More than 200 co-sponsoring organizations have already joined this effort to end gun violence. No community, no family, no American is unaffected by gun violence. Gun violence claims the lives of more than 32,000 people each year and injures an estimated 90,000 more. Gun violence takes a particular toll on young people. U.S. children are 12 times more likely to die by gunfire than children in 25 other industrialized countries combined.
Teenagers are more likely to commit suicide if a gun is available.
Gun shots are the leading cause of death for teenage boys. During the last decade the number of children murdered by guns nearly tripled. Click here to learn more about the problem of gun violence. The good news is that, now, more and more Americans are getting energized and mobilized and young people are playing a critical role in addressing gun violence. High school teachers and students around the country are taking the initiative to bring First Monday to their schools and communities.