Media Advisory

November is here and a lot is happening. Big changes are coming at the State Capitol with a new Governor, Lt. Governor, and several new state legislators. We are encouraged by the increase in voter turnout and engagement we saw on November 3 compared to 2022. This newsletter features:

• Our October momentum
• Announcing an important conversation about youth suicide and firearm safety
• Inviting you to shop local and give early this holiday season.

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#1 What We’re Tracking: Momentum in October

October was one of the biggest months this coalition has ever had.

Across Tennessee last month, Safer TN advocates showed up at 26 community events, welcomed 2,392 new supporters into the coalition, and put 1,129 free cable locks into the hands of Tennessee gun owners.

Our coalition has now grown to more than 40,000 members strong, and we have distributed more than 10,000 free cable locks to Tennessee gun owners since we began. None of this happens without you. Thank you for being part of it.

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#2 What We’re Tracking: Protecting Tennessee’s Youth — A Conversation on Suicide Prevention

The Tennessee Department of Health’s latest suicide prevention report brings both hope and a challenge. For the first time since 2018, the share of suicides involving a firearm went down. That tells us prevention works. But young people have not shared in that progress. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Tennesseans ages 10 to 17, and while youth suicide rates have come down nationally, Tennessee’s have not.

On Thursday, November 19, Voices for a Safer Tennessee is bringing together leaders in public health, suicide prevention, and youth mental health for a facilitated conversation on practical solutions and resources families can use right now.

Protecting Tennessee’s Youth: A Conversation on Suicide Prevention
Thursday, November 19 | 12:00 to 1:00 PM CT
Cressey & Co, 3803 Bedford Ave, Suite 105, Nashville – Join us in person HERE
Available via livestream – Register for the livestream HERE

Panelists:

• Dr. Tobi Amosun, Deputy Commissioner for Population Health, Tennessee Department of Health
• Paul Augustyniak, Past Board Chair, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Tennessee Chapter
• Dr. Katie Herrington, Clinical Director and Clinical Psychologist, Green Hills Family Psych

Moderated by: Mark H. Yancy, CEO of NashvilleHealth

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text 988.

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#3 What We’re Tracking: Shop Local, Support Safer TN

This fall, some of Nashville’s favorite local stores are giving back to Voices for a Safer Tennessee. A portion of sales from each event benefits our work across Tennessee.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 11
La Ligne, 2514 12th Ave S | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.
10% of in-store sales and phone orders donated to Safer TN
Hosted by Emily Byram, Julie Eskind Galbierz, Lauren Elcan Ingram, Joey Nelson, and Kerry Roberts
RSVP: nashville@lalignenyc.com | Phone orders: (615) 649-8910

HART, 2309 12th Ave S | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.
20% of event sales donated to Safer TN
Hosted by mother-daughter duos Lori and Caroline Buck, Carlie and Marlowe Cruse, Katy and Eleanor Dieckhaus, and Virginia and Rosie Voigt
RSVP: rsvp@safertn.org

Tuesday, December 1
Bandywood Courtyard Shops, 2209 Bandywood Dr. | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Shop Patch, Dept, Bump City, Habit, Hostess & Home, and Little Gourmand
All money raised at this shopping event counts toward our Giving Tuesday goal.
RSVP: rsvp@safertn.org

Thursday, December 3
Bell Bird Books, 1208 Martin Street | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.
15% of sales donated to Safer TN
Hosted by Mary Ann Weprin
RSVP: rsvp@safertn.org

Saturday, December 5
Veronica Beard, 4017 Hillsboro Pike | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
15% of sales donated to Safer TN
Hosted by Jessie Morris Adams, Sara Morris Garner, and Miller Morris
RSVP: rsvp@safertn.org

Bring a friend and shop for a cause. We hope to see you there.

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#4 What We’re Tracking: Stories from the Road

Our Community Engagement Coordinator, Katy Dieckhaus, shared this story from a recent event in Bedford County.

A veteran husband and wife, both of whom had served years in the military, stopped by our table. The husband opened up about living with PTSD and shared that he no longer owns firearms because of his diagnosis. His wife does have firearms, but she keeps them hidden and securely locked to help support him.

