Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Applaud Connecticut Governor for Unlocking American Rescue Plan Funding for Gun Violence Intervention Programs

The Connecticut chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement after Governor Lamont announced his plan to allocate $3 million of the state’s American Rescue Plan funding to support gun violence prevention programs.

This announcement follows the recommendations Everytown for Gun Safety made in a new fact sheet on how to use American Rescue Plan funding to combat gun violence. Additionally, it comes just a week after lawmakers substantially increased funding for community-based violence intervention programs in the proposed budget for the coming year. 

“The pandemic has exacerbated our states’ gun violence crisis while also putting immense strain on the local organizations working to end this crisis,” said Kate Roschmann, a volunteer with the Connecticut chapter of Moms Demand Action. “These community-based violence intervention programs are one of the most effective ways to reduce gun violence. The governor’s action today is another comprehensive step towards tackling gun violence in all its forms, and makes it clear he stands with communities hit hardest by gun violence in their fight to make Connecticut a safer place.”

The recently released fact sheet details how local governments can utilize ARP funds to prevent or address gun violence in cities because increased gun violence and the need for expanded violence intervention programs can be traced to the impact of the pandemic and because violence intervention professionals are performing essential frontline work to protect the public and interrupt gun violence. 

Every year hundreds of people are shot and killed or wounded in Connecticut. Gun violence costs Connecticut $1.4 billion each year, of which $60.4 million is paid by taxpayers. Read about gun violence in Connecticut here.