Non-Profit Organizations
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PASS K-12
Founded in 2014, PASS brings together educators, security professionals, law enforcement, and architects to develop comprehensive, adaptable safety guidelines for K-12 schools. Their tiered security framework allows schools to implement safety measures based on their unique needs and budgets, covering physical security, emergency planning, mental health, and school climate. PASS provides practical steps, funding guidance, and training resources to help schools navigate implementation challenges.
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Safe and Sound Schools
Founded by Michelle Gay and Alyssa Parker, both mothers who lost their daughters in the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy. Driven by personal loss, they created the organization to support school crisis prevention, response, and recovery, providing research-based resources to empower school communities. Safe and Sound Schools collaborates with experts in mental health, law enforcement, and education to develop tailored safety strategies without political affiliations. The organization does not fund schools directly but serves as a hub for knowledge, encouraging parents, educators, and local leaders to take proactive steps in school safety.
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Averted School Violence Database
The Averted School Violence (ASV) Database, a project designed to analyze and learn from cases where planned school attacks were successfully prevented. Researchers, including Dr. Frank Straub and Steve McMahon, use the database to identify patterns in prevention strategies by examining key factors like intent, means, opportunity, and motive in averted incidents.
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Safe Schools for Alex
Safe Schools for Alex, an organization born from the tragic loss of Alex Schachter in the 2018 Parkland school shooting. Founded by Alex’s father, Max Schachter. Safe Schools for Alex’s comprehensive School Safety Dashboard, a powerful data tool now available in 18 states. They also have their student-led initiatives and Champions of School Safety program, all aiming to empower communities, students, and officials to work collaboratively toward safer learning environments.
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ZeroNow
ZeroNow, an organization founded in response to the Virginia Tech tragedy to transform school safety through a collective impact model. ZeroNow brings together educators, tech leaders, policymakers, and designers to drive systemic change across three pillars: ideas, innovation, and investment. ZeroNow’s student-inclusive think tank approach, its push for interoperable safety technology, and the work of the National Council of School Safety Directors (NCSSD), which offers a seven-step roadmap toward achieving zero school violence. From risk assessments and emergency response plans to reunification procedures and trauma support, ZeroNow underscores the importance of cross-sector collaboration and sustained action.
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Sandy Hook Promise
Sandy Hook Promise, an organization founded by the families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. The organization focuses on preventing gun violence and creating safer schools through education, advocacy, and personal legacies. Sandy Hook Promise is a nonprofit organization focused on preventing violence, especially in schools, in honor of the victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012. Launched officially in 2013 with a mission to turn their tragedy into action and change. They initially focused on advocating for policy changes, specifically for gun safety laws, but then shifted to a more holistic approach that included researching and addressing warning signs of violence.
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Make Our Schools Safe
Make Our Schools Safe, a nonprofit founded by Lori and Ilan Alhadeff after the tragic death of their daughter Alyssa in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Driven by personal loss and professional expertise, they created an organization focused on proactive school safety through a framework called POWER: Preparedness, Observation, Willingness to act, Education, and Response. Major initiatives include advocating for Alyssa’s Law, which mandates silent panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement, and establishing Make Our Schools Safe Clubs (MOSS Clubs) to empower students as safety leaders.