It was a quiet, powerful moment. They had already figured out what so many families are still working through — that secure storage is not just about protecting children. It is about protecting the people we love, at every stage of life.

We hear stories like this everywhere we go in Tennessee. Every one of them reminds us why this work matters and why we keep showing up.

Visit cablelocktn.org to order your free lock.

If you would like to volunteer at an upcoming event or have us speak to your community group, email our community engagement coordinator, Katy Dieckhaus.

Join us as a volunteer, or just stop by to say hello, at an event near you!

November 12: Jackson Woman’s Clinic Girls Night Out, Jackson
November 14: Community Volunteer Resource Fair, Trenton
November 18–20: Rural Health Association 32nd Annual Conference, Knoxville
November 19: Protecting Tennessee’s Youth: A Conversation on Suicide Prevention, Livestream

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• Teenager killed, another charged after shooting in North Knoxville (WVLT) (Safer TN Advisory Board Member Beth Holman was interviewed for this story)
• Teen accidentally shoots self in Nashville (WKRN)
• Teen girl charged with homicide following Grundy County shooting (WKRN)
• 6 charged after entering vacant Jackson home, stolen guns found (WBBJ)
• Metro Nashville schools to apply for $4.2 million grant to fund school resource officers (WSMV)
• Erlanger gives out 2,026th gun lock for 2026 (WDEF)
• Majority of Guns Reported Stolen in Nashville Taken from Vehicles (Metro Nashville Police Department)
• 22 states have red flag laws. What that means and why it’s unlikely to spread nationwide (WBAL)

Fall is in full swing and there is a lot to share. This month, we are welcoming a new team member, recapping a powerful podcast feature, and looking ahead to our final fall events.

Thanks for checking out these exciting updates!

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#1 What We’re Tracking: Momentum in September

September was one of our biggest months yet. We welcomed over 900 new coalition members, distributed more than 700 free cable locks to gun owners, and showed up at 25 community events across Tennessee.

Our coalition has now grown to 40,000 members strong, and we have distributed more than 10,000 free cable locks into the hands of Tennessee gun owners since we began. It happens because we have coalition team members on the ground, in every part of the state, who know their communities and show up for them.

We are thrilled to continue growing our coalition team. Mat Pfeffer recently joined us as our Middle Tennessee Coalition Coordinator (more below), and we have just announced that we are hiring a Southwest Tennessee Coalition Coordinator to serve the Shelby, Tipton, and Fayette County region. This is a role we are especially excited about. Having a dedicated staff member rooted in Southwest Tennessee will allow us to deepen relationships and expand our impact in a region that is central to our statewide mission.

Know someone who would be a great fit? We would love an introduction. Email us at info@safertn.org. 

None of this happens without you. Thank you for being part of it.

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#2 What We’re Tracking: Welcome to Our New Middle Tennessee Coalition Coordinator, Mat Pfeffer

We are thrilled to welcome Mat Pfeffer to the Voices for a Safer Tennessee team as our new Middle Tennessee Coalition Coordinator.

Mat brings more than 25 years of leadership and community service experience to Safer TN. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he served 21 years as a U.S. Marine Corps officer, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel after multiple combat deployments. He later spent six years in the medical device industry and holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.

Before joining the staff, Mat volunteered with Safer TN for nearly two years, showing up at community events, distributing cable locks, and supporting advocacy efforts at the Capitol. As a veteran and longtime responsible firearm owner, he believes firearm ownership, safety, and responsible practices go hand in hand.

We are grateful to have him on the team. Please join us in welcoming Mat!

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#3 What We’re Tracking: Safer TN on “This is Nashville“

Voices for a Safer Tennessee was featured on WPLN’s This Is Nashville, hosted by Blake Farmer, in a conversation about the documentary Louder than Guns and the work happening across Tennessee to make communities safer.

Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, executive producer of Louder than Guns, joined Todd Cruse, Chairman of the Voices for a Safer Tennessee C4 Board, and Katy Dieckhaus, our Community Engagement Coordinator, for a wide-ranging conversation about firearm safety, secure storage, background checks, and what it really looks like to meet Tennesseans where they are.

