Over Four Million Children Live in Homes with Unlocked and Loaded Guns

Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility Launches Billboard Campaign Urging Safe Storage

Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility, a national 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on responsible gun ownership, has launched a new billboard campaign urging gun owners to take a simple, life-saving step: securely lock and store their firearms.

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Safe Storage billboard launching in Indianapolis and NE Pennsylvania.

Spanning both urban and rural communities in Pennsylvania and Indiana – two states with high rates of household gun ownership – the nine-week billboard campaign delivers a clear and urgent message: responsible gun storage prevents tragedy. In Monroe County, Pennsylvania, more than 70 percent of households may have access to a firearm, underscoring the importance of keeping guns safely stored and out of the reach of children and teens. In Indiana, nearly 45 percent of all households own a gun, and Marion County –home to Indianapolis – has a firearm death rate roughly 2.5 times higher than the national average.

“Safe storage is not about politics. It is about protecting our children and grandchildren,” said Margaret Heldring, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Director of Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility. “A locked gun can be the difference between life and death. Responsible storage is simple, and it saves lives.”

The billboards offer a direct, nonpolitical message designed to resonate with gun owners and reinforce shared values of responsibility and safety while protecting the next generation. They feature an attention-grabbing image of a child’s hands discovering an unsecured firearm, alongside the message “Please Lock Your Gun” and a simple sign-off: “Love, TheGrandmothers.org.” The goal is to reduce preventable tragedies, including accidental shootings and youth suicides, which are often linked to unsecured firearms in the home.

“Whether you live in a city, the suburbs, or a small rural town, the risk is the same when a firearm is left unsecured,” Heldring added. “Safe storage is a simple step every gun owner can take to protect the people they love.”

With gun violence the number one cause of death in the US among children and teens, the Grandmothers campaign comes amid growing evidence that unsecured firearms remain a significant and preventable risk nationwide. Between 2015 and 2023, there were more than 3,500 shootings where a child unintentionally shot themselves or others, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and thousands of injuries. Research shows that up to 75 percent of children ages 5 to 14 know where firearms are stored in the home, and more than one in five report handling a gun without adult knowledge.

Yet despite these risks, safe storage is not consistently practiced. According to Pew Research Center, roughly one-third of gun owners report storing at least one firearm loaded and unlocked, with higher rates in households with children.

“Out of sight is not the same as secure,” Heldring said. “Children are curious. Teens can be impulsive. In moments of crisis, access to an unsecured firearm can turn a temporary situation into a permanent tragedy. Secure storage creates time and distance, and that saves lives.”

Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility encourages all gun owners to employ simple, proven safety measures, including using gun safes, lockboxes, trigger locks, and storing ammunition separately. For more information on safe firearm storage and Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility, please visit thegrandmothers.org.

A Generation in Action: About Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility

Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility is a grassroots, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization with more than 650 members in 43 states dedicated to preventing gun violence and promoting responsible gun ownership to protect children, families, and communities. Through education, advocacy, and community engagement, the organization works with members nationwide to advance common-sense solutions that reduce access to firearms by children and teens.

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