The Sandy Hook Promise Foundation is a gun violence prevention group based in Newtown, Connecticut, formed by families of victims of the 2012 school spree shooting in the town. The organization has advocated for some gun control policies,¹ though the organization does not focus on lobbying and advocacy for gun control.²

Sandy Hook Promise Foundation is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of the 501(c)(4) advocacy and lobbying group Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund.

Programs

Sandy Hook Promise Foundation runs several programs to target behaviors suspected to be precursors to school violence that have been used in schools throughout the country. One program is known as “Say Something,” which teaches students and teachers to recognize and respond to warning signs that a student may harm themselves or others. Another program is known as “Start with Hello,” which seeks to reduce social isolation by encouraging students to reach out to peers and create a “culture of inclusion” in schools.³

Another program that the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation runs is called “Know the Signs,” which details how to identify, intervene, and get help for individuals before they hurt themselves or others. Another program that the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation runs is called “SOS Signs of Suicide Prevention Program,” which offers training for students and adults about the warning signs of youth suicide and how to intervene before violence or self-harm occurs. Another program that the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation runs is their “Safety Assessment and Intervention” training, which trains schools and community organizations on how to identify, assess and respond to threatening behaviors before they escalate to violence.⁴

Positions on Firearms Rights

The Sandy Hook Promise organizations have advocated for some gun control policies despite claiming, in the words of co-founder Mark Barden, “you will never see [Sandy Hook Promise] advocating for anything that even compromises or at all infringes on anybody’s right to have their gun, ever.”⁵

The organizations do support “restrictions on magazine and caliber size ammunition.”⁶ The group praised the advancement of a set of gun control proposals in New Jersey in 2014.⁷

Controversies

In 2018, Tony Baker, former chief of staff for Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Connecticut), was hired by Sandy Hook Promise after he was fired from Rep. Esty’s office for allegedly threatening his ex-girlfriend, who also worked for Rep. Esty. Sandy Hook Promise fired him after he was contacted by the Washington Post regarding the allegations.⁸

In April 2015, the families of 11 victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting issued a statement clarifying that they are not involved with Sandy Hook Promise. The statement sought to clarify the issue for donors who might mistakenly believe they were directly supporting the victims’ families.⁹

Fundraising Gala

In 2018, at the group’s annual Promise Champions Gala, Sandy Hook Promise honored House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-Washington) for her role in supporting the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 and helping it to pass in the House of Representatives.¹⁰

In June 2017, talk show host Megyn Kelly was removed as the host of the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation’s annual Promise Champions Gala over her decision to interview controversial radio host Alex Jones on her NBC show Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly. Jones had previously falsely claimed that the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School was a government-perpetrated hoax. Sandy Hook parent Nicole Hockley issued a statement saying, “Sandy Hook Promise cannot support the decision by Megyn or NBC to give any form of voice or platform to Alex Jones and have asked Megyn Kelly to step down as our Promise Champion Gala host,” in response to Kelly’s decision to interview Jones. Kelly defended her decision to do the interview, saying it was important to “shine a light” on Jones.¹¹

Leadership

The executive director of Sandy Hook Promise Foundation is Tim Makris. Makris is the father of Philip Makris, who was killed at in a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14th, 2012.¹²

1. “NJ Bill That Limits Ammunition Magazines to 10 Rounds Passes Assembly With Help From Grassroots Activism.” Sandy Hook Promise. May 23, 2014. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/nj_bill_that_limits_ammunition_magazines_to_10_rounds_passes_assembly_with_help_from_grassroots_activism.
2. Stein, Joshua David. “Mark Barden’s Son Won’t Be the Last Child Gunned Down.” Fatherly. October 9, 2017. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://www.fatherly.com/love-money/culture/mark-barden-sandy-hook-promise-gun-violence/.
3. Blad, Evie. “After Parkland Shooting, District Teams With Sandy Hook Promise to Spot Warning Signs of Violence.” Education Week. July 24, 2018. https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rulesforengagement/2018/07/after_parkland_school_shooting_district_teams_with_sandy_hook_promise_to_teach_warning_signs_of_viol.html
4. Sandy Hook Promise Prevention Programs. Accessed September 27, 2018.  https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/prevention_programs
5. Stein, Joshua David. “Mark Barden’s Son Won’t Be the Last Child Gunned Down.” Fatherly. October 9, 2017. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://www.fatherly.com/love-money/culture/mark-barden-sandy-hook-promise-gun-violence/.
6. “FAQ.” Sandy Hook Promise. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/faq.
7. “NJ Bill That Limits Ammunition Magazines to 10 Rounds Passes Assembly With Help From Grassroots Activism.” Sandy Hook Promise. May 23, 2014. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/nj_bill_that_limits_ammunition_magazines_to_10_rounds_passes_assembly_with_help_from_grassroots_activism.
8. Viebeck, Elise. “Conn. congresswoman kept aide on staff for 3 months after she learned of threat allegation.” The Washington Post. March 29, 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/conn-congresswoman-kept-aide-on-staff-3-months-after-she-learned-of-threat-allegation/2018/03/29/5af5b11c-2311-11e8-94da-ebf9d112159c_story.html
9. Melia, Michael. “11 Newtown Families Distance Selves from Sandy Hook Promise Group.” NBC Connecticut. April 22, 2015. https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/11-Newtown-Families-Distance-Selves-from-Sandy-Hook-Promise-Group-300928561.html
10. Radelat, Ana. “Sandy Hook Promise honors GOP leader with high rating from the NRA.” The Connecticut Mirror. June 24, 2018. https://ctmirror.org/2018/06/14/sandy-hook-promise-honors-legislator-high-rating-nra/
11. Andrews, Travis. “Megyn Kelly dropped as host for Sandy Hook group’s gala over Alex Jones interview.” The Washington Post. June 13, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/06/13/megyn-kelly-dropped-as-host-for-sandy-hook-groups-gala-over-alex-jones-interview/
12. Morioka, Sharon. “Preventing Tragedy.” Michigan Alumnus. Fall 2016. http://alumnus.alumni.umich.edu/preventing-tragedy/