A few moments worth highlighting:

Todd shared that 70% of Republican primary voters in Tennessee now support background checks on private sales, up from 54% just two years ago. Katy talked about what it feels like to show up at festivals across the state and have honest, hopeful conversations with people who might seem unlikely allies. And Ketch reflected on why he made the film and what he has learned from listening to Tennesseans coast to coast.

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#4 What We’re Tracking: Fall Events

What a fall it has been. We gathered with supporters in Chattanooga and Nashville for our Back to School Bash and Fall Family Fun Fest events, and it was wonderful to be together, meet new faces, and celebrate the momentum this community has built. Thank you to everyone who joined us.

Our fall events continue. We hope to see you at one near you.

Fall Family Fun Fest — Knoxville
Sunday, October 18 | 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Yee-Haw Brewing
Register here

Fall Family Fun Fest — Memphis
Sunday, November 8 | 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Grind City Brewing Co.
Register here

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#5 What We’re Tracking: Stories from the Road

At a recent stop in Rhea County, a mother told our coalition coordinator about two little boys who used to live on her old street, boys her own son played with. Not long after her family moved, she saw the news: the boys had been jumping on a bed, unaware of a loaded firearm within reach. It went off. One of the twins didn’t survive.

We hear stories like this one everywhere we go in Tennessee. Every one of them comes back to the same truth: a secured firearm changes the outcome. That is why we keep showing up, keep having these conversations, and keep putting free cable locks into the hands of Tennessee families.

Visit cablelocktn.org to order your free lock.

If you would like to volunteer at an upcoming event or have us speak to your community group, email our community engagement coordinator, Katy Dieckhaus.

Join us as a volunteer, or just stop by to say hello, at an event near you!

October 13: CPD National Night Out, Chattanooga
October 16: Knoxville-Knox County Head Start 3rd Annual Fall Festival, Knoxville
October 17: October Sky Festival, Rockwood
October 18: Knoxville Fall Family Fun Fest, Knoxville
October 22: Sevierville’s History and Haunts, Sevierville
October 30: Healing Hands Health Veterans’ Dental Day, Kingsport
November 8: Memphis Fall Family Fun Fest, Memphis

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• Advocate says safe storage, conversations with kids can help prevent tragedies after deadly shooting in Knoxville
• With kids back in school, group pushes to put more firearm cable locks in Tennessee homes — News Channel 9
• The death of a 5-year-old boy in Antioch is renewing urgent calls for safe gun storage — News Channel 5
• ‘It’s preventable’: 5-year-old fatally shoots himself after finding gun in Middle TN home — WATE
• Expelled student arrested for bringing gun and drugs to Nashville high school campus — WKRN
• Middle Tennessee surpasses last two years in officer-involved shootings, TBI data shows — WKRN
• Tennessee teen suicide rate rises 47%, state report shows — Johnson City Press
• The recent rise of women gun owners — RAND
• Firearm safety practices from Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital

Fall is here and our events are just around the corner. This month, we are reflecting on how far we have come in 2026, sharing stories from the road, and inviting you to join us at one of our fall events across Tennessee.

Thanks for checking out these exciting updates!

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#1 What We’re Tracking: Momentum in 2026

This summer, our community came together and raised enough to provide 15,000 cable locks free of charge to gun owners across all 95 Tennessee counties. That means 1,250 locks will reach Tennessee gun owners every single month for a full year. 285 donors made it happen, with supporters represented in 17 Tennessee counties, from Davidson and Shelby to Bradley, Cocke, and Sequatchie.

Three years ago, a group of parents came together with a mission and a resolve: to build a coalition and find collaborative solutions to reduce firearm tragedies in Tennessee. Here is where that work stands today.

Our coalition has grown to nearly 40,000 Tennesseans across all 95 counties. This year alone, we have welcomed nearly 6,000 new members through more than 160 community events and civic meetings, powered by roughly 80 volunteers who have given over 200 hours of their time.

