Ruger has announced that it is doubling its donation to Walk the Talk America (WTTA), an organization founded in 2018 by industry veteran Michael Sodini. Through formal programs, outreach, and engagement with the mental health and firearms communities, WTTA aspires to reduce firearm suicides through effective, targeted programs that begin with the perspective of firearm owners. WTTA approaches the issue of suicide by firearms with a unique perspective, offering training to gun owners and retailers as well as mental health professionals. Its Cultural Competence Classes seek to educate mental health professionals about the values and beliefs of firearms owners by bringing these professionals to the range for hands-on experience so they are better able to relate to and communicate with members of the firearm-owning community.
“Partnering with industry leaders like Ruger helps expand our reach, making significant steps towards achieving our mission,” stated Sodini. “The financial support and increased marketing that Ruger provides will help us spread our message to a wider audience, which will save lives.”
Ruger initially donated $25,000 in the fall of 2021 to help WTTA raise awareness for its initiatives and bring together industry leaders to create programs to reduce violence involving firearms, negligence, suicide, and the trauma associated with these events. In June, Ruger President and CEO, Chris Killoy, doubled-down on the commitment with another $25,000 commitment.
“We are incredibly proud to increase our support of Walk the Talk America,” said Killoy. “It is an honor to contribute to their mission of destigmatizing honest conversations about suicide and firearms to help save lives, and we are thankful that such an organization exists.”
Ruger also plans to incorporate information about Walk the Talk America into every firearm product box by January 2023.
For more information on how to become involved, visit WalkTheTalkAmerica.org.
About Walk the Talk America
WTTA’s mission is to fund research and development for outreach and promotion of mental health to reduce the misconceptions and prejudices that exist when it comes to mental illness and firearms. It believes it can be a catalyst for change by working with experts in the mental health industry.
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