child suicides are committed with a gun found at home.

Close-up of a young girl with long brown hair, smiling, wearing a pink and blue headband. "Asking Saves Kids gun violence campaign"

74% of school shootings occur with a gun found at home.

But there is HOPE.

Every parent can prevent tragedies by asking one simple question when their child goes to play at someone’s house:

“Is there a gun where my child plays?”

If your neighbor’s answer is yes, ASK these important follow-up questions:

• Are all guns stored in a locked gun safe?

• Are guns and ammunition locked separately?

• Who has the keys?

These questions could save your child’s life.

Bold blue text reading 'ASK.' with smaller blue text underneath saying 'Asking Saves Kids' on a white background.

The open-source Asking Saves Kids (ASK) campaign has been adopted by thousands of doctors, hospitals, schools and communities across America.

We launched Asking Saves Kids (ASK) at the Million Mom March in 2000 in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics. The 400 state and local groups at the Million Mom March took ASK back to their communities.

For 25 years , ASK has been available as an open-source resource for anyone to promote in neighborhoods, schools, churches, police departments & physician offices across America.

Most importantly, 19 million parents now say they ASK about guns before sending their kids to play at someone’s home.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health logo with Harvard shield and school name

A Harvard study found ASK to be the only gun violence prevention message ever proven to be effective

Logo of the American Academy of Pediatrics with text and emblem

ASK was created in 2000 by the GVP leadership in alliance with the American Academy of Pediatrics

Logo for the GAO U.S. Government Accountability Office with blue text and a swoosh through the letters.

A GAO study found ASK to be the only gun violence prevention message ever proven to be effective

We modeled ASK on two of the most successful open-source social change campaigns in US history.

“Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” made all of us responsible if a friend drives drunk. Culture shifted, behaviors changed and new laws were passed. Drunk-driving deaths fell 60%.

“Second-Hand Smoke Kills” shifted culture and behaviors on smoking. Laws banning smoking in public were then passed and the percentage of Americans smoking fell from 44% to 12%.

ASK begins a conversation in neighborhoods across America about guns in the home, how they are stored and if they are safe.

This is how change begins.

Thank you for your support!

Thank you for your support!

Our mission to protect America’s families depends on your support.

Your tax-deductible donation will help spread the life-saving Asking Saves Kids message to every family and community across America.

Donate

The Gun Violence Project is an IRS approved 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Our Board of Advisors

Kevin Bacon, Actor & Musician

Lara Bergthold, Strategic Consultant

Stephanie Bruni, EP, The Directors Bureau

Rosanne Cash, Singer, Songwriter, Activist

Talmage Cooley, Dir., Gun Violence Project

Griffin Dunne, Writer, Director, Actor

Erin Erenberg, Founder, Chamber of Mothers

Dan Fogelman, Writer, Producer

Tom Freston, Founder & CEO, MTV

Heath Friedman, Wellness Activist

Tyler Goldsmith, Singer, Songwriter

Ethan Hawke, Writer, Actor, Director

Cheryl Healton, Founding Dean, NYU-SGPH

David Hemenway, Director, Harvard SGPH

Alissa Lee, Writer

Matt Lenski, Director, Arts & Sciences

Michelle Kydd Lee, Chief Innov. Officer, CAA

Carey Lowell, Actor

Melodie McDaniel, Dir., The Directors Bureau

Felice McDaniel, Activist, NAMI

Mandy Moore, Singer, Songwriter, Actor

Jennifer Pomeranz, Professor, NYU-SGPH

Priya Parmar, Writer

Sharon Rapoport, Creative Director, Kripalu

Kyra Sedgwick, Actor, Director, Producer

Oberon Sinclair, CEO, My Young Auntie PR

Anthony Sperduti, Founder & CEO, Mythology

Donna Thomases, Founder, Million Mom March

Caitlin Thompson, Actor, Writer

Frances Tulk-Hart, Photographer, Visual Artist

Emily Vacher, Director, Safety & Trust, Meta