Founded in 2012, GunSense Vermont is a non-partisan group that works to ensure that all Vermonters are free from gun violence.
We work with local and national organizations, students and survivors using evidence-based practices to advocate for laws that reduce gun violence in Vermont. GunSense’s non-profit arm, the GunSense Vermont Education Fund, informs and educates Vermont residents on all aspects of gun violence, including suicide, homicide, intimidation and domestic violence. It works to promote and facilitate civic engagement to reduce the impact of gun violence on Vermont residents.
GunSense Vermont is a grassroots organization that is part of a growing movement nationwide to stem the epidemic of gun violence. The United States suffers more than 35,000 gun deaths annually, far surpassing any other developed country. Our members recognize that gun violence is a public health crisis, and we are demanding that our elected officials take meaningful action to address it.
What We Do
-
Safe Storage – Store guns safely: locked and unloaded. Ask your friends and family to do the same. As the only state requiring residents to safely store firearms when not in use, Massachusetts’ youth are 55% less likely to die by suicide than the national average and guns are used in only 9% of youth suicides compared to the national 39%. Safe storage saves lives.
-
Educate – open healthy dialogue about mental health and suicide in Vermont and protect healthcare professionals’ right to share information about gun safety with their patients.
-
Keep Guns Away from Individuals in Crisis – If you know of someone who poses a danger to self or others, contact the police. ERPO (S.221 above) can temporarily remove guns from the equation and may save a life.
- Join and support GunSense Vermont – and help lobby for an extended waiting period for gun purchases.