Tag Archive for: Gratitude

A Message from our Founders

On the morning of December 14th, 2012, we were simply parents — two stay-at-home moms who loved our children deeply. By that night, we were survivors of tragic loss. We sent our daughters, Emilie and Joey, to school that morning.  Only they did not come home. They had been killed in their first grade classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary. Our lives would never be the same.

Before our worlds were turned upside down, neither one of us had ever dreamt of starting a non-profit organization. But in the face of unthinkable tragedy, we were moved to action. In 2013, we co-founded Safe and Sound Schools to honor the lives and legacies of our daughters and to change the conversation around school safety. Today we are 7 years into that mission of relentlessly advocating for the safety and security of every child, every day. We never could have imagined in 2013 that our message would reach over 32,000 schools, impacting nearly 17 million students worldwide through our presentations, trainings, and resources. 

On December 14th, 2012 we felt as though our worlds had come to an end. Looking back, we now realize that tragic day was just a beginning. We are changing the conversation. We see a renewed commitment to protecting our children and youth across our nation. And although there is much work ahead, we are excited about what the future holds for the children and youth of our nation. We know Emilie and Joey are proud as they look down upon our work from above. 

As we look to the future, we have set aggressive goals to increase our support of school communities nationwide.  We will grow our network of partners and subject matter experts, broaden our programs and training, and expand our curriculum and materials to keep even more schools and more students safe and sound.

This Giving Tuesday, we extend our gratitude, because these two moms could not have reached any of these milestones without your continued support and generous contributions. We thank you for supporting us and honoring our daughters through the mission of Safe and Sound Schools.

Please consider donating to our mission today!!

Alissa Parker & Michele Gay, Co-Founders of Safe and Sound Schools 

 

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Giving Thanks

Heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, the Safe and Sound Schools team reflects on gratitude. We want to share our thoughts with you, our supporters.

We are especially thankful for:

The dedicated team of volunteers and staff that work behind the scenes to increase nationwide awareness about school safety.

The advisors, contributors, and experts that guide us on our mission, providing the reliable tools and resources that we share with you each day.

The expertise of our board members and advisors that has guided our sustainable growth and development over the last five years.

The families, students, and community members who challenge us to continually improve our arsenal of best-practice-informed tools that empower the Safe and Sound movement.

The school leaders, teachers, and staff that practice the principles of school safety, utilize our materials, and inspire us to create more resources to protect our students.

Our organizational and corporate partners that support and promote our work, making our mission possible.

The students across the country who have joined our movement, many starting Safe and Sound Youth Councils in schools across the country

The public safety and security professionals whose wealth of knowledge and experience helps protect and save lives everyday.

The support and sacrifice of our families, who accommodate our long hours, hectic travel, and time away from home as we work with schools and communities in every state.

Our beautiful children, in heaven and on earth. They are behind all that we do in our mission and on our journey. This is their legacy – a legacy of safe and sound schools.

From all of us at Safe and Sound Schools, Happy Thanksgiving!

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