Since our founding, we have helped pass more than 10 firearm safety laws, the first in nearly a decade, and stopped four dangerous bills that would have expanded public carry of firearms.

Our data dashboard, developed in partnership with the University of Tennessee’s Boyd Center, is now driving evidence-based conversations about firearm tragedies in every corner of the state. In May, we hosted a webinar with Dr. Matt Harris from the Boyd Center to walk Tennesseans through the data — and the conversation continues to grow. And through 13 healthcare and social service partners, including Erlanger Children’s Hospital in Chattanooga, Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital in Knoxville, and Le Bonheur in Memphis, we have distributed more than 4,800 free cable locks directly into the hands of Tennessee gun owners. At community events across the state, we have distributed nearly 4,500 more, bringing our total to more than 9,300 cable locks in the hands of Tennessee gun owners this year.

None of this happens without you.

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#2 What We’re Tracking: Fall Events Across Tennessee

This fall, Voices for a Safer Tennessee is bringing our Back to School Bash and Fall Family Fun Fest series to four cities across the state. These events are a chance to connect with fellow supporters, meet the team behind the work, and celebrate the momentum we have built together. Bring your family and friends, enjoy great food and activities, and learn more about what Safer TN is doing in your community. Tickets start at $25.

Back to School Bash — Memphis
Sunday, September 13 | 4 to 6 p.m
Grind City Brewing Co.
Register here

Back to School Bash — Chattanooga
Sunday, September 20 | 4 to 6 p.m.
White Duck Taco
Register here

Fall Family Fun Fest — Nashville
Sunday, October 4 | 2 to 4 p.m.
Fat Bottom Brewing Co.
Register here

Fall Family Fun Fest — Knoxville
Sunday, October 18 | 4 to 6 p.m.
Yee-Haw Brewing
Register here

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#3 What We’re Tracking: Stories from the Road

At a recent community event, a gentleman shared this:

“I remember going to an estate sale when I was about 9 years old. I bought a gun for less than five dollars and took it home. My dad didn’t take it away though, he taught me how to use it. I still have that gun to this day.”

It is a story that stays with us. A 9-year-old walked out of an estate sale with a firearm. No background check. No questions asked. That was decades ago, but the ease of access has not changed. In Tennessee, one in five gun sales still happens without a background check. The conversations we have at events across the state are about changing that, one community at a time.

If you would like to volunteer at an upcoming event or have us speak to your community group, email our community engagement coordinator, Katy Dieckhaus.

Join us as a volunteer, or just stop by to say hello, at an event near you!

September 1: Cleveland Rotary Club, Cleveland
September 2: Rhea County Health Council, Dayton
September 3: Smokies Baseball Game, Knoxville
September 11–13: Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, Bristol
September 13: Memphis Back to School Bash, Memphis
September 16: Ribbon Cutting at the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, Madisonville
September 18: Winchester Head Start Family Resource Day, Winchester
September 20: 2nd Annual Chattanooga Back to School Bash, Chattanooga
September 29: Stronger Together Resource Fair, Chattanooga
October 4: Nashville Fall Family Fun Fest, Nashville
October 13: CPD National Night Out, Chattanooga
October 17: October Sky Festival, Rockwood
October 18: Knoxville Fall Family Fun Fest, Knoxville

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• 5-year-old fatally shoots himself after finding gun in Antioch home
• Efforts to prevent gun deaths in Tennessee 
• Nashville advocate pleads for action on gun safety following 5-year-old’s death 
• 5-year-old dead after accidental shooting in Shelby County 
• Former officer urges gun safety education after death of 5-year-old 
• Juvenile killed in drive-by shooting outside Pearl-Cohn High School after football game 
• West Tennessee notices trend of teen-on-teen shootings in 2026 
• Teen charged after entering Nashville high school with gun in backpack
• Majority of guns reported stolen in Nashville taken from vehicles 
• How some Tennessee districts are adding panic alarms for school safety

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Summer is winding down and the state elections are heating up. Last week, 1,068,470 Tennesseans went to the polls to select nominees who will compete in the November 3 general election for Governor, State Senate, and State House seats. View the unofficial election results here. Congratulations to all the candidates who advanced.

