PAX is a nonpolitical nonprofit organization working with all Americans to bring an end to gun violence against children and families. PAX's two innovative programs -- SPEAK UP and ASK (Asking Saves Kids) -- offer practical solutions for protecting children from gun violence.

Those of you who attended the Gala were treated to a very special performance by John Forté. As a thank you, he has made this special recording for PAX and its supporters. Click here to listen.

NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT YOUTH FIREARM THREATS ARE THE SAME IN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS

May 24, 2010 - A new study published in Pediatrics this Monday revealed that children in rural areas of the United States are just as likely to die by firearms as those in the biggest urban cities. Researchers analyzed nearly 24,000 deaths from 1999 to 2006 among youth ages 19 and younger. The results showed that children in the most-rural counties in the United States were just as likely to die by firearms as were children in the most urban US counties. There were significant variations in the intent of the firearm deaths across the rural-urban continuum, however. Urban counties had disproportionately higher number of firearm homicides and most-rural counties had a disproportionately higher rate of firearm suicide, and accidental/unintentional firearm-related deaths. This study illustrates the crucial importance of PAX's ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Campaign, which urges parents to ask whether there is a gun in the home where their children play. By asking about firearms in the homes where their children play, parents are taking a simple step that can save lives.

Click here to read the full article.

SPEAK UP NEW YORK CITY

On March 1, 2010, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, along with NYPD commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, Council Members, and the New York City Department of Education announced the launch of a new program in New York City to a spirited crowd downtown at City Hall.

SPEAK UP New York City is a pilot program in 10-15 NYC public schools that have volunteered to participate in the campaign. Commissioner Kelly said, "I see this as the beginning of a strong and very powerful partnership with PAX. One gun murder of a young person is one too many."

City Council member Robert Jackson, Education Committee Chair and member of the Black Latino and Asian Caucus, expressed his support for SPEAK UP by reciting from SPEAK UP's wallet card in both Spanish and English: "Don't Assume it's a joke! Call 1-866-SPEAK UP. Habla. Salva Vidas."

Representatives from the Department of Education, the Million Mom March, Harlem Mothers SAVE, the United Federation of Teachers, the Mayor's Office, and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators stood up in support of SPEAK UP New York City.

SUICIDE PREVENTION IN RHODE ISLAND

PAX has begun work with the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) and Policy Studies, Inc (PSI) to address the public health issue of suicide in Rhode Island. Funded by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) to HEALTH, the project aims to promote the awareness of lethal means reduction as well as reducing methods of self harm.

PAX will lead a process of message development to hone in on attitudes and behaviors around suicide prevention and lethal means access. PAX will also explore and identify opportunities to leverage communications insights and messages to inspire positive changes in attitudes and behaviors around lethal means access and suicide prevention.

Find out more about SPEAK UP programs around the country.

Read about the latest SPEAK UP success stories.

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