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ARAF Program Overview

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The American Rifle Association Foundation (ARAF) is committed to building safer communities through a multi-pronged approach.

Our programs are designed to:

strengthen education
provide responsible firearm training
expand mental health resources
support community collaboration.

Community Outreach & Intervention

- Partner with local organizations already leading violence prevention / public health and safety initiatives.
- Expand crisis response teams and rapid support programs for communities impacted by shootings.
- Provide mini-grants to grassroots leaders making a difference on the ground.

Education & Awareness

- Develop webinars and public workshops on mental health, responsible gun ownership, safe storage, and accident prevention.
- Create school and community curricula focused on conflict resolution, youth safety, and peer mentorship.
- Launch awareness campaigns on reducing stigma around mental health and the subject of suicide.

Responsible Firearm Training

- Offer community-based training programs for new and experienced gun owners.
- Provide subsidies for safe storage devices (locks, safes) alongside training.
- Collaborate with law enforcement and certified instructors to ensure training is practical, accessible, and evidence-based.

Mental Health & Suicide Prevention

- Fund partnerships with mental health providers to expand counseling and crisis intervention.
- Support peer-to-peer programs and hotlines designed for veterans, youth, and high-risk groups.
- Integrate firearm safety into suicide prevention outreach (safe storage, family conversations).

- Identify each community's gaps between law enforcement and mental health cases, and simultaneously assist and better protect law enforcement personnel, their subject, and the community.

Community Collaboration & Partnerships

- Build coalitions with schools, nonprofits, healthcare systems, educational institutions, and varying religious groups to align local resources.
- Strengthen national partnerships with research centers to guide policy and best practices.
- Host regular community summits to share knowledge, successes, and innovations in person, outside of our website and newsletter

Through these program pillars, ARAF ensures that prevention, responsibility, and collaboration guide everything we do. Together, we can reduce gun violence, promote responsible firearm use, and build safer communities for all.