NEWTOWN, Conn. - The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) announced today that it has been awarded a two-year, $2.4 million grant by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Funds will go toward providing firearm safety education messaging and free gun locks through NSSF's Project ChildSafe program to communities throughout the country, to encourage responsible firearm storage and help reduce firearm accidents, theft and misuse.

"We thank the Department of Justice for its recognition of this important program," said Steve Sanetti, NSSF's President and CEO. "We'll work to build on previous efforts and further raise awareness of the simple precautions gun owners can take to store firearms securely when not in use."

The grant award is a strong endorsement of the effectiveness of programs like Project ChildSafe, which since 1999 has distributed more than 37 million free firearm safety kits across the country and in five U.S. territories. Thousands of law enforcement agencies, hunting and conservation groups, and firearms retailers already participate in Project ChildSafe and have been instrumental in expanding the reach of the program's safety messages. The new grant from DOJ will likewise be instrumental in making even more free gun locks available to more gun owners nationwide.

"Programs like Project ChildSafe work because proper storage of firearms when not in use is the number one way to help prevent firearm accidents, misuse and theft," Sanetti said. "We're honored to be recognized by the DOJ in our efforts to promote that message and going the extra step to make a means of safe storage readily available to gun owners."


About Project ChildSafe
NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry, launched Project ChildSafe in 1999 (prior to 2003 the program was called Project HomeSafe) as a nationwide initiative to promote firearms responsibility and provide safety education to all gun owners. While helping to prevent accidents among children is a focus, Project ChildSafe is intended to help adults practice greater firearm safety in the home to help prevent unauthorized access. More information is available at projectchildsafe.org.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 12,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen's organizations and publishers. For more information, visit nssf.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Bill Brassard (203) 426-1320