Freedom States Alliance is a national non-profit organization working to free Americans from gun violence. Our focus is to reduce gun-related deaths and injuries through public awareness campaigns and by providing technical assistance and support to grassroots organizations.

The Freedom States Alliance is calling on you to join our growing movement of passionate and committed advocates who are working to reduce gun violence in America. An investment in the Freedom States Alliance is an investment in our mission to save lives!

Please join us today!

FSA is actively changing the way America thinks about guns in order to build and strengthen the grassroots movement to reduce gun violence. We believe that all Americans deserve to live in a country free from the fear, threat, and devastation caused by gun violence--each one of us deserves to be safe in our homes, schools, and communities. By organizing supporters, sponsoring Internet and public education campaigns and bringing new resources to the movement on behalf of gun violence prevention organizations, the Freedom States alliance is reframing and redefining public perceptions of the gun issue.

Our mission is to:

• strengthen the efforts of state groups working to reduce gun violence and bring new resources and diversified funding to the movement;
• galvanize new momentum and attention to this issue by expanding our network of concerned citizens and grassroots supporters; and
• change attitudes about guns through media outreach and efforts.

Freedom States Alliance believes more needs to be done, and can be done, to reduce gun violence in our country. It is imperative to educate the public and shed light on the real and overwhelming problem of gun violence in our communities. We must use a comprehensive approach by changing policy, modifying personal behavior, challenging cultural norms, sustaining a long term public education effort, winning the message and public perception war, and mobilizing a broad base of supporters at the grassroots level.

• We are in the midst of a national crisis. Nearly 30,000 people die from guns in our country each year, including 8 children each day.
• Gun violence is an epidemic and a public heath issue: every 18 minutes an American dies of a gunshot wound.
• In the past 25 years, 800,000 Americans have died on US soil from guns--this is more than all the American soldiers killed in the 20th century combined.
• With over 190 million guns in circulation, America is flooded with deadly weapons, including cop-killing assault weapons and deadly sniper rifles designed for the battlefield.
• Gun violence terrorizes our communities, destroys our families and impacts our emotional and spiritual health.

Freedom States Alliance, founded in 2006, works directly with a network of nine state-based gun violence prevention organizations. This network consists of:

CeaseFire NJ www.ceasefirenj.com

Citizens for a Safer Minnesota www.endgunviolence.com

Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence www.hcgv.org

Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence www.ichv.org

Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence www.ipgv.org

New England Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence www.necpgv.org

New Yorkers Against Gun Violence www.nyagv.org

Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence www.ohioceasefire.org

Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort Educational Fund www.waveedfund.org

Freedom States Alliance is actively working to change the way America thinks about guns in order to mobilize and strengthen grassroots efforts to reduce gun-related injuries and deaths.

Your investment in our mission allows us to:

• Mobilize a powerful and effective grassroots movement to reduce gun violence and challenge the gun lobby
• Change the way America thinks about guns and what can be done to stem the tide of gun deaths
• Raise money on behalf of our affiliate gun violence prevention organizations
• Harvest the power of the Internet to educate, organize and mobilize Americans to reduce gun violence
• Channel money and resources directly to the advocates working in communities impacted by gun violence
• Educate the public of the tremendous energy and victories of these movements
• Link Internet users with grassroots organizations to get involved and advocate on the local level
• Reduce gun violence and save lives throughout America

• The Freedom States Alliance and the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence sponsored a statewide media tour in July 2005 focused on the threat of .50 caliber sniper rifles that garnered 27 television news stories and brought more police chiefs and law enforcement officials into its coalition.
• The Freedom States Alliance implemented an aggressive online list building strategy with petitions and action alerts which included: FSA's call for a nationwide moment of silence after the Virginia Tech massacre; protesting guns in national parks; educating the public about then Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's position on machine guns; and launching our website "License to Murder" about "shoot first laws" being implemented across the country, and our newest campaign and website "Stop Gun Deaths.org".
• The Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE) organized a successful statewide media tour in July 2005 to oppose the gun lobby's proposals to permit the carrying of hidden and loaded handguns in churches, child day care centers, businesses, hospitals and nursing homes. WAVE garnered 25 television news stories from the media campaign. This statewide media tour put the gun lobby on the defensive and potentially halted the gun lobby's agenda to put more deadly handguns on the streets.
• The Freedom States Alliance organized a multi-city book tour on behalf of Professor Joan Burbick to promote "Gun Show Nation". The tour included events at the Harvard School of Public Health, a youth group event with CeaseFire NJ, a press availability at the Press Club in D.C., and interviews in Chicago media.
• At our annual meeting in 2005 and 2006, FSA provided in-depth fundraising training to our affiliate organizations on board development and developing individual donor programs. Additionally, we provided a half day training for the staff and board of directors of CeaseFire New Jersey and Citizens for a Safer Minnesota on board development and fundraising issues.
• The Illinois Council against Handgun Violence won a major victory when lawmakers passed a bill to require criminal background checks at gun shows, cutting off a key source of guns used in crimes.
• During the spring and summer of 2007, FSA worked closely with the New England Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence to: help develop their overall strategic plan for 2007-2008; develop content for their website; and assist with petition signing activities to bring new awareness and supporters to their efforts.

• Conduct comprehensive statewide media tours reaching new media markets where gun violence prevention advocates have never had a presence before.
• Promote Internet driven public education campaigns such as "License to Murder", "50 Caliber Terror" and "Gun Guys.com"
• Provide professional and technical assistance with media and communications, web design, Internet content, fundraising and board development for gun violence prevention groups.
• Implement Internet and email outreach strategies to increase our membership and energize new members to get active in our grassroots based organizations.
• Work on non-legislative initiatives such as the "Campaign to Close the Newspaper Loophole", the Ask Campaign (asking parents if they keep a gun in the home before allowing children to go over and play), and the Student Pledge Against Gun Violence in collaboration with our network of state groups.
• Train new spokespeople, develop community organizers, increase coalition partners, and empower volunteers.

Freedom States Alliance
P.O. Box 618363
Chicago, IL 60661
Phone: 312-575-0493
Fax: 312-474-1742
Email: info@freedomstatesalliance.org
Web: www.freedomstatesalliance.org
If you would like to speak with someone regarding a press-related matter, please call 312-575-0493.

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