In addition to the election, we’re celebrating a milestone for Safe at Home, introducing more of our fantastic interns, welcoming new board members, and sharing fall events across Tennessee.

Thanks for checking out these exciting updates!

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#1 What We’re Tracking: Safe at Home Recap

This summer, our community came together and raised enough to provide 15,000 cable locks free of charge to gun owners across all 95 Tennessee counties. That means 1,250 locks will reach Tennessee gun owners every single month for a full year. 285 donors made it happen, with supporters represented in 17 Tennessee counties, from Davidson and Shelby to Bradley, Cocke, and Sequatchie.

When we hand a cable lock to someone at a community event, a conversation starts. A parent thinks about their own home differently. A firearm gets secured. Every one of those locks represents a family that is safer because of this community.

This is just one example of the work Voices for a Safer Tennessee does to protect Tennessee families from harm. We are grateful you have chosen to be part of this movement.

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#2 What We’re Tracking: Meet More of Our Summer Interns

This summer, Voices for a Safer Tennessee welcomed a large class of incredible interns bringing energy and talent to our work. We introduced four of them last month. Here are two more.

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#3 What We’re Tracking: Welcoming New Board Members

We are pleased to welcome two new members to the Voices for a Safer Tennessee C3 Board of Directors.

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#4 What We’re Tracking: Stories from the Road

An Army veteran shared this with us at a community event.

“My youngest son was maybe 6 or 7 and he had his neighborhood buddy over at the house and they were playing. I was working in my office where I had one of my guns in one of those wooden cases with the glass front. They ran into my office and my son’s friend’s eyes got real big and he said, ‘ooh a gun.’ My son immediately stopped him and said, ‘it’s a real gun, we can’t use it unless my dad is with us.’

I showed my son the same thing I saw in basic training. I took a big gallon of water and had him shoot at it. I told him, “You see all the water gushing out, that’s the same way a body reacts to being shot.”

Conversations like these can help change the trajectory of firearm tragedies in our state. If you’d like to volunteer at an upcoming event or have us speak to your community group, email our community engagement coordinator, Katy Dieckhaus.

Join us as a volunteer, or just stop by to say hello, at an event near you!

August 15: Loudon Riverfest, Loudon
August 24: Lenoir City Rotary, Lenoir City
August 25: Bradley County Health Council, Cleveland
September 1: Cleveland Rotary Club, Cleveland
September 2: Rhea County Health Council, Dayton
September 3: Smokies Baseball Game, Knoxville
September 11–13: Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, Bristol
September 13: Memphis Back to School Bash, Memphis
September 20: 2nd Annual Chattanooga Back to School Bash, Chattanooga
October 4: Nashville Fall Family Fun Fest, Nashville
October 17: October Sky Festival, Rockwood
October 18: Knoxville Fall Family Fun Fest, Knoxville

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#5 What We’re Tracking: Fall Events Across Tennessee

This fall, Voices for a Safer Tennessee is heading across the state for our Back to School Bash and Fall Family Fun Fest events. Join us for an afternoon of community, conversation, and connection.

Back to School Bash — Memphis
Sunday, September 13 | 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Grind City Brewing
[Register here] 

Back to School Bash — Chattanooga
Sunday, September 20 | 4:00 to 6:00 PM
White Duck Taco
[Register here]

Fall Family Fun Fest — Nashville
Sunday, October 4 | 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Hillwood Country Club
[Register here] 

Fall Family Fun Fest — Knoxville
Sunday, October 18 | 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Yee-Haw Brewing
[Register here] 

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• 3 dead, several injured in shooting at Savannah Williamson Community Park
• 5-year-old boy’s death in Hickory Hill shooting ruled accidental
• Family of Madison teen killed in shooting speaks out
• How should we respond to gun-related deaths among Tennessee kids
• FBI report: Tennessee recorded 2 active shooter incidents in 2025, including Antioch High
• Majority of guns reported stolen in Nashville taken from vehicles
• Extreme risk protection order policies and homicide risk among cohabitants of handgun owners
• Organization encourages Chattanooga youth to stay away from gun violence

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Summer is in full swing, and so is our team. This month, we’re proud to welcome a new face, introduce our hardworking interns, and share a story from the road that captures why these conversations matter.

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#1 What We’re Tracking: Safe at Home

Summer means baseball games, melting popsicles, and making memories with friends. For Tennessee families, it should be a carefree time. But for too many families it isn’t. Firearms are the leading cause of death for kids in Tennessee, and every summer the risk rises. July alone sees nearly 44% more accidental shootings than September.

Voices for a Safer Tennessee gives cable locks to Tennessee gun owners to secure their firearms at no cost. For $25, you can provide five locks. For $50, ten. Every one of those locks could secure a firearm and save a life.

For the past three years, we’ve been putting free cable locks in the hands of firearm owners across all 95 counties at community events, hospital emergency departments, maternity wards, and rural clinics. At Erlanger Children’s Hospital in Chattanooga, distribution has grown by 700% in just three months. Families are asking for them everywhere we go.

This summer, we are raising $75,000 to fund a full year of distribution. The Urban Child Institute and the Elsie Marshall Charitable Fund have already committed $20,000. Now we need our community to raise $55,000 to bring it home.

Help us keep kids Safe at Home.

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#2 What We’re Tracking: Meet Our Summer Interns

This summer, Voices for a Safer Tennessee welcomed a large class of interns bringing energy and talent to our communications, policy, and coalition work. We’re introducing four of them today, with more to come in our August edition.

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#3 What We’re Tracking: A New Face to the Safer TN team

We are pleased to welcome a new addition to Voices for a Safer Tennessee.

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#4 What We’re Tracking: Stories from the Road

Our Southeast Tennessee Coalition Coordinator, Emily Holden, shares a moment that stays with her.

“The night before our first trip together, after I had tucked my three-year-old son into bed, I received a text from my best friend. We’ve had many conversations about the work I do, and she has always been supportive of our mission. This time, though, the conversation felt especially personal.

She reached out to ask if I was comfortable with her bringing her firearm on our trip and to talk about how it would be stored safely. I was incredibly grateful that she started the conversation before we left. I told her I had no problem with her bringing it, but I also shared how relieved I was that she asked instead of leaving it to chance that my son might come across it.

My son knows not to touch firearms, but he’s three years old — and like any curious little boy, that alone isn’t enough. Knowing my friend had a plan for safe storage gave me tremendous peace of mind.

That simple conversation made all the difference. My child was safer because we talked openly. My friend felt confident traveling with her firearm, and I felt reassured knowing we had addressed safety together. Most importantly, she was willing to speak honestly, even though conversations like these can sometimes feel uncomfortable. Those moments of authenticity and transparency are exactly what help prevent life-altering tragedies.”

— Emily Holden, Southeast Tennessee Coalition Coordinator

If you’d like to volunteer at an upcoming event or have us speak to your community group, email our community engagement coordinator, Katy Dieckhaus.

Join us as a volunteer, or just stop by to say hello, at an event near you!

July 14–18: Bedford County Fair, Shelbyville
July 15: Lauderdale County Library Summer Reading Craft, Ripley
July 15: Hixson Council of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, Hixson
July 17: Adamsville Library Summer Reading Craft, Adamsville
July 18: Back to School Fair (location TBC)
July 23: Greenfield Library Summer Reading Craft, Greenfield
July 24: Germantown Farm Park Friday, Germantown
August 2: Manchester Watermelon Festival, Manchester
August 7–15: Williamson County Fair, Williamson County
August 8: American Legion POST 207 Breakfast, Spencer

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• Two young children shot and killed in West Tennessee
• 12-year-old shot and killed in downtown Nashville
• 8-year-old pulls bullet fragment from her back during Nashville Fourth of July fireworks
• Teen survivor sues AI security company over failed gun detection at Antioch High School
• Middle Tennessee teens arrested for smash-and-grab burglaries resulting in dozens of stolen firearms
• If you own a gun, prevent accidental injuries by following these safety practices — Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
• Life With Ferris: All The Empty Rooms — Chattanooga

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