Rep. Troy Carter stood alongside United Way and health leaders on Tuesday to roll out a fresh shot of federal cash for a homegrown firearm-safety effort that is quietly changing how guns are stored in local homes. The $1.03 million investment will expand a biometric gun-safe giveaway across the New Orleans area, with about 5,750 safes and brief storage training aimed at households with children. Organizers say the new money builds on a 2023 pilot that already placed thousands of safes in Orleans Parish.
Rep. Troy Carter's office said the $1,031,000 award comes through fiscal year 2026 appropriations and community project funding that he helped secure. The funding will support a regional expansion of the existing program. "I am proud to have fought for funding that will make our community healthier, safer, and stronger," Carter said.
United Way of Southeast Louisiana said the money will cover approximately 5,750 free biometric gun safes for households across the region. About 4,750 will be distributed through United Way’s five Prosperity Centers and its Resiliency Center, and 1,000 will go out through Manning Family Children’s Hospital-based screenings. Each household will get a short, in-person demonstration on how to use the safe.
Why organizers say safe storage matters
Public-health numbers paint a stark picture. America’s Health Rankings reports Louisiana’s firearm death rate for children ages 1 to 19 at 16.1 per 100,000 for 2021 through 2023, compared with a nationwide rate of 5.9. Organizers say that getting more families set up with secure storage, along with basic education, can reduce the risk of unintentional shootings and youth suicide.
How families can get a safe
Families that have at least one child under 18 and a firearm in the home can request a free biometric safe by calling 504-822-5540, visiting United Way’s Resiliency Center, or finding the nearest Prosperity Center online through United Way of Southeast Louisiana. United Way and hospital partners say the program is voluntary, staff will not handle firearms or collect ownership paperwork, and every pickup includes a brief demonstration on how to operate the biometric device.
Organizers say the expansion is aimed at households that United Way serves across seven southeast Louisiana parishes and is intended to remove the cost barrier that keeps many working families from buying a quality safe. Officials describe the effort as a straightforward prevention tool, one that pairs an evidence-backed safety device with basic coaching to help keep kids out of harm’s way.
