CARMEL, IND. (Feb. 14, 2024) – Allegion US, a leading security products and solutions provider, is now a Mission Partner of The “I Love U Guys” Foundation, which operates programs for schools’ crisis response. Partnering with The “I Love U Guys” Foundation reflects Allegion’s ongoing efforts to drive productive conversations on school security and support organizations that are advocating for safer students, every day.
As a company that has a mission of pioneering safety, Allegion has sustained a long-term focus on sharing best practices in K-12 safety and security, with a sincere goal of promoting positive changes in school environments. One recent example of these efforts is the company’s new “The Changing Face of School Security” podcast, where Allegion brings together industry experts, community leaders, non-profit organizations, law enforcement and educational professionals to foster meaningful dialogue on the topic.
The “I Love U Guys” Foundation similarly fosters dialogue and programs in safety, preparedness and reunification in schools. This organization was started in 2006 by Ellen and John-Michael Keyes following a school shooting that took the life of their daughter, Emily. On that day, Emily sent two text messages – one to her mother, “I love u guys. K” and to her father, “I love you guys.” The Foundation’s programs for crisis response, the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), and post-crisis reunification, the Standard Reunification Method (SRM), are used in more than 50,000 schools, districts, departments, agencies, organizations and communities around the world.
“At The ‘I Love U Guys’ Foundation, we are strong advocates for the ability to lock classroom doors from inside the classroom, as the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission recommended in their Final Report in 2015,” said Carly Posey, mission director for The “I Love U Guys” Foundation. “We are proud to begin our collaboration with Allegion, who will help us fulfill our mission. Allegion brings much more than their door locks to our collective mission of school safety – it’s clear through their partnerships and industry participation that they are authentically invested in helping communities create a safer school environment.”
Allegion joins as a Mission Partner for The “I Love U Guys” Foundation, which goes beyond sponsorship or donations. The work together leverages relationships, community, brand and expertise to build stronger communities and schools through stronger partnerships. Allegion’s long-standing safe school efforts are also rooted in collaboration with Safe and Sound Schools, Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) and the Security Industry Association (SIA).
“By supporting and working with non-profit organizations, the security industry, manufacturers, educators, law enforcement and community leaders, we can collectively develop comprehensive and best practice solutions – but it takes a lot of authentic collaboration to get there,” said Ken Cook, director of national school safety and advocacy, Allegion US. “Our goal with our work in the K-12 space is to both lend our support and leverage our expertise for good. We believe that the meaningful relationships we’re building with organizations like The ‘I Love U Guys’ Foundation will ultimately have a positive impact on students – helping them feel safer and enabling them to learn and thrive.”
For over a century, Allegion’s renowned brands Schlage and Von Duprin have been dedicated to securing educational facilities. Building on this legacy, Allegion has prioritized the creation of resources that promote security solutions based on best practices recommended by past incident reports and credible sources like the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This approach results in security solutions that align with the highest standards and are designed to effectively address the evolving challenges faced by educational institutions.
Another way Allegion is bringing its best practices-first approach to life is by giving individual experts an open platform for conversation – by way of Allegion’s “Changing Face of School Security” podcast. In its first few months, Allegion’s Paul Timm, director of education safety, has hosted more than 10 leading changemakers from across the field – including John-Michael Keys, the founder of The “I Love U Guys” Foundation. All guests are focused on learning and moving forward together, to make schools safe.
“We are aiming to go beyond facilities and locks to share valuable advice and truly help the K-12 industry,” said Melany Whalin, marketing manager for education, Allegion US. “One of Allegion’s core values is centered on serving others, and that forms the foundation of our approach to school security – and explains why we are so invested in establishing a safe environment for students.”
To join the conversation with Allegion or partner together as a part of schools’ security advisors, visit Allegion’s new K-12 website. To hear about the important work and ideas in the K-12 industry, listen to Allegion’s podcast. Learn more about The “I Love U Guys” Foundation at http://iloveuguys